Straight-up ale yeast is still the workhorse of the American craft beer movement, but as drinkers and brewers alike have become a bit more adventurous, yeasts and yeast techniques have grown in variety and usage. For instance, more Belgian strains are in use now, sour and wild beers with Brettanomyces and bacteria are growing in popularity and we see more and more traditional lagers being brewed these days.
Today more than ever, brewers get the importance of yeast and good fermentation practices, but for the average drinker and the average homebrewer that part of the process is still rather invisible. To help educate up-and-coming brewmasters, here is an excellent video on making a yeast starter, which is one easy way to improve the health of your yeast, progress your fermentation and have great-tasting results. Here, Northern Brewer shows us how to make a yeast starter using one of its Yeast Starter Kits and Northern Brewer Stir Plate.
