I haven't brewed for awhile, but when I was I found that I really
needed to make a starter of actively fermenting yeast to get
consistently good results. All the dry yeast beers I made
had off flavors. Before switching to liquid yeast, I first tried
a few batches with temperature control in a fridge (fermenting
ales around 62F), and that definitely improved things, but it
was temperature control plus using a starter that gave me
what I would call a "professional" brew. I never tried making
a starter with dry yeast but maybe that would work as well,
but I doubt it because of the contamination in the yeast
as well as the lag time causing other bugs to grow in the beer.
I don't see with the lag time (and it is significant even if you
hydrate) how pitching a dry yeast could give you a clean
tasting beer.
Jim
needed to make a starter of actively fermenting yeast to get
consistently good results. All the dry yeast beers I made
had off flavors. Before switching to liquid yeast, I first tried
a few batches with temperature control in a fridge (fermenting
ales around 62F), and that definitely improved things, but it
was temperature control plus using a starter that gave me
what I would call a "professional" brew. I never tried making
a starter with dry yeast but maybe that would work as well,
but I doubt it because of the contamination in the yeast
as well as the lag time causing other bugs to grow in the beer.
I don't see with the lag time (and it is significant even if you
hydrate) how pitching a dry yeast could give you a clean
tasting beer.
Jim