Dry Yeast

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scottyg354

Plant Based Homebrewer
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Can I just say, that I was always a critic of dry yeast. I have started using it frequently and must say for basic styles US-05 is probably my go to anymore. Dry Yeast is so much easier to use and cheap as well. +1 for Dry Yeast. I have no clue why I was so critical of it to begin with.
 
Ya I've never understood the dry yeast bashing thing. I use mostly liquid yeast but I keep dry yeast on hand as a back up, and I still use Notty quite often.
 
Honestly I would rather pitch a pack of US-05 on brew day and be done with it instead of fiddling around with a starter days before for things like Cream Ales, Pale Ales, IPA's, Brown Ales, etc. I understand maybe some of the liquid yeasts are more refined for styles like Belgians, Saisons, Barleywines, Stouts but for basics the dry is great.
 
There is nothing wrong with decent dry yeasts. S-05 is basically the same as Wy1056, and WLP001.

I personally use liquid. I actually find it is much cheaper, and not much more effort. Last year I made about 25 batches, I bought 1 pack of yeast (Lambic Blend), used 7 different yeasts, and made maybe 5 starters.
 
Liquid yeast is def not cheaper than dry. you can wash & farm either one. Dry is mostle $1.99-$3.99,save for saflager having 2 at $4.49 & $4.99. Liquid runs $5.95-$6.99.

I would definetely think with White Labs and Wyeast you are paying for the packaging.
 
I have washed and reused Nottingham dry yeast 5 times before I retire it and it still makes good beer!

I think a lot of brewers just feel that since it costs more (liquid yeast) that they are somehow getting a superior product. Not true. You just have more choices with liquid, that's it. US-05 is excellent in almost all American styles.

The only time I have used liquid yeast vials or smack packs was for special beers like Belgians.
 
scottyg354 said:
Can I just say, that I was always a critic of dry yeast. I have started using it frequently and must say for basic styles US-05 is probably my go to anymore. Dry Yeast is so much easier to use and cheap as well. +1 for Dry Yeast. I have no clue why I was so critical of it to begin with.

Not that many years ago dry yeasts were very bad news - unreliable, off-favors and inconsistent. Liquid was the only option. Dry yeast is much MUCH better now. The only time I use liquid is for a specific strain not available dry.
 
I've never had a problem with dry yeast, and use it most of the time unless I want a liquid culture for something specialty (Belgian ales, hefes, CA Common). I never got the dislike of dry yeast either, unless it was prior problems with inconsistency like BroStefan said.
 
I was actually thinking of trying T-58 in my Saison next time around. Anyone ever try this?
 
I use US-05 in most of my beers. I love the simplicity. I've almost got my homemade stir plate done, as soon as I do I'm going to start reusing yeast, the first victim will be the US-05 I've got going currently.
 
Liquid yeast is def not cheaper than dry. you can wash & farm either one. Dry is mostle $1.99-$3.99,save for saflager having 2 at $4.49 & $4.99. Liquid runs $5.95-$6.99.

Don't forget to account for a couple $'s worth of DME while stepping up starters.

I toured a brewery last weekend where they use US-05 for all of their beers. They make 6 styles (Blonde, 2 Pale Ales, Stout, White, Amber). I was surprised to learn that they used it for the Stout and White - I was sure you'd have to use specialty yeast for those. But for their white, they simply skip the cold crashing and finings.
 
The only thing I dislike about dry yeast is the lag time when pitched dry. It always makes me worry that something is wrong when I don't see krausen until 36 hours later. When I pitch liquid yeast from a starter I have krausen within 8-12 hours every time.
 
Then follow the directions and don't pitch it dry. Never really see a lag difference when rehydrated.

The more I brew the more I like the old ways before I "upgraded". Now whenever possible it's dry yeast in a bucket.
 
I use dry for most american/english ales (S-04, S-05, Nottingham, and Windsor for a milk stout), for lagers (W-34/70 and S-23), and I've done it for a roggenbier (WB-06).

I use liquid for things that I can't find the right dry strains. Belgians, saison, and when I start getting into things like Cali Common or Kolsch later this year... But other than that, avoiding the hassle of a starter is more than worth it... And for lagers, I'd rather just buy extra packs to hit my pitch count than have to build up a 4-6L starter, as I'd need to do for 11-gallon batches.
 
I was reading some horrible things about dry yeast in a homebrew book from the library. Not until they mentioned mail order homebrew companies did I look at the published date. 20 years ago.
Apparently dry yeast has been improved much since then
 
I guess I will be the first on this post to come out and say I am not a fan of dry yeast. Ever since I started using liquid yeast I have noticed the quality of my beers has gotten much better with regards to flavor. I also have a couple buddies who use dry yeast and their beers always have a specific character that is produced by the dry yeast that I don't care for at all. It tends to be drier and has a bit of astringency to it. However If you are looking for cheap and easy, then dry yeast can't be beat, though IMHO the quality of the beer will not be as good.
 
All I have been using. I use EC-1118 when I am making """"Fuel Alcohol"""" and that stuff is fantastic. Not for beer, but for fermenting almost every last bit of sugar out of something. US-05 is great though. I just bought a bunch of packs and have them in the ferm chamber. I am actually thinking of repitching on my cream ale cake again. I have actually never repitched. Do I just get all the trub off the cake, add my wort and stir? Do you need to stir?
 
I've used t-58 in a saison and a wit. The saison was acceptable, but not quite great. The wit was pretty good. It's not a bad yeast for a passable Belgian. I'm excited to try belle saison though.
 
scottyg354 said:
All I have been using. I use EC-1118 when I am making """"Fuel Alcohol"""" and that stuff is fantastic. Not for beer, but for fermenting almost every last bit of sugar out of something. US-05 is great though. I just bought a bunch of packs and have them in the ferm chamber. I am actually thinking of repitching on my cream ale cake again. I have actually never repitched. Do I just get all the trub off the cake, add my wort and stir? Do you need to stir?

Just follow the directions here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

Worked really well for me on my last batch.
 
Just follow the directions here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

Worked really well for me on my last batch.

No what I'm looking to do is just keep repitching. Baiscally, rack my finished beer into a keg a re rack some new wort onto the yeast cake. I want to keep a cream ale a hefe always goings in my pipeline so I have some easy drinkers. My theroy is if I can get 4-5 batchs out of a yeast cake, that would be pretty nice.
 
I like dry yeast for styles that are covered for dry, and that I can make a spur of the moment brew. I also like liquid yeasts for the variety. So I use both, it just depends on the particular brew and whether I planned in advance (starter).
 
No what I'm looking to do is just keep repitching. Baiscally, rack my finished beer into a keg a re rack some new wort onto the yeast cake. I want to keep a cream ale a hefe always goings in my pipeline so I have some easy drinkers. My theroy is if I can get 4-5 batchs out of a yeast cake, that would be pretty nice.

Yes, exactly as you suggest is good. I make sure to swirl it up good prior to adding new wort - no need to aerate when pitching on a cake. Also, best would be to remove half of the yeast cake prior to adding your new wort to keep from overpitching. Save it in a sterile canning jar with little headspace and use it for a new batch.
 
Wouldn't you just be adding your beer onto a bunch of dead yeast and proteins, along with the good, live yeast? I get a good amount of cake at the bottom of my fermenter after one batch. I could only imagine that after two or three batches repitched into the same fermenter that cake would take up at least a quarter of my fermenter. If you don't aerate, your yeast wont reproduce. Are you sure there is enough live, active yeast in the cake to fully ferment the wort?
 


This is were I got the idea from. Yeast washing seems awesome. I just don't always have the time. I am assuming if I use it for the same type of beer then it would turn out the same. I would like to use it two or three times and try to harvest. Maybe create a strain with hints of the beer I created. Don't know if that would work.
 
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