Dry yeast vs. liquid

Just wondering I have always bought my extract kits with the dry yeast. Is there a huge different in taste or is it subtle? Is it one of those things that once you go liquid it's like why the heck would you go back to dry?

thanks
Mike

I use dry quite a bit. I like the fact that I can just pitch like 2-3 packets for my 1.100+ beers and be done with it. No screwing around with making starters, etc. Liquid yeasts have more variety, which is their big benefit. If you want something particular like a specific lager, belgian, etc yeast... its available. You only get like ~15 choices with the dry stuff.. but I don't think its an inferior product. In many wants its superior.

The ease of using dry yeast is wonderful. There are just a lot more varieties of liquid that impart different flavors and have different characteristics.

Done both. Like the Dry because of ease.....Also seems to kick that SG down where I want it...

There are more and better dry yeasts than before.
Dry yeast is less expensive and more convenient.

But, if there isn't a dry yeast with the exact characteristics I'm looking for, then I'll use a liquid yeast.

I have used both but I prefer the liquid. You can make good beers with both but I feel my beers are better when I use the liquid. You need to try both and see what works for you the brewer.

I have no preferance to one or the other, I will use whichever yeast best fits the style I am going for. Sometimes I go with the less expensive dry yeast if it is comparable to the liquid.

Personally I prefer liquid yeast. Sometimes it's a pain to plan ahead by making a starter, but I have yet to have a problem with fermentation. Plus the vials just look cool.

I just started using dry. I like it because it's cheap, and I couldn't tell the difference. I think in the future if the beer has specific characteristics that need a more specialized yeast (belgians and big beers) I would spend the extra $4 to make sure I get what I want.

I've been using safale though and they seem to have more and more options and the beers I've made with them have turned out great.

Lets say you are making an IPA. The dominant flavor here is the hops, not the yeast. Use something like US-05 and save yourself the hassle and money. If you are making a belgian golden, I would highly suggest getting belgian golden yeast! Plain and simple.

sirsloop said it best. If I'm making a beer that does not rely on yeast flavors or I don't have time for the starter then I don't at all mind using dry yeast like US-05 or Notty. However, if it's a belgian, wit, british style...I'll use liquid every time. There are certain characteristics that specific styles draw from the yeast and in those cases the liquid is best in my opinion.

Secondly...those that are saying cost is a factor...just start washing your yeast and you can get many uses out of that one vial. I even swap washed yeast with my buddies, I've payed for 1 vial in my whole 1 year of brewing. I have 2 each stocked of some pacman, wit, and english ale yeast.

I've just started using liquid and have yet to try a completed beer. I kind of like the process of the liquid yeast, like doing a yeast starter. It seems more expensive but its not like awful, at most probably a $4 difference otherwise could be as low as $1-$2. If my liquid brews turn out excellent, I think I'm going to stick with liquid yeast. I've also heard that you get more consistent results with liquid. So if I make a good one, I'd prefer to keep it the same recipe as much as possible.

Boom... blast from the past thread revivallll

My early experience with liquid was before I found HBT. Nothing on the vials or smack pac's said anything about starters. And not using starters, I believe contributed to not great results with those beers, while just re-hydrating dry always seemed to produce better results. I'm tending to stay with dry for ease of storage, and simplicity/price. But if I were to do a beer that really needed the liquid I will use it.

I did a split batch APA with US-05 and Wyeast 1056 (proper starter size) this spring. Both were excellent. The cost and ease of dry make it hard to beat, although most of my batches lately have been with liquid.

Liquid yeast is great for the sheer variety that is offered. There are also far less yeast cells which force you to either make a yeast starter, or buy several vials of yeast which is expensive. Dry yeast on the other hand is much cheaper, many more yeast cells, but not as much variety.

osagedr said:

I did a split batch APA with US-05 and Wyeast 1056 (proper starter size) this spring. Both were excellent. The cost and ease of dry make it hard to beat, although most of my batches lately have been with liquid.

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I've done that several times, since I couldn't really draw a definitive conclusion form the first couple trials. I finally decided that 1056 is a bit cleaner, but I still use 05 at times.

I used dry almost exclusively until I started washing yeast. Now I've got a steady supply of washed/harvested yeast in mason jars that I use instead of buying new. Although if I randomly decide to brew on short notice I will stop by the LHBS and get a packet of dry.

I didn't find doing a yeast starter that incredibly time consuming. Maybe a half hour or so. In all honesty for me going forward the only reason I would go back to dry is cost. It does s*ck paying minimum $6 for liquid yeast. But I buy Nottingham's and its $4 so its not like a huge difference. I'm curious how just pitching Wyeast after the smack/swell will compare to my next one that I made a yeast starter for...?

If you primarily brew IPA and hoppy American style beers you really can't beat the Safale 05 for the price...you can buy a ten pack for a reasonable price. The yeast keeps well. The Safale T-58 is also good if you want to brew belgian style beers on a whim without having to store vials around.

Certain styles of beer will require a liquid yeast. Other than that there is no right or wrong. For certain belgian styles liquid yeast will be needed. Good luck. A few net blogs show comparison for commons/pales/ipas and most agree that Safale 05 is a pretty cost effective yeast. For penny pinchers dry yeast will prevail. Especially if you go one or two generations on the same yeast cake.

I use both. Dry yeasts work for most of the styles I brew and liquid for the rest (Belgians mostly).

Im pretty new to brewing and i still have a lot to learn about the break down of many things but some info i got from the worker at my local brew store is that dry yeast has more ppb (parts per billion) for fermenting then liquid yeast.and is better for beginner brewers to use dry yeast Im sure theres a lot more to it and would like if people out there can educate me.

TheOrphan said:

Im pretty new to brewing and i still have a lot to learn about the break down of many things but some info i got from the worker at my local brew store is that dry yeast has more ppb (parts per billion) for fermenting then liquid yeast.and is better for beginner brewers to use dry yeast Im sure theres a lot more to it and would like if people out there can educate me.

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You've pretty much got it. There are m ore yeast cells in a pack of dry yeast than in a smack pack or tube of liquid. That's why most people will make starters with liquid yeast to increase the cell count.

I use Fermentis Safale S-O4 for all my english ale, thats 80% of my brewing. Everything else is wyeast.