And I'm still getting bubbles every 30 seconds or so . I used a bag of Wyeast 1056 yeast activator from Midwest Supplies. This stuff blows dry yeast out of the water. I don't think I'll go back. Ever. As for the brew, I attempted to clone Flying Dog's Doggie Style APA. Well it didn't exactly come out the same. I used 8 lbs of Rahr American 2-row, 1 lb of Fawcett Crystal Rye malt, and 1/4 lb of Fawcett Pale Chocolate Malt for color. I used a bit more chocolate than I probably should have, since now it's the color of used motor oil. Oops . Tossed in 2 oz of US cascade, and dry hopped 1/2 oz Norther Brewer. So far It smells awesome. Hopefully, even though I have no fucking clue has to what I'm doing, it'll turn out ok.

Just remember that the liquid yeast doesn't normally come in a pitchable quantity. You should make a starter to ensure you have enough cells for a good fermentation.

I always use liquid yeast and I ALWAYS make a starter, a single bag or vial is not enough cells .

The package of yeast had 100 billion cells in it. It came with an internal nutrient package that you pop and let sit for 2 or 3 hours. After that it's direct pitch.

Here's the stuff

All I've ever used is the wyeast smack packs without a starter and i have never had a problem getting good fermentation within the first 8 to 10 hours.
I haven't ever done anything with a really high gravity so YMMV

Yep, I've used Wyest smack packs, many, many times. Still, I make a starter slurry, 100 million cells isn't enough.

I use Wyeast almost exclusively because of their smack packs. It's like a failsafe for me in that if I don't have time to make a starter, I can just use the smack pack and ensure yeast viability before brewing.

ETA: You should still make a starter even with the Wyeast smack packs.

It's billion, not million. And the fact that I was getting bubbles only a few hours later says you are mistaken, at least in this case. Now the dry yeast packs, I tried dry pitching it once and it didn't do shit for me. The beer (if that's what you want to call it) was super yeasty tasting. I ended up dumping the entire batch.

Edit: So how do I do a starter, since I'm still kinda new to this?

Hey, what the hell do I know....

Look up making a starter, look up WHY you want to make one. If you ever do a high grav beer, you WANT a starter.

Sorry. Wasn't trying to be a dick. I guess I just had good luck with the Wyeast since I had a fat cake at the bottom of the carboy. I see a lot of calls for using a Erlenmeyer flask. Is that what you use? The process seems simple enough.

You don't need a stir plate to start with or even an erlenmeyer (although if you ever buy an erlenmeyer, get at least a 5L IMO), just use a growler or glass gallon jug, use proper sanitary practices (boil your funnel, PBW and sanitize your glassware, limit air exposure) and you should do quite well.  I just use the intermittent shaking method for calculations on yeast growth websites.

ETA: I should add that I also intermittently shake the starter when using that calculator

Snipped a bunch.

Skin's got it. A starter is really simple. Just some water and extra light DME boiled for about 10 - 15 minutes, allowed to cool, and poured into your vessel (growler, erlenmyer, hell I've even seen people use plastic pop bottles). Pitch your yeast into it, cover lightly with aluminum foil (or airlock if you prefer) and let it go for 24 hours or so. Make sure your sanitation is good just like brewing a full batch of beer. You can just let it sit, you can shake it every time you walk past, you can put it on a stir plate, or anything in between.

Some people will make multi-step starters where they make a starter, let it settle out in the refrigerator and decant. Then pitch the yeast from that starter into a new starter and so on. Some people like to make a starter, refrigerate it, and decant the excess wort prior to pitching. It's really all up to you, but I typically make single step starters and just pitch the whole thing without decanting.

If you go the stirplate and erlenmyer route, get at least a 5L erlenmyer. I bought the 2L and wish I had gone larger. Don't buy the professional quality stir plates. I have one of the cheap $40 ones in a black plastic box that holds a computer fan. You can even make the stirplate yourself from an old computer fan if you want.

If you use the Wyeast smack packs, I like to activate them and allow them to start for a few hours in the pack before adding them to the starter. For White Labs, I just allow it to come to room temp before adding to the starter. For dry yeast, I don't bother with a starter and just pitch and extra pack if needed.

Go on Youtube and watch some videos about starters. There are a few good ones out there. I think BrewingTV and Beer Geek Nation have some good ones.

Here is the image that someone posted that I will now shamelessly repost. Because I'm good like that.

I can't figure it out. Not sure what grams and mLs are

I think thats the metric system, i hear that its a tool of the devil

lol how do I metrik? That's easy peasy. I'll give it a go next batch, see how it turns out. I'll stick with the smack packs as they really seem to be pretty well set up from the start.

I'd suggest you get a blow off tube set up. It's not uncommon for batches made with starters to build up krausen to the point of overflowing the bucket.

a couple drops of Fermcap help prevent that

You're giving away all the secrets!

Fermcap. got it.

That's what I use along with a stir plate but you don't have to; being married to a chemist has its advantages. The advantage of pitching enough yeast is getting the fermentation started earlier so a krausen to protect your beer from contamination and of course to reduce the time sitting in your primary. Again, if you do any high grav beers. pitching enough yeast is very important.

You can use it in the boil as well to help prevent boil-overs