Rehydration yeast

[szap]

Today I brewed a brown ale and used Mangrove Jack's m44 yeast. The yeast package referred to their website for rehydration instructions. In checking their website they give the usual warm water in cup add yeast and let set 10 to 15 minutes. The instructions also say that the yeast can be sprinkled on top of the wort and let sit for 10 - 15 minutes before stirring. I tried this and after 15 minutes the yeast was obviously active and I then stirred the wort.

Has anyone else used this method and is there any down side.

 

[Pkrd]

Rehydration will give you more active cells. Yeasties don't like being dumped into wort before their cell walls have been rehydrated. If its a mid or low gravity beer you'll have plenty of cells anyway so you'll still get a good ferment going.

Like a lot of things in brewing, rehydration is best practice, but you can take shortcuts and still get good beer.