Liquid vs. dry yeast

I'm guessing this topic has been discussed before but it's not showing up in the forum search so here goes ... For my very first batch, I used a pack of dry yeast that had been sitting unrefrigerated for about 4 months before I used it, judging by the made-by date printed on the bag. It turned out great and the fermentation took off like crazy within a few hours.

For my second batch I sprung for a vial of liquid yeast that costs about 5x more than dry yeast. That, too, took off like crazy within a few hours.

According to the helpful folks at morebeer.com, the liquid yeast is very important to get the flavor of my Hefeweizen and other brews right. It's just that 5x pricetag that kind of bugs me, thinking it just may influence that recommendation somewhat. What's your experience, is it worth the money to spend $5.50 on liquid yeast rather than a buck or so on dry yeast?

In general, there are more strains of liquid yeast available than dry yeast. If you are doing regular ales, the dry yeast will work great, but if you try to find a more narrow or specific strain, you are more likely to find it in a liquid yeast. The dry is cheaper, and supposedly has a higher cell count than the liquid. But if you are trying to make an authentic German Hefeweizen, liquid is the way to go. BTW, making a starter with any yeast, dry or liquid, will ensure that it is still alive and not past it's time.

MrBulldogg said:

What's your experience, is it worth the money to spend $5.50 on liquid yeast rather than a buck or so on dry yeast?

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You can cut that cost a little by getting more than one batch out of the same liquid yeast. There are various strategies: try searching this forum on "yeast harvesting" and "repitching."

I use dry yeast all the time. I mess with the water and adjust the grain bill but I rarely bother with what is, arguably, the most important flavor factor.

Dry yeast are great and are not inherently worse than liquid.. in fact, they're better. They're cheaper and typically have a higher cell count so you don't really need a starter. As others have said, the down fall is the variety of strains available. If I'm making a porter or stout - something malty where I want a clean flavor then I use nottingham dry.. it's a good all around clean fermenting yeast. But, if I'm making a scottish ale, belgian wit, trappist ale, etc. then having the specific yeast strain is vital to having the beer turn out "right" because the yeast contributes flavors that often define the style (like bubble gum, bananas, or cloves in a belgian wheat)

So, to answer you question.. it depends.

...and "yeast washing"...

Lost said:

...So, to answer you question.. it depends.

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I'm waiting for someone to ask a question here where that isn't the answer!

SteveM said:

I'm waiting for someone to ask a question here where that isn't the answer!

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Oh, I got one: "Is it ok to use a steel brush and really scrub the crud out of my plastic fermentation bucket?"

Since you asked about Hefeweizen, we can give you an exact answer: Hefeweizen, belgians, alts and some others, you really have to use the correct yeast. Stouts, porters, browns, IPA's are much less dependent on the yeast and will do fine on dried yeasts. Ciders and meads, you can get good results with dried ale yeasts, but special yeast will change the final product. Is the style focused malt, grain flavors & hops or are you expecting esters (banana, fruit, etc)? You won't get a good belgian with a dried yeast, by the same token, try making an ESB with a belgian yeast: gross!

AS mentioned by david 42 and another thread, sorry can't rember the thread,
"Sometimes the Style is the Yeast".
I think that more of the liquid strains are going to be released in a dry package.

At this time, most of the dry yeasts are fairly neutral, which is great for a lot of brew styles; but not styles that are yeast dependant.

A dry yeast may give you a Hefe that you are happy with, or you may be extremly disapointed.

It's all about what you are looking for in your final product!!

Mudd said:

A dry yeast may give you a Hefe that you are happy with, or you may be extremly disapointed.

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Speaking from direct experience on my last batch, yes, a dry yeast in a Hefe is very disappointing... Spend that extra money and do a Hefe correctly like zeh germans.

SkewedAle said:

Speaking from direct experience on my last batch, yes, a dry yeast in a Hefe is very disappointing... Spend that extra money and do a Hefe correctly like zeh germans.

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I totally agree!!
However, I have met with some who do not.
They are very happy with their beer.

The chermans hav vays to make you brrew!!

This is some great input guys ... What about pilsners -- dry or liquid yeast?

Pilsner is lager, if you want it closer to commercial brands like Pilsner-Urquell then you will need a more specific strain of yeast, just like ales.

Mexican beers are usually lagers as well and they need their own types of yeast to produce their own types of flavors.

I used to love Corona, but now its just... not good... i mean its not bad... but its definitely not good...

Throwing lagers into this yeast discussion really muddies the waters, because now we can start to talk about how you can "lager" a beer with ale yeast in lower temperatures. This will make a straightforward discussion very hard, but I hope other guys start replying back, I'm sitting in class right now and I'm bored so that's why I'm writing so much, my prof thinks I'm taking notes...

MrBulldogg said:

Oh, I got one: "Is it ok to use a steel brush and really scrub the crud out of my plastic fermentation bucket?"

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I never use anything except a wet sponge on my plastic primaries.

If you have hard crud (kreusen ring) then I recommend you fill up the bucket with a cleaning solution and let it soak overnight.

homebrewer_99 said:

I never use anything except a wet sponge on my plastic primaries.

If you have hard crud (kreusen ring) then I recommend you fill up the bucket with a cleaning solution and let it soak overnight.

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I was kidding HB... I may not be entirely sober when I brew, but I don't get THAT drunk.

What happened to yeast discussion?

SkewedAle said:

What happened to yeast discussion?

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It multiplied then divided, I guess?

SteveM said:

I'm waiting for someone to ask a question here where that (depends) isn't the answer!

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What is the best all around adult diaper?

El Pistolero said:

What is the best all around adult diaper?

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Hmmm, sounds like a new poll....

That depends?