Please click on an FAQ link below to view information regarding that question.   Question: Information on Yeast Upgrades: What's the difference between dry and liquid yeast?   Answer: The advantages of dried beer yeast are that it is simple to use, usually very active and foolproof. One can significantly improve the performance of dried yeasts (and consequently the flavor of your beer) by properly rehydrating it. Do this by adding the dried yeast to a sanitized glass jar filled with 1-1.5 cups of 90-100 F tap water. Cover with clean foil and let rehydrate for 15-30 minutes, then bring the temperature of the rehydrated yeast close to that of the wort and pitch. One of the premier advantages of liquid yeast is the selection one encounters. Nowadays and especially to the novice, there is an overwhelming selection to choose from. Many of the liquid strains of yeast have been obtained from breweries in brewing centers from around the world and therefore afford the home brewer the greatest possible chance to replicate the beers styles, which made these cities famous. Yeast is arguably the most important ingredient in beer and indeed certain styles of beer cannot even be approximated without the use of the correct yeast strain. We carry yiquid yeast in three forms the Propogator, Activator (both from Wyeast), and the White Labs Pitchable Tube. The Propogators have a smaller yeast culture in them and are best utilized in conjunction with a yeast starter. The pitchable tubes, generally, have a large enough culture starting out that they can be pitched directly into 5 gallons of wort with a specific gravity up to 1.050 without the use of a yeast starter. All they require is removal from the refrigerator to a room temperature environment for 4-5 hours prior to their use. The same applies for Activators. Then, simply break open the inner pouch by applying pressure, allow it to swell, then pitch into your cooled wort. Visit "http://www.whitelabs.com" White Labs and "http://www.wyeastlab.com/" Wyeast Laboratories for more detailed information on liquid yeast strains.   Question: Its been 3 days and I still see no activity:   Answer: There are several reasons for lag time in your beer. Damaged yeast from shipping takes time to propagate and “heal” and lag times up to 3 days are not uncommon. If you are ever concerned about it dust off your hydrometer and compare a reading to the estimated original gravity, if it is fermenting or has finished fermenting then the hydrometer will cue you in to where things are at. Remember that wort is most vulnerable prior to fermentation so take a sample with utmost sanitary concern. Also trust your senses, if it has fermented it will smell like beer and there will be a foam ring indicating a krausen. Ferment times can easily vary from 24 hours to 10 days depending on the conditions and yeast strain employed. Activity will vary from batch to batch since there are so many variables affecting performance.   Question: Tips for better yeast performance in your beer:   Answer: Take advantage of our shipping options, we keep the insulated and cooling materials at cost to ensure you receive your yeast in the best possible condition. We are now offering insulated shipping bags in conjunction with the industry standard ice gel packs. These will help retain cool shipping temps and provide you with healthier yeast. Yeast starters and wort aeration both promote great yeast performance and consistent healthy results. Taking time to address these two issues will greatly improve the quality and consistency of your batch of beer. Keep a backup packet or two of dry yeast on hand in your fridge. It is freeze dried and will last easily for a year. In an emergency you can use it to ensure that the batch is spared rather then waiting for a new shipment to arrive. Don’t worry, have a homebrew!   Question: What is the difference between ale and lager yeast?   Answer: Brewers yeast is categorized into two main varieties. They are classified as ale yeast (top-fermenting type, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or lager yeast (bottom-fermenting type, Saccharomyces uvarum). These two varieties are further broken down into categories of specific strains. There are hundreds of strains of both ale and lager yeasts. Ale yeast is a variety of yeast that is best used at temperatures ranging from 65-75 degrees F with certain ale strains performing well and indeed optimally as low as 55 degrees F. Lower temperatures tend to inhibit fermentation; some strains will not ferment below 50 degrees F. Some strains of ale yeast exhibit a tendency to flocculate at the surface of the fermenting beer during the first few days of fermentation, hence the term "top-fermenting." Lager yeast is a variety of yeast that is best used at temperatures ranging from 45-55 degrees F with certain lager strains performing well at temperatures as low as 32 degrees F. The desired "smoothness" of lager beers is best achieved from fermentations carried out at the lower end of this temperature range for anywhere from three weeks to many months. All strains of lager yeast will flocculate and then settle to the bottom of the fermenting vessel, hence the term "bottom fermenting."   Question: What type of Yeast do you carry?   Answer: With all the time and effort homebrewers put into their beer recipes sometimes the importance of yeast is overlooked. Yeast can effect the taste of beer more than malt, hops or specialty grains. There are two forms of yeast’s used in homebrewing. Dry yeast and Liquid yeast. Wyeast Laboratories and White Labs offer liquid yeast’s that are cultured strains of a specific yeast. These pure strains produce consistent results and are highly recommended for many styles of beer. (Notably; Light Ales, Lagers, Belgian Ales, Wheat , Steam and Specialty Beers) These strains produce very specific flavors. Fruity, Sweet, Dry, Crisp, Spicy, Nutty, and Tart to name a few. Wyeast strains are available in 1.75 and Ready-to-use Activators. Making a yeast starter with the 1.75 oz. packs is recommended for lagers and high gravity beers. White labs yeast’s with 30-50 billion yeast cells per vial are the equivalent of one pint of yeast starter. Overall, liquid yeasts allow you to duplicate recipes with consistent results. Dry yeast’s have improved in recent years. They are reliable after months of storage and are very easy to use. The disadvantage of using dry yeast’s are inconsistent results. You can make the same recipe twice with a dry yeast and have 2 different tasting beers. The will taste good, but not necessarily the same.   Question: What is yeast nutrient and when do I need to use it?   Answer: Brewer's yeast requires an adequate supply of vital nutrients and trace minerals in order for it to carry out a healthy fermentation cycle. The nutrients and trace minerals the yeast needs are naturally present, in adequate quantities, in malted barley or manufactured by enzymes during the malting or mashing process. The addition of extra-prepackaged yeast nutrient to all malt extract beers is unnecessary. The only time that a home brewer needs to consider its addition is if you've used more than 40 percent adjuncts-that is, ingredients other than malt extract or malted barley. Yeast nutrients are recommended when making mead and wine.   Question: What is the best method for using dried yeast?   Answer: While you will get fermentation by simply sprinkling the dried yeast on top of the cooled (75-80º F), you will get much better results with a simple additional step. First, run water that is 98-100º F into a clean bowl, cup or measuring cup. Then take the dried yeast and sprinkle it on top of the warm water. Allow it to sit for about ten minutes, until most of the yeast is dissolved. Stir it up with a clean spoon to break up any remaining chunks. Now this “slurry” can be pitched into your cooled wort. Now your yeast cells are “activated”, and hungry to eat up all that sugar. You should see a quicker start, and a healthier, more flocculant start to the fermentation.   Question: What is flocculation?   Answer: Flocculation refers to the clumping of yeast cells at the end of fermentation. Strains are separated into three main degrees of flocculation- High, Medium, and Low. An example of a highly flocculent strain would be our English Ale yeast, which will settle at the bottom of the fermentation tank. An example of a low flocculent strain would be our Hefeweizen yeast.   Question: How can I increase the alcohol level in my beer?   Answer: Alcohol is a byproduct of the yeast cells consumption of the sugars in the wort. As the alcohol level rises in the wort, the fermentation begins to slow down. Adding yeast nutrients to the wort can give the yeast new food allowing for an extended fermentation period. Yeast nutrient also helps to create stronger cell walls, which make yeast less susceptible to alcohol death. Another way to increase the alcohol level in the beer is to add yeast with a higher alcohol tolerance towards the end of fermentation.   Question: It's been 2-3 days, and I haven't seen any activity in the airlock.   Answer: If you are using a plastic bucket as a primary fermenter, about 75% of the time the beer is fermenting, but the lid isn't on tight so the CO2 created by fermentation is escaping through the leak rather than the airlock. Make sure the lid is tightly secured to the bucket. The next thing to check would be the gravity reading. If your reading has dropped from the original gravity reading, or the starting gravity reading our kits suggest, then fermentation has taken place. Another case may be that the beer finished fermenting before you got a chance to check on the fermenter. In our experience, dry yeasts and some strains of yeast can finish up in 1-2 days! If the gravity has not dropped, one option to try is to gently swirl the yeast back into suspension and make sure the temperature is within the optimal range for the particular strain of yeast you are using. Bringing it towards the warmer end of the range may help kick start some fermentation.   Question: How long will my lager fermentation last?   Answer: Each fermentation will depend somewhat on the yeast strain used and other conditions, but lager fermentations can be done as soon as 10 days. However, it may take as much as 4 weeks! Pitching rate, temperature, and proper oxygenation of your cooled wort all can impact rate of fermentations.   Question: How long will it take for my ale to ferment?   Answer: There are several variables that will impact rate of fermentation, such as quantity and health of yeast pitched, temperature, the specific gravity gravity, and proper oxygenation/aeration of cooled wort. However, you can expect most ale fermentations with an ale to be complete within two weeks. But there can be a lot of variance. It's quite possible that fermentation could go for only 3 days and be complete or take as long as 3 weeks!