Dry yeast--freaking amazing....

[Dude]

I brewed up a batch of Lake Walk Pale Ale today, and I pitched dry yeast for the first time. I used Safale 56. It's supposedly the chico (Sierra Nevada) strain but in dry form.
I did not make a starter. I just dumped the package into the carboy and assumed I would have fermentation start tomorrow sometime. No biggy.


HOLY FRIGHT! Within 1 hour of pitching I had a bubble in the airlock averaging every 5 seconds!
This is the first time I've ever used dry yeast, and if this beer turns out halfway decent, I might stick to it.

First off, its a quarter of the price of White Labs or Wyeast. I can deal with that. And obviously it is low maintenance--no starters to worry about if you are in a pinch, it doesn't need to be refrigerated, and did I mention its cheap?

So far I'm highly impressed. The proof is going to be how the beer tastes, but I'm liking this so far.

 

[Shambolic]

Hehe...

I've only ever used dry yeast. I've never made a starter either (although I'm going to from now on)...

 

[El Pistolero]

There's still that persistent (and almost universal) claim that your beer will taste better if you use liquid yeast. I guess you're about to find out for us.

 

[joutlaw]

I make starters with my LME containers. Basically get most of the stuff out, then fill with a cup or two of water thats around 80F. I then pitch the yeast and put the lid on, but not sealed.

I've found the same thing though.. they start bubbling much sooner. Quickest I've seen is 3 hours, but it was 1 or 2 every second.

 

[timdsmith72]

That's the yeast I use. The beer tastes great. I usually make sort of a starter. I boil a cup or so of water with some sugar in it....let it cool, then add the yeast. Cover it and leave it in a dark cabinet until the boil is done and the wort cooled. It always has a nice foam on top and I dump that in the wort and fermentation starts right away!

 

[kneemoe]

the only reason to prefer liquids is the variety - dry yeast is almost always cheaper and easier .... if this is what you think it is (the sierra yeast) there's no reason to think it wont come out spectacular, and without the hassle of a starter or anything (homebrewin made *even* easier lol)

 

[Rhoobarb]

I've heard of Safale before, but never seen or used it. Let us know how it works for you. If it starts this fast with no starter, I wonder how it would do with a starter?!

 

[Rookie]

I used Safale-04 to brew an imperial stout that scored a 40 in compitition.
Let us know what you think about the 56 when it is done. I like to have some dry yeast on hand and think it may be my new choice.

 

[MashBrain]

This is my first post here, so bear with me.
I have always used dry yeast with completely satisfactory results, However, about once a year, I get a guilty feeling that I'm missing something and order a tube of liquid yeast - then, I go back to dry yeast. (I can't tell the difference in the taste of the finished beer, but that could very well be a lack of sophisticated taste buds on my part)
But the real reason for this post is a "head's up" to anyone thinking about using dry yeast to read an interesting and educational discussion of dry yeast re-hydration at
http://consumer.lallemand.com/danstar-lalvin/beerfaq.html
In closing, I like dry yeast because 1) I can store a supply for a year in my frig without noticeable deterioration, and 2) the lag time (time from pitch to first bubble) is negligible.

MashBrain [email protected]

 

[Turricaine]

It is quite wrong to think that dried yeasts specifically intended for homebrewers are sub-standard. It is true that they would likely get rejected by commercial brewery's but for 5 gallon batches it the results are fine. If I had to place a wager, I would bet that the quality of the hops you use is more important than yeast. Homebrewed beer does not taste the same as commercial beers. It does not mean that there is anything wrong with it. I dont want to dissuade people from using quality yeast strains but I just wanted to point out that dried yeast sachets are certainly ok to use.

 

[Dude]

But the real reason for this post is a "head's up" to anyone thinking about using dry yeast to read an interesting and educational discussion of dry yeast re-hydration at
http://consumer.lallemand.com/danstar-lalvin/beerfaq.html

Thanks for the link. This is absolutely no slam to you cause I know you didn't write this piece, you only posted it--but if I ever get that freaking anal about my brewing, I'm going to quit.
I can't stand all these uber-geeks who make this hobby so freaking difficult.
I'm all about improving my beer, but there is a limit to how far I'll go as a homebrewer. I'm not in it for 15 hour brew sessions and stress.

Rant over.

 

[gibfried]

Hey buddy, I totally understand. Two days ago I boiled up a Porter, cooled it down to 75, pitched a couple of old packs of Doric brand dry yeast that's been sitting in an old rubbermaid box for a few months, and put the carboy under the blanket.

In one hour I was getting a bubble, bubble, bubble. By the next morning I had kruesen spitting out the top and getting on everything.

Not too shabby for that low quality dry yeast

 

[Lost]

Well I'm still using dry yeast and I've been doing this for sometime. The upgrade to ag did make a noticeable improvement in my beer but I'm not certain that liquid yeast will have as big an impact.

The dry yeast is cheaper and easier (rehydrate as opposed to a starter). The strains are no different or inferior in anyway. The downside to dry yeast is simply that you don't have as many strains to choose from.. I typically use a nice neutral yeast anyway so that my hops and malts can shine. Danstar's nottingham has worked well for me and I don't have any plans to "upgrade" to liquid in the near future.

 

[Dude]

Follow-up: Well--I said before I deemed dry yeast the second coming of--well you know, the proof in the pudding was going to be the taste.

HOLY CRAP!!!

This batch is really good. I'm using safale 56 everytime I brew an APA. Not only did it take off almost immediately with no starter, but its crisp, clean, and exactly what it should taste like. I finally got to taste the Lake Walk Pale Ale that was the experiment for the dry yeast. It rocks. I love it.

 

[Rhoobarb]

Very cool! How do you think it compares to the last batch you did? I ask because I am already out of the batch of LWPA I brewed and want to brew it again within the next month!

 

[Dude]

Very cool! How do you think it compares to the last batch you did? I ask because I am already out of the batch of LWPA I brewed and want to brew it again within the next month!

I tasted it from secondary--and it was MUCH smoother than when I used northern brewer hops for bittering. So far this batch is exactly what I wanted. It is carbing as we speak. Should be ready by the time I get back from WI next week.

Some other thread has the exact recipe I used this last time.
I'm brewing up a wheat next, then I'm going to go buy a rectangular mash tun and start brewing this stuff (LWPA) 10 gallons at a time.
Good old Janx taught me well. Brew in bulk.

 

[Rhoobarb]

What did you sub for the NBs? Just curious.

 

[Dude]

What did you sub for the NBs? Just curious.

Perle.

Here's the final recipe, and probably the one I'm going to stick with after 3 batches of "tinkering".

Lake Walk Pale Ale

OG: 1.058
IBU = 44%

Grains:
9 lbs. American 2-row pale malt (1.8-L)
2 lbs. Toasted American 2-row pale malt (1.8-L)
1 lb. Crystal malt (40-L)
.5 lb. Wheat malt (1.9-L)

Bittering hops:
1 oz. Perle [6.4% AAU] (60 mins.)
1 oz. Cascade [6.0% AAU] (45 mins.)
Flavoring hops:
1 oz. Cascade [6.0% AAU] (15 mins.)
Finishing hops:
1 oz. Cascade [6.0% AAU] (0 mins.)

Dry hops:
1 oz. Cascade [6.0% AAU] (secondary, 14 days)

Fining agent:
1 tsp. Irish moss (15 mins.)


Yeast:
Safale-56