I've read some of the posts on pitch rates, etc., but have a questions about pitch rate and what BeerSmith3 calculates.
Background: I recently brewed a pale ale using the Kviek strain by Omega (Hothead Ale). Using the BeerSmith3 calculations for pitch rates. BeerSmith3 recommended 2 packs of yeast based on the mfg date and estimated cell count. I pitched the two pouches and racked from the primary to the secondary carboy after 4 days in the primary (again according to BeerSmith3). So far the beer is bottle aging and a recent sample taste is very promising with no after tastes or off smells. I'm still learning and in the future hope to harvest and re-use yeast, but for now am sticking to using the off-the-shelf yeasts.
Now I'm in the process of starting another batch and will be using the Imperial Loki A43 kveik strain. The Loki comes in a 200 cell count pouch. Based upon the mfg date and cell count viability, BeerSmith3 agains recommending two pouches to meet the needed cell count. I discussed this with the my LHBS where I purchased the Loki and they said that BeerSmith3 calculations are incorrect and that a single pouch would suffice. I emailed Imperial Yeast and they too said that a single pouch would be all that's needed for my batch.
My concern is under pitching. I understand the risk of autolysis with over pitching, but this is something I should be able to control by moving the beer to the secondary carboy after the primary fermentation is completed. (I don't want to get into a discussion of using a single stage fermentation versus racking to the secondary.) I understand that such tools as BeerSmith3 use a model that may not accommodate all yeasts or wort properties.
Question: Do you use the predicted cell counts and pitching rates that software calculations recommend?