Dry yeast vs. liquid yeast

[Kawaka]

I am about ready to order a beer kit and had a choice between a dry yeast or a white labs liquid yeast for an extra $5. Wondering if there's a big difference in taste and quality of beer by using liquid yeast. Is it worth it?

 

[TyTanium]

This is frequently debated with tons of varying opinions.

Here's one of the better, more recent discussions:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/dry-vs-liquid-yeast-things-ive-noticed-281290/

A quick search will give you tons of threads.

 

[Kawaka]

Thanks for the quick response Tytanium. That's why i luv this forum, great source of info for homebrewers.

 

[Salmonhouse]

I brew exceptional beers with dry yeast, that being said it's probably a better choice for someone just beginning to brew beers.

It's more forgiving and cheaper.

 

[TyTanium]

Thanks for the quick response Tytanium.

Welcome! Jealous of your location...sounds pretty nice right now when it's 25 degrees in Chicago!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

If you're mail ordering, I'd go with the dry. I've heard horror stories about liquid yeast cultures being killed by boiling/freezing in transit.

 

[biestie]

Might be splitting hairs but 5$ extra seems a bit high.

As someone said, you can make great beer using quality dry yeast. I'd add that if you don't have the capability to make a starter, you should stay away from liquid.

 

[Kawaka]

Thanks for all the replies. Yeah it gets kind of boring with the weather here in Hawaii. It's now partly cloudy, light breezes, temps about 72.

 

[sboarder3303]

When I first started home brewing i used white labs for all my beer. However for the last 2 years I have used dry safale or Nottingham dry yeast and I have had great results. Definitely rehydrate the yeast 20 mins before pitching with around 100 cc of water at 80-90 degree. Let it stand and absorb the water and 5 mins before pitching it, stir it up and you will be amazed! I get most my fermentation started in 4-6 hrs! I have heard that you get twice as many yeast cells with dry yeast then with liquid, which would describe how get a quick start! Enjoy!

 

[Calder]

Liquid is probably purer; the drying process can cause some mutations of the yeast. That being said, there is a lot more yeast in a pack of dry than in a liquid yeast pack, so you probably get more 'pure' yeast.

There is a lot more variety of yeast with liquid. Again, it is to do with the difficulties of maintaining the yeast during the drying process.

Unless there is a particular yeast property you want that cannot be found in dry, I would recommend using dry.

S-05 is a good clean American, supposed to be the same as 1056.

S-04 is a good British yeast.

Nottingham is a good British yeast with good attenuation and low temperature capability.

Outside of these, I would seriously consider liquid. Windsor, Muntons, Coopers, all seem to have issues occasionally. However, I exclusively use liquid these days, and do not have much experience with many of the dry yeasts. I'm sure others will chime in with their comments on these yeasts and flame me for putting down most dry yeasts without really trying them.

 

[bnilguy]

I use dry when I can. I've had great luck with S04, S05, Nottingham. If you're wanting some ester qualities such as in a Belgian or a Heff, liquid is the only way to go.

What kit are you wanting to order?

 

[rednekhippiemotrcyclfreak]

Except for the two extract kits I started out with, I have used only Wyeast 1056 liquid smack packs. No starter, just bust the bubble when I start mashing and by the time the wort is in the carboy the pack is swelled up and ready to pitch. I have it my target FG every time even though my last beer's OG was 1.068. The directions on the Wyeast 1056 package claim it is good for up to 1.060 OG. Maybe I'm just lucky. However , I am doing a slightly modified Bell's Two Hearted next and will be using dry S-04. I wasn't planning to hydrate. I've read a lot of differing opinions on the need to hydrate. In a comparison test I recently read, there were minimal differences between split batches using rehydrated yeast in one and dry pitching the other. Just need to decide whether to pitch one or two packs. I'll probably decide when I get my OG reading.

 

[apratsunrthd]

It's been said plenty of times in this thread, but let me distill it for you:

Dry for stability, liquid for variety.

If you go dry, always rehydrate. Some will argue that point, but it's very little work and there's SIGNIFICANT evidence it can make up to a 50% difference in cell count.

If you go liquid, a starter is never a bad idea.

 

[midfielder5]

Dry for stability, liquid for variety.
If you go dry, always rehydrate.
If you go liquid, a starter is never a bad idea.

the truth, imo. preach it bruther!

edit: what beer kit are you looking at!

 

[Kawaka]

I was gonna order a golden ale kit from homebrewers outpost. I did a partial mash portland ale and german pils kit a month ago with a wyeast smackpack and it turned out good. I was worried about the viability of the yeast with the shipping here in the middle of the pacific. They sent one of them parcel post and it took 3 weeks to get here.