What is the difference between a lager and an ale?

True lagers are fermented at cool temperatures (7° - 12° C), stored at cold temperatures (0° - 3° C) and use a yeast cultured to perform optimally at these temperatures. They continue to improve with cold aging up to several months. The cool fermentations create a clean, neutral flavor profile, accenting the malt and hops of the wort.

Ales ferment warmer, up to (18 - 25° C), and the yeasts used at these warmer temperatures usually produce flavors and aromas absent in lagers. These can be fruity and spicy. Ales are usually consumed young, but high-gravity ales improve with age.

What is the difference between a liquid yeast and a dry yeast?

Liquid yeasts are pure cultures that have been isolated and packed into foil-sealed packages in sterile conditions. Dry yeasts are granules packed in foil pouches. They should be re-hydrated in water before using. Unfortunately, the production process is harsh on yeast and their resulting characteristics aren't necessarily the best for brewing. Dried yeast always contains a percentage of dead, wild and mutant yeasts. Many also contain bacteria. Because of the heat-tolerance needed to survive the production of dry yeast, no satisfactory lager yeast strains are available. We strongly recommend spending the extra money--yes, liquid pure culture yeast can be 10 times as expensive as dry--as it shows up in a better tasting beer.

What is a yeast starter? How will it make my beer better?

One of the easiest ways to improve home brew is by making a yeast starter, and pitching large volumes of actively fermenting yeast. This simple process will dramatically reduce the "lag phase", the amount of time between pitching yeast and active fermentation. By pitching an active starter, the lag phase can be reduced from over 24 hours to under 12 hours. Consequently, DMS and other chemical off-flavors produced during the respiration phase of yeast growth are minimized.

What is the best way to reuse yeast?

Collecting yeast from the middle layer of a healthy primary fermenter. If you can time your brewing, a more practical option is to siphon a quart of actively fermenting wort and pitch directly into your cooled wort.