Stop in for a drink.

toolmanmike said
I have been having a interesting conversation with the gal from Mr Beer about yeast starters. I have always had great luck with a starter but she says no that the yeast is too active that way. It stresses the cells. But the last instructions I read it said to use a whole envelope of their recommended yeast in a 2 gallon batch. The yeast packet said it is aggressive fermenting yeast and 1 packet will work with like 15 gallons. LOL I have 2 batches going right now and the one I started was active within a few hours. The one I didn't start is slow and lazy. Very little activity in 24 hours. :BangHead::BangHead:

I only do starters for liquid yeast. My understanding is that typical dry yeast packets has 200 billion cells and the way they are preserved and packaged allows the majority of the cells to stay viable for a much longer period of time. Starters for dry yeast aren't necessary for that reason. Liquid yeast is a different story to my knowledge. White labs and Wyeast packets are only 100 billion cells - many of which die off before they are ever pitched. Sure that still may be enough to ferment a 5 gal batch, but making a starter ensures the proper amount of viable cells, while waking them up and preparing them for action, so to speak. Under-pitching will stress the yeast much more than over-pitching. I almost always make starters for liquid yeast. Plus, the starter for this brown ale was actually harvested from a previous batch and has been in my fridge for 3 months. It's a kickass highly attenuating yeast strain called 'San Diego Super yeast.' I'm sure half of them are dead and need to be built back up, but I love the dry finish this yeast produces. Not exactly what most people would like for a brown ale, but we love it it our house. It almost aways finishes at 1.010 - 1.012.

toolmanmike said
What's your grain bill?

It's pretty much a Newcastle clone. The original Newcastle, not the new version brewed by Lagunitas.

2-row - 67%
flaked corn - 8%
carapils - 4%
crystal 20 - 5%
crystal 60 - 5%
crystal 80 - 2%
chocolate 350 - 3%
special B - 2%
dextrose - 4%

toolmanmike said
The instructions said to use the whole package but the yeast said it's good for many gallons. That's the one I am having a slow start with. It will go. It has plenty of sugar in it. I will do a starter if I have to to get her lit! LOL

It's quite possible that you got a bad packet. I wouldn't be afraid at all to re-pitch. It's only 5 bucks. Better than tossing out a whole batch of wort.