Do I need to hydrate Nottingham?

[Beavdowg]

I'm brewing my first AG recipe this weekend, it's Ed Wort's Hause Pale Ale. He calls for dry Nottingham. I've never used dry yeast before. Is this really ok or should I rehydrate it and how do I go about doing that?

thanks

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Two sides on this camp.

Not hydrating will work regardless but, re-hydrating ANY dry yeast is better for the yeast.

 

[uglygoat]

mix it with some room temp(about 70 F) water to rehydrate/proof it. i've never bothered with notty, and just sprinkled it atop the wort in the fermentor.

opinions and practice on this subject are as vast as....

 

[Malticulous]

You don't have to but it will effect pitching rate. Pitching rate can change what the yeast do to the beer. Pitching rate is one of the few controls we have over yeast. Dumping it dry could very well make some beers better and others not as good.

 

[rico567]

Done it both ways; worked either way. I couldn't tell from the finished beers whether a given method is best.

 

[michael.berta]

Yes rehydrate it.

 

[MultumInParvo]

I could never really make out any difference. So if thats the case, why not just go the easier route?

 

[theonecynic]

I've only ever pitched it dry, and it's only ever worked. Can't tell you anything more in depth than that if you want it though!

 

[Malticulous]

I noticed longer lag time if I pitch dry. This is because some yeast die in the rehydrating stage. Enough yeast live to do the job, but there may be more esters. I've not done a side by side tasting. In most beers there's probably not noticeable difference in flavor. If I wanted the cleanest beer I would rehydrate.