Interesting part of this thread was more related to the wet/dry discussion.
That seems to be often the case. Welcome to our forums!
Dry yeast is much easier to ship and store, with wide availability, while selection has been growing dramatically the past 5 years.
But it still pales compared to the available selection of liquid (wet) yeast, while many yeasts are unique in liquid form (e.g., there is no DuPont yeast equivalent in dry form, or any Brett). Some dry yeast are unique too, with no comparable strain in liquid form (e.g., Philly Sour).
I started with dry yeast and was thinking I should venture into liquid
When using liquid yeast you will need to make yeast starters:
- to prove viability, and
- ramp up cell count and optimize vitality.
Making starters takes some extra planning ahead of brewing, at least one day, usually 2-4 days, and possibly a week if you're cold crashing before pitching or even longer when doing (multiple) steps-ups.
And... while you're at it, you may as well overbuild that starter so you can save some out for a next starter, and so on. I still run yeast I bought in 2013.
First check for (semi-) local sources. It may be worth driving an hour each way to buy a bunch of packs and maybe other things. Otherwise, timing when mail ordering yeast is essential.
You definitely want to try avoid shipping during extreme hot or cold weather along the route. March, April, September, October, even November may well be the best months for that.
Always check weather forecasts along the shipping route beforehand.
If you do need to mail order liquid yeast during more extreme hot or cold times, count on making step-up starters.