Fresh Yeast... How much to use?

[sideways_kanga]

Hi. I've run a couple of successful turbos and have moved on to WPOSW. I've been using dried bakers yeast and the results seem to be good.
My missus just got me a rather large block of "fresh yeast" (she's a cook) and I'm wondering how to incorporate it into my sugar wash (and my wheatgerm wash if possible). Quantities, how to start it off etc... I've been scouring the forum but there doesn't seem to be much written about it. Is it better or worse than using the dry stuff?
Many thanks.

[LWTCS]

I'm sure Rad will be along shortly to set you straight.

He squeezes his washes to and fro to further conclude.

But I'm sure that 12 to 14 table spoons per 25 liters would be adaquate. May depend on your gravity to get optimum results.

I recon you need to supply the remaining quantities within your recipe to determine yeast amounts.

[rad14701]

1 tbsp active dry yeast is equivalent to .75 oz fresh yeast...

I've never used fresh yeast but I would suggest using less that active dry yeast and would proof it either with sugar water or a small amount of wash prior to pitching... While I might pitch up to 2 tbsp of active dry yeast per gallon I'd probably only pitch half that amount of fresh yeast, and that might even be excessive... As a comparison, sachets of fresh yeast only contain abut one quarter the amount that active dry yeast sachets contain... The reason you can use less is because fresh yeast has virtually none of the lag phase associated with active dry yeast...

[The Baker]

Use around three times by weight of fresh yeast compared to dry. This is what the bakers do and when you think about it the reason is obvious; the dried is concentrated by removing the water.

[sideways_kanga]

Thanks guys, that makes sense....
But.... Wino's POSW calls for quite a lot of yeast. I've been pitching 1/2 a cup of dry bakers yeast to a 25 litre wash and I'm thinking that pitching 3x the weight of that might be overkill. Any thoughts?