Dry yeast vs. liquid yeast

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cwb124

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I have brewed two Brewer's best kits so far, none finished yet. They come with a pouch of dry yeast.

Last night I was surfing some homebrew stores looking for some ingredients and decided to grab some liquid yeast to try something different along with the ingredients I got to make my first porter.

What is the difference between dry and liquid yeast as far as final product goes, and how do you use liquid yeast? Dry yeast was just sprinkles on top of the wort and stirred and that was it. Do you just pour liquid yeast in the wort and stir like it's dry yeast?
 
In some cases you will get a better final product with the liquid yeast. You will want to make a starter to increase the cell count and ensure yeast viability before you pitch it.


Brewpilot

Bottled: Fat Tire Clone
Primary: Oatmeal Choco Stout
 
It depends on what type of liquid yeast--Wyeast smack-packs come with a starter inside, you just smack the pack and it starts. The WL tubes you should make a starter for, but you should also make starters for dry yeast too. But if you didn't (or don't), you'll probably still be fine.
 
Starters are generally to increase cell count and to awaken the yeast. Dry yeast has a much higher cell count than liquid yeasts and it also has stores of oxygen and such so that it does not require the starter (sugars) to reactivate. I have never heard of anyone making a starter for a dry yeast, that is one bennie to the dry.


Brewpilot

Bottled: Fat Tire Clone
Primary: Oatmeal Choco Stout
 
What the hell is a starter and how do I do it?

(Yes I need to read some books)
 
A starter is basically a MINI brew. You take some DME and water, boil it, cool it, pitch the yeast, place it in a 1 gallon carboy with an airlock and wait 24-48 hours. It increases your cell count so that you get a stronger and quicker start to your fermentation.

Brewpilot

Bottled: Fat Tire Clone
Primary: Oatmeal Choco Stout
 
cwb124 said:
What the hell is a starter and how do I do it?

(Yes I need to read some books)
Click to expand...

A starter is a small batch of beer that gets the yeast gojng and builds up your cell count. There are loads of places to get information on it and I would start with either the White Labs or Wyeast web sites.

As for dry vs. liquid, one reality is that the drying process causes mutation and therefore dry yeast simply has more wild cells then liquid. There are better dry yeasts and anything is better then those little packs on top of the extract cans, but it is still not as pure as a liquid culture that has been propigated from a single cell. Personally I would no more consider using dry yeast then I would consider using table sugar. Actually, I can see the uses of table sugar in rare occasions, but not dry yeast. I have been using liquid yeast since the mid 1980s and believe it is one of the great evolutionary steps in the art of homebrewing. That is my opinion and my choice. Others call it differently and that is their right (no matter how misguided they may be... :D )
 
I have done 3 batches using 3 different yeast types. First one I used was dry. It started on time it was easy and really cheap. The fermenter didn't go crazy with bubbles it made a good batch of yummy beer. The next batch I used the White Labs tube of yeast. Next day I had a fermenter bubbling like crazy. It overflowed the airlock it made lots of noise the kids and the cat spent a lot of time looking at it. It made yummy beer. The third one is in the secondary right now I used Wyeast smack pack. I had basically the same deal as the dry yeast a nice solid fermentation. Nothing too dramatic and the beer tastes pretty yummy so far. Lesson? I will try White Labs again. Just because the amount of activity was so dramatic. I dind't do starters with any.

Remeber each recipe was different. Each yeast TYPE was different and so many other factors may have contributed to the differences I saw but the White Labs caught my eye.
 
I got a vile of White Labs ale yeast. I read their FAQ, and it looks like you only need a starter if the yeast is past it's expiration date, or your SG is over 1.070. Otherwise I think I'm fine bringing it up to room temperature and pitching it.
 
I love how high and mighty liquid yeast users seem to be. Just like driving expensive cars, because they get you to work "better" than cheap cars :D

Brewpilot
 
I use some liquid, but in alot of cases dry will do very well... I have never heard anyone say that they would never use a dry yeast. Heh.

Brewpilot
 
I used to only use liquid, but ever since I tried dry Im loving it!
The only thing liquid has on dry is the variety of strains available, especially lager yeasts which are almost non-existant in dry form. But for your everyday english or american pale, stout, porter, IPA, bitter, dry is probably equal to quality...(at least for my unrefined palate)
 
Brewpilot said:
I love how high and mighty liquid yeast users seem to be. Just like driving expensive cars, because they get you to work "better" than cheap cars :D

Brewpilot
Click to expand...

Hey, I use dry yeast as well and find nothing wrong with using it. I regularly use nottingham, US-56, S-04, S-23 and S-189 as well as liquid yeast cultures.
You could at least have said piloting a cessna vs a beaver:mug:
 
Heh, the Beaver is an awesome plane... FUN, not like the EMB 170, what a boring bird. Had a 767 capn from Continental in the jumpseat last week and he was absolutely amazed at hot much automation we have as opposed to the heavies (757-767s) It looks fun, but it really just makes those 4 hour flights DRAAAGGGGGGGGG.

Brewpilot
 
Brewpilot said:
I love how high and mighty liquid yeast users seem to be. Just like driving expensive cars, because they get you to work "better" than cheap cars :D

Brewpilot
Click to expand...

A $200 car might get you there, but who enjoys it? And I am sorry if you don't like it, but liquid yeast is superior to dry. Cost is not the reason either.

Have a nuetral party of qualified judges do a blind tasting and I am certain they will agree.
 
Brewpastor said:
Have a nuetral party of qualified judges do a blind tasting and I am certain they will agree.
Click to expand...

I doubt that. I bet nobody would be able to tell the difference.
Zymurgy has a dry vs liquid article from july/august 2006. Conclusions: They are both good.
 
I've done both, never with a starter for either, and had good success. I've never had a "failed ferment" with either one. Liquid yeast is necessary (as some have pointed out) for some specialty brews. Apart from that kind of need, I would not go to the extra expense and care required for liquid. For the beers I make and for my tastes, dry is fine. This is not to say that this would be everyone's experience.

The best advice in this and just about every area of this hobby is to experiment with different things and do what works for you. For me, it is dry yeast. For others, it is whatever suits them.
 
I use liquid more than dry, but both types of yeast are excellent. Dry is indeed cheaper, and simple to use. Ferment doesnt start as quick as liquid, but it starts and does the job as good as liquid. Dry does have its drawbacks, as the types of dry are limited. And the flavor from dry can change the from batch to batch. I have noticed this, but the changes are slight. Liquid does indeed cover more ground, and has more styles for sure. And it is more consistant from batch to batch.

Which yeast is the best? The one that you use with sucess.
 
I love dry yeast and some of my best beers have been produced with the SafAle yeasts. Saying that, I wouldn't consider making a lager, hefeweizen or Belgian without a White Labs tube or Wyeast pouch. I enjoy using dry yeast much more because of the decreased hassle.
 
I'm with the Brewpastor on this one as well as his love for wheat beers. I prefer and use liquid yeast for almost all my beers. I like the variety of yeasts and experiment with different types.
 
Would it be a fair generalization to say that people who like "maltier" beers might be fussier about the use of liquid yeasts, while those who like "hoppier" brews are generally more satisfied with dry yeast?

I ask this because in hoppy beers, the interaction between the malt and the yeast is like the background music and the hops are the featured soloist. On the other hand, in a maltier brew, how the malt interacts with the yeast is the key to success, and the hops are "singing harmony."

Yes, I'm watching the Grammys and have had a couple of (hoppy) beers.
 
Brewpastor, you crack me up. I have never seen anyone so imbalanced about yeast. Ha.... I have never said that DRY IS BETTER, I just dont think that NEVER using dry yeast because it is "inferior" is very balanced. I suppose tens of thousands of homebrewers are just plain "inferior". Count me in!! ha ha night yall.

Brewpilot
 
You all are starting to get a little bit rowdy in here. There are certain topics that should just be banned from the get go, because they always get someone riled up.

1 Liquid Yeast vs Dry Yeast
2 LME vs DME
3 Whether or not it is OK to use a dishwasher to sanitize bottles

Can't we all just get along?

Personally, I like liquid yeast. Why?, couldn't tell ya. The only thing I can say, is now that I make starters, it's just one more thing for me to ferment and that "excites" me. Someday, maybe I'll try some dry yeast, and maybe I'll like it too.
 
McKBrew said:
You all are starting to get a little bit rowdy in here. There are certain topics that should just be banned from the get go, because they always get someone riled up.

1 Liquid Yeast vs Dry Yeast
2 LME vs DME
3 Whether or not it is OK to use a dishwasher to sanitize bottles

Can't we all just get along?

Personally, I like liquid yeast. Why?, couldn't tell ya. The only thing I can say, is now that I make starters, it's just one more thing for me to ferment and that "excites" me. Someday, maybe I'll try some dry yeast, and maybe I'll like it too.
Click to expand...

You forgot:

4. Aluminum vs. stainless steel kettles
5. Brand new vs. used bottles
6. How to pronouce 'trub'
 
I am glad I am found to be amusing, everybody deserves a laugh. I was simply responding to the thread topic "Dry Yeast vs Liquid Yeast" and did not realize I would be ridiculed for stating my opinion and preference on the matter. It is your brew and you can use whatever you want, but that does not have anything to do with the topic of this thread which I thought was a comparison of dry vs liquid.
 
For the longest time I was hardcore about only using liquid yeast, thinking dry was sub-standard. I was very wrong. Not only is is cheaper and so so so much easier to use, but it is very high quality and turns out amazing beer.

Check out the Fermintis Safales and Saflagers. They have great yeasts. Nottingham's is really good too.
 
Brewpastor said:
As for dry vs. liquid, one reality is that the drying process causes mutation and therefore dry yeast simply has more wild cells then liquid. There are better dry yeasts and anything is better then those little packs on top of the extract cans, but it is still not as pure as a liquid culture that has been propigated from a single cell. Personally I would no more consider using dry yeast then I would consider using table sugar. Actually, I can see the uses of table sugar in rare occasions, but not dry yeast. I have been using liquid yeast since the mid 1980s and believe it is one of the great evolutionary steps in the art of homebrewing. That is my opinion and my choice. Others call it differently and that is their right (no matter how misguided they may be... :D )
Click to expand...
Oh! What do you know Brewpastor? Just because you used to be a commercial brewer you think you know everything.
Elitist! :D
 
I've almost always used dry with fast ferments and no issues, but I'll utlimately defer to the Good Pastor in this regard.

I wonder, though, BP; are you speaking from your experience using dry yeast back in the day, or do you still think the difference between dry and liquid is just as large? Do you feel that the quality of dry yeast has improved over the years?
 
Re read my posts, NEVER in this thread have I ever eluded to the fact that dry yeast is better than or equal to liquid yeast. If I have, please point it out, I cannot find it. In fact, I have stated the opposite. I simply think that there are plenty of cases where dry yeast will produce a product, as far as the homebrewer is concerned, that is just as good. Not saying the purity or the # of strains of yeast are as good or better... but that the final product would would not showcase any appreciable difference.

Brewpilot
 
I have not used the 380. I used the 300 and ended up with a stuck fermentation, which has happened to a couple of other guys in this forum. If you use the 300, I would personally recommend the use of a starter.
 
Yah, I have heard the same about some of the Heffe yeasts... I am always doing starters with liquid yeasties.... thanks for the info though. I will have to make a cpl brews, one with the WLP300 and one with the WLP380. Thanks again

The Pol
 

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