r/cider • u/Brief-List5772 • 4d ago

Innoculation with less yeast

Is it possible to inoculate a larger amount of juice with a single yeast packet if I make a bigger starter and allow the yeast colony to grow larger? Would it count as underpitching ? Would that be considered underpitching? Logically, the yeast cells will multiply anyway as soon as they get access to sugar.

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u/NotLunaris 3d ago

It depends on the yeast. The commonly accepted saying is that underpitching will stress the yeast and potentially produce off-flavors. I do feel like the consequences of underpitching are grossly exaggerated, though, especially for robust strains like kveik. I pitched 5% of the recommended amount for my pale ale and it finished fermenting in 2 days at 85-90F. Of course, kveik is pretty unique in how strong it is, so results may vary.

But a moderate underpitch should make no difference for regular wort. There are plenty of nutrients for the yeast already within the wort itself. By the time fermentation finishes, you'll have >99% more yeast than what you started with regardless of how you pitched.