Do you prefer dry or liquid?

[mvolz]

Just thought I would see what some others perfer as their yeast of choice. I have been using smack packs of wyeast and making starters and the whole deal. My opinion is what a pain! Ive been doing this because I thought liquid had to be better than dry because it just lloks and smells healthy right out of the pack,and thats what the majority seem to use on the forums.

I recently used some us-05 on a kolsch and its fermenting away nicely. Seemed to get up and running way better than liquid for me. I just rehydrated 30 mins. before I was ready to pitch and that was it. Very simple and is fermenting way better than any liquid batch Ive ever done.I have it in my basement and thermo on side of carboy is reading about 72.

Im def. not knocking wyeast or any other liquid yeast,but I think dry is the way for me from now on unless I need the yeast character to shine thru for specific beers.What are some of your opinions??

 

[dannypo]

In my opinion liquid is higher quality. I tend to get flavors I don't care for with dry yeasts especially s-04. Plus there is a much better variety of liquid yeasts.

That being said in a big flavor beer like an IPA you won't notice these things. So for ease of use and cost o do sometimes use US-05 in IPAs and the like.

 

[Pappers_]

Hi, mvolz. You might check out this sticky thread in the beginners forum. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/vs-pro-con-analysis-109318/ Part way down is a pro/con analysis of dry and liquid yeast.

Also, if you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page with your post, you'll see a box titled 'similar threads' which will have suggestions of other threads you might want to look through.

I think for many brewers, dry yeast makes perfect sense. I always keep some packets around.

 

[Beezy]

I found out my favorite local brewery uses only dry yeast. Pretty interesting. So far I like S-05 for american styles and it's cheap. No reason to be exclusive to one or the other tho imo.

 

[Whut]

US-05 99% of the time for me.

 

[Yooper]

It depends on what I'm making. Many American IPAs are great with S05. But for a Belgian, a California common, or any other beer that gets much flavor derived from the yeast strain, a liquid yeast is required.

Dry yeast come in good "generic" styles for many beers, and I use it often.

 

[lestershy]

Unless I want to make a beer that accentuates the yeast flavors (belgians, hefes, etc.) I use S-05 for almost everything.

 

[Golddiggie]

I use the Wyeast smack packs (Activator packs) for my beers... It could be because of the amount of info readily available on them. Or just starting with those from the first batch and not straying. I know that a lot of different labs have the same strains and just call them something different, so you could get the exact same yeast in dry or liquid form. I have been using just a few different strains lately, it seems. At least I know what to expect from them (now at least) and know what I'll get. Probably the same can be said for dry yeast)...

Right now, I mostly brew styles from the British Isles, so I want certain things from the yeast. With the Wyeast packs, I feel like I'm getting what I want.

As for starters, maybe it's because I've made enough of them already that it's not a pain, nor a problem. Of course, having a stirplate now takes that to a higher level of ease (plus I can make smaller starters and get the cell count I want).

I've also been using pure O2 infusions in my last several batches. Combined with the liquid yeast (with, or without starters) it makes for a better end result. It also seems like they take off a bit faster too. I've been sharing the O2 with my brew buddy, and his have been taking off faster too (he uses dry yeast). Most of the time, my batches show more activity before his does. We both ferment in his basement, so environment isn't a factor. I do ferment in SS sanke kegs, where he uses either buckets or PET carboys.

Dry or liquid really is a personally choice, IMO... Personally, I chose liquid for beer, but dry (Lalvin) for my meads. :rockin:

 

[Mpavlik22]

I use liquid for everything. Basically for consistency reasons. I have made many of the same recipes with dry yeast and get slightly different results.

Others may not agree tho...

 

[Seven]

I use both but if I had to choose only one type - I'd choose liquid. I used to hate making starters for liquid yeast but I changed my process of making starters and now it's a lot easier.

Basically, get a big enough flask that you can boil your starter wort in and use a stirplate. Before I only had small flasks and no stirplate and it was a pain.

 

[ajf]

I would pick dry yeast every time if I could get the flavor profile I want with a dry yeast.
If I can't find a dry yeast with the right profile, I use liquid.
What this comes down to in practice is I use liquid yeast for about 90% of my brews and dry yeast for the other 10%.

-a.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Another vote for liquid. Seeing a pack swell and a starter ferment gives me one less thing to be OCD about after I pitch. Not a knock on dry, I've made some great beers with notty, and even a great beer with munton's, believe it or not. But my piece of mind, for those few hours before I can see fermentation in a carboy, is worth the few extra bucks, IMO. Besides, I rather like making starters, something brew oriented to do between brew days.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I use both, but I prefer liquid. More variety, better consistency, and better flavor profiles. US-05 is a great dry yeast though (but it won't make a Koelsch, it'll make a blonde ale.)

 

[D-Ring]

Like the others have said, dry is way more convenient. However, it comes down to the flavor profile you want. Try making the same batch twice. One time use US-05. The next time use Wyeast 1056 ( two yeasts that are SUPPOSED to be the same) For me, the US-05 comes out with too much of a nutty taste.

To each his own.

 

[Golddiggie]

Like the others have said, dry is way more convenient. However, it comes down to the flavor profile you want. Try making the same batch twice. One time use US-05. The next time use Wyeast 1045. ( two yeasts that are SUPPOSED to be the same) For me, the US-05 comes out with too much of a nutty taste.

To each his own.

Wyeast 1045??? Did you mean 1056??

 

[Apollo]

It depends on what I'm making. If it's a standard pale ale, I have no problem using US05. I tried US04 however, and didn't care for it. If I want a specific profile from the yeast and dry yeast can't cut it, I don't have any problems going to liquid. The only reason I prefer dry is the cost. I tried yeast harvesting before and kept the yeast in my beer frig/fermentation frig and the temperature fluctuations during fermentation did some nasty stuff to the yeast and I lost a couple batches. Now, I've started harvesting again and keeping the yeast in the main frig so I'll see how that goes.

 

[flipfloptan]

Dry yeast. Life is much easier. No starter. Plus living in Charleston , south Carolina nothing worse than liquid yeast not surviving the transit. The ice packs are worthless.

 

[PseudoChef]

Dry yeast is definitely more convenient, but I just don't brew anything that uses it. Even for pale ales and IPAs, I prefer liquid English yeast, with WY1275 as my go-to. Other than that, the beers I like to brew all require liquid yeast. Just the way it is.

 

[RugenBrau]

I've made great beer with both but it really depends on the style. As long as they are eating up sugar and kicking out alcohol and CO2 they are friends of mine

 

[remilard]

I wanted to like dry yeast but after comparing the popular strains (S04, S05) to their liquid counterparts and based on personal opinion, blind tests and competition results (double blind tests), the liquid is better.

That said, most homebrew I taste has bigger problems than yeast choice and this is like 40 vs 42 in a competition stuff. Also I don't care if something is more work, in fact I prefer it that way as the process is what I am after. I think the dry yeasts make very acceptable beer and make a lot of sense for a lot of brewers.

 

[capcrnch]

Liquid. Typically i'm doing a starter anyway, but I just feel like I get better results from liquid yeasts!