So who else thinks dry yeast is better after it ferments a batch?

I have come to this weird realization about dry yeast, I use it very frequently, and I have noticed that the first batch I pitch it into doesn't taste quite as good as the second batch when I either pitch onto the yeast cake or pitch some washed yeast from a previous batch. I am not sure, but I think running through a full fermentation cycle does something to the dry yeast to make it work better.

I used lager yeast from saflager and the first batch right out of the package wasn't that great, but every subsequent batch has been great. Recently I pitched Safbrew t-58 on a bitter as it was the only yeast I had around and it came out a little spicy and a little sweet, but good. On that yeast cake I pitched a wit beer and after I transfered it to secondary it looked amazing and tasted great, I think the yeast workes better after doing its job for a while.

Is this just me or am I crazy or what?

Cant say that has ever happened to me, no.

Crazy or what.

Are you sure you're not underpitching on the first batch?

An interesting idea. I tend to use the cake to pitch a higher and/or darker beer, so I can't really say. On the other hand, when I pitch on a cake, I pitch at the low end of the fermentation range; which would also make a difference.