Dry Yeast

[beerfan]

Hello forumites, been awhile. I just have to say I have switched to dry yeast on my last 3 brews and I have had better results than what I was getting with liquid yeast. i used liquid for years, I know my options are not the same but thats OK. I simplified my major recipes and its great. Hope everyone is doing well.

 

[DUCCCC]

Would that be pitched dry, or using a starter made from a dry yeast?

 

[Ó Flannagáin]

Man, the exact opposite happened to me. I switched from dry to liquid and my beers improved. Maybe it's just a mental thing /shrug

 

[Iordz]

Would that be pitched dry, or using a starter made from a dry yeast?

You really don't need to make yeast starters with dry yeast, just properly rehydrate the yeast and pitch.

 

[brewt00l]

From my experience when using good fresh yeast, in the right quantity, under proper conditions for that strain I get excellent results from both....compromising those factors can degrade the results of both as well.

 

[david_42]

Any style that calls for a clean, neutral yeast is a candidate for dry yeast. Since you don't need a starter, it takes less planning.

Ó Flannagáin, looking at your beer list it is easy to see why liquids are working for you. Most of
those styles cannot be made with dry yeasts.

 

[teu1003]

fwiw, not only dont you NEED a starter for dry yeast, you should NOT make a starter with dry yeast ... i dont remember the exact chemistry, something to do with nutrient shock to the cell walls during re-hydration. anyway ... rouse the yeast with a few ounces of 100 degree water like it says on the package.

 

[beerfan]

I have done nothing more than just throw the little buggers in there.

 

[g_rath]

i have had good luck with just tossing them in too.

 

[Monk]

+2

I never rehydrate and fermentation starts within 6 hours and is done within 3 days, usually.

 

[shafferpilot]

There is much power in big numbers. One dry yeast package has billions of cells. You can't kill 'em all unless you are a complete moron. So you pitch directly into the carboy, and the nutrient shock, sugar heavy wort takes out 75% of the cells in the first 5 minutes....... You still have billions of cells viable and ready to go. Only complaint I've ever heard about dry yeast, is sometimes it'll finish so fast, that you're tricked into thinking it's stalled. I read over and over about liquid yeasts failing to get going. I've never heard that of dry yeast. Two batches ago, I used a packet of Nottingham that was almost a YEAR past its "best if used by" date. The thing blew the cap off the carboy 24 hours later.

 

[FSR402]

+2

I never rehydrate and fermentation starts within 6 hours and is done within 3 days, usually.

+3 on that one

 

[Ninoid]

Dry yeast direct pitch, without rehydration and wort aeration and start within couple hours.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Hello forumites, been awhile. I just have to say I have switched to dry yeast on my last 3 brews and I have had better results than what I was getting with liquid yeast. i used liquid for years, I know my options are not the same but thats OK. I simplified my major recipes and its great. Hope everyone is doing well.

Not enough info.

1. Were you making starters with liquid? How big of a starter, etc?
2. When you say "better results", how do you define it. Lag time? Completion time? Flocculation? Flavor (esters/off flavors/etc)?
3. What strains are we talking here?

I love dry yeast, and I use it for basically everything I brew. But this post is just going to stir the pot unless you can be more specific about what changed in your process and results.

 

[Dland]

Zombie thread, fwiw.

 

[rburrelli]

Zombie thread, fwiw.

Resurrecting post from 2007. Wow!

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Internet Archives snapshot (18 Oct 2004):

https://web.archive.org/web/20041018085630/http://www.fermentis.com/FO/06-Ales/30-10_product_hb.asp

gets one to a data sheet for S-04:

https://web.archive.org/web/20041018162143/http://www.fermentis.com/FO/pdf/SafaleS-04.pdf

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Zombie thread, fwiw.

I blame @Ninoid -- I just replied ;-)

 

[passedpawn]

I blame @Ninoid -- I just replied ;-)

I'm blaming you.

I brew with dry 95% of the time. It's just too convenient. Mostly S-04 (lusty non-hoppy ales), S-05 (hoppy beers), and S-189 (lagers)

I think the only liquid I feel I have to use: belgian beers, sour beers, and german hefewiesen (WY3068 is just so perfect).

 

[Steveruch]

I use dry yeast all the time, except when I dont.
The only liquid yeast I've used in years was Denny's favorite for a batch of Wry Smile rye ipa, which came out great.

 

[dttk0009]

I was 22 when this thread was created, holy cow.

In the spirit of staying on topic though, I for some reason can't stand the process of rehydrating yeast, mostly because getting the timing right with pitching, getting the yeast down to pitching temp, being extra careful with sanitation with the water and beaker, not letting rehydrated yeast sit for too long, etc. just adds a layer of stress to my brew day. I'd honestly much rather pitch directly but I'm paranoid about diacetyl since I had a long standing battle with that foe which I only recently overcame.

While starters with liquid yeast take time and sanitation too, on brew day I can just pop my flask out of the fridge, decant, swirl and pitch the sucker when the time is right. It's just so much more convenient.

Though admittedly I'm probably also at the point again where I wouldn't mind pitching a dry satchel directly again to see how the beer turns out. I miss my S-04, Notty and US-05.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I think the only liquid I feel I have to use: belgian beers, sour beers, and german hefewiesen (WY3068 is just so perfect).

You realise that Lallemand Munich Classic is very, very close to 3068?

 

[passedpawn]

You realise that Lallemand Munich Classic is very, very close to 3068?

No I did not. But I do know there are hefeweisen dry yeasts because I've had a Danstar Munich and a Fermentis WB-06 in my garage fridge for a looooong time.

[edit: just checked, they've been expired since 2012. Woops]

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I wouldn't worry too much - dry yeast in the fridge lasts a long time, the half life can be 10-20 years. So still usable, although I might save them for smaller batches.

Danstar Munich is a more distant relative of 3068 than Munich Classic and not as hefe-y, they're describing their new Wit yeast as a "new version of Munich".

WB-06 is not a hefe yeast, it's now known to be a saison type closely related to 1388 and a cousin of WLP570 both of which are alleged to come from Duvel.

 

[passedpawn]

I wouldn't worry too much - dry yeast in the fridge lasts a long time, the half life can be 10-20 years. So still usable, although I might save them for smaller batches.

Danstar Munich is a more distant relative of 3068 than Munich Classic and not as hefe-y, they're describing their new Wit yeast as a "new version of Munich".

WB-06 is not a hefe yeast, it's now known to be a saison type closely related to 1388 and a cousin of WLP570 both of which are alleged to come from Duvel.

I just tossed them. I don't play dice with the yeast.

I made so much hefeweisen back in the day that I burned out my taste for it. I haven't had a desire to make one in 10 years. But maybe I'll ease back into it with a dunkelweizen. Hmmm...

 

[davidabcd]

Just the dry yeast for me. Direct pitch. Nothing I have or anyone else who drinks my beer has noticed. Is there a dry yeast that does an all-around better job than T-58 or MJ M-41?

 

[Ninoid]

Dry yeast is easier, safer and cheaper to use and more forgiving. Which is why I think it's a better choice for home brewers. I have never used liquid yeast, but I believe it is a better choice if you want to get beer as close as possible to a particular style and for craft beer companies.