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**unionrdr** · 10-11-2012, 06:39 PM

Yeah man,we usually pitch 05 & the like dry. But I thought since cooper's ale yeast takes to re-hydrating so well,this one should be even better. I'm wondering if 05 & the like aren't as hardy as the cooper's? Lost a lot of cells this time. Kinda like my 1st brew where I pitched cooper's 7g packet dry & high. Almost no visible action. But this is the 1st time the yeast went belly up & krausen dissipated. I guess I freeked out. Goin to the next level (partial mash) is a lot like bein a noob again. Cool but forboding,you know?
By the by,I pitched the 2nd packet dry. JW Dover has some darn fresh yeast. The date on it was April 2014. And at $3.75,it wasn't too bad to do a 2nd one. Maybe the 05 is better off pitched dry? It was always pitch around 7-8pm,bubbling by 7am kinda thing. that's the basis for my concern,beyond my usual re-hydrate being a bit quicker & more vigorous...

**unionrdr** · 10-11-2012, 06:45 PM

Nordeast,ya def busted me this time. Point taken. I'm usually not overly concerned,but the old ways were comfortable at this point. And it has been some 3-4 months since I last brewed 2 batches. New burners changed my timing drasticaly too.
It's like all the reading I did pales in comparison to actual practice. Then some things go wrong that are out of the usual, &...Oh well,next time gadget...next tiiiime...

**NordeastBrewer77** · 10-11-2012, 06:47 PM

I've never use Cooper's, aside from what I've harvested from Sparkling Ale (Coop's Gold?). But I can tell you that 05 is a beast, and quite reliable. I've both rehydrated and pitched dry with it, and the only diff. was in lag time, both ways get great apparent attenuation and a clean fermentation.
Now that you've got that second pack in there, there's no need at all to stress. Especially with a ~10 pt drop in SG. You're all good buddy!!

Edit: saw the last post. You're definitely just feeling like this is all new since the PM part was. Just remember that you've made lots of great beers, and there's no reason that this one'll be any different.

**terrapinj** · 10-11-2012, 06:48 PM

visible signs of fermentation doesn't always mean the yeast are healthier or doing better

a longer lag stage isn't necessarily a bad thing and is common when using pure 02 - it could also be a result of having a more nutrient rich environment since you did a partial mash

you're way over thinking this one - if the temps are right there is no harm in rehydrating if you are sanitary - pitching dry doesn't guarantee lower cell count either based on a few studies but it isn't the recommended way of doing it and could lead to lower cell count.

**NordeastBrewer77** · 10-11-2012, 06:51 PM

Yeah, Terrapin, I was just thinking about that. My AG brews don't kick off nearly as fast as my extracts do, in general. Maybe the longer lag is due to a more nutrient rich environment, the yeast absorbing the nutrients and o2 for a spell before reproducing and going at the sugar.

zeg · 10-11-2012, 07:01 PM

I'm becoming rather glad I bounced to PM right away. I did two extract brews, a mead, and a cider, then jumped onto PM. This way I never got comfortable with the extract.

**unionrdr** · 10-11-2012, 07:03 PM

Hmmmm...you two might be onto something here. I remember that thread we were all in yesterday about this subject,& the posted excerpts about yeast dry,re-hydrated,with wort or water.
I must agree that my extract ales did take off faster with re-hydrated cooper's yeast. About the same amount of time 05 takes pitched dry. I didn't think about the PM being richer in fermentables vsun-fermentables in extract. I wonder if that's the difference I freaked about & didn't stop to realize? Never thought that'd make a difference.
And yeah zeg,I guess I did indeed get comfortable with recombinent extract brews. I must've finally hit critical mass?...

**NordeastBrewer77** · 10-11-2012, 07:07 PM

Think about the difference in the amount of break material you noticed. Proteins, nutrients, etc., that's what that is. Makes sense that it'd give the yeasties something more to do before they get at the sugars.
Either way, gladly your beer's fermenting away now.

**unionrdr** · 10-11-2012, 07:27 PM

No bubbling yet in the blow off,but it def picked up some. The hot break was the quickest,most violent to date. Geez. It came on like hell fire through dry brush,15 seconds or so later,it went down slowly about 1/4" then literally POOF! gone,just that quick. That was a big surprise. Picture me standin there with a 2' paddle stirrin like mad,& rapidly loosing ground. Aaaaw shnikeys...thar she blooows! Nope,just wjhen I thought I was in for a mess,it just went poof & was gone like a genie in a huff.
I was surprised to find the gravity had dropped at all this morning. Didn't expect that. Glad I was wrong,but also that I added another packet. The survivors of the hot hydrate had to be pretty weak & few in numbers judging from what I saw in there this morning.

**unionrdr** · 10-12-2012, 04:42 PM

Well,I figured the surest way to need a blow off is to remove it & install an airlock filled with cheap vodka. It's bubbling slowly atm. Now watch...Later on I'll witness beersuvious. It has been fermenting slow but sure. Just never had US-05 act like this. Oh well,it's all good now.