Safale 05 or Washed yeast?

So I'm going to brew a Liberty Cream Ale extract kit just to have something lighter and more mild in between my other batches... I have dry Safale 05 and I also have 5 - 1 pint jars of wlp001 Cali Ale yeast that I washed about a month ago... Which one of these yeasts would you use? Why?
I was thinking about using the Safale 05, because I've never used dry yeast. I figure I should try it at least once. On the other hand, the Cali Ale yeast worked great. I'm torn.....

Almost everyone who uses both of those yeasts will tell you they are essentially the same - although the few side by side experiments always yield differing results. It becomes a toss up, but I'd probably use the washed jars awakened in a starter.

In your case I'd go with the dry just because you said you'd never used dry. If you have the ability, split your batch and do both. Then you will know what works better if you can tell the difference.

Go with the US-05 just because you haven't tried it yet. For a low-med gravity beer, a single pack of 05 is so simple, and the results are good. I'm amazed you haven't tried 05 yet. I love the ease US-05, and S-04 when I just want to brew, and have no interest in making a starter ahead of time.

samc said:

In your case I'd go with the dry just because you said you'd never used dry. If you have the ability, split your batch and do both. Then you will know what works better if you can tell the difference.

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I like the idea of splitting my 5 gal batch up. A couple questions..

1) In the 2.5 gal batch that I put the dry yeast in, would I use the entire packet or just half?

2) What is better.. sprinkled dry on top of wort, or rehydrating?

3) Can you wash the safale 05 after primary fermentation and then keep it as a "liquid yeast" ?

Stauffbier said:

I like the idea of splitting my 5 gal batch up. A couple questions..

1) In the 2.5 gal batch that I put the dry yeast in, would I use the entire packet or just half?

2) What is better.. sprinkled dry on top of wort, or rehydrating?

3) Can you wash the safale 05 after primary fermentation and then keep it as a "liquid yeast" ?

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1) just half, or find Mr malty pitching rate.

2) rehydrate

3) yep, treat it as a liquid yeast after initial fermentation

Other notes... you shouldn't oxygenate wort when using dry yeast as long as you pitch the right amount and rehydrate properly.

ChillWill said:

Other notes... you shouldn't oxygenate wort when using dry yeast as long as you pitch the right amount and rehydrate properly.

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Really? This is contrary to what I've read and learned. I've even watched videos of people oxygenating and then pitching dry yeast.. Why don't you have to oxygenate? I thought all yeast needed oxygen for proper, healthy fermentation..

Quality dry yeast has the built in reserves that make it unnecessary for Oxygen in order for a proper growth to ferment your wort.

Very interesting. Now I'm even more intrigued about the idea of doing a split batch just to see how the two halves will compare to each other. Especially considering that one will be aerated and one wont...