telebrewer
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I never have and things seem to turn out fine. Does everyone out there rehydrate? Safale 05.
How many don't rehydrate their yeast?
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Seriously
I suspect most don't.
I however, always rehydrate dry yeast if making beer.
m1k3
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Not only do I rehydrate... I use Go-Ferm in the water. Not sure if it is really needed by that is my process.
slym2none
"Lazy extract brewer."
US-05 says it doesn't need to be hydrated. I trust Safale to know what they are doing, so I don't hydrate.
Nottingham says to hydrate their yeast. I trust Danstar to know what they are doing, so I hydrate.
I guess, trust what the manufacturer says. Or don't. I imagine either way, you'll make beer.
Nottingham says to hydrate their yeast. I trust Danstar to know what they are doing, so I hydrate.
I guess, trust what the manufacturer says. Or don't. I imagine either way, you'll make beer.
I use a lot of Safale 05 and 04 and never rehydrate. Never a problem.
FloppyKnockers
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As far as I'm concerned it'll hydrate soon after it hits the wort. Unless you have dry wort...then there's a bigger problem.
No, I don't rehydrate. Being able to straight sprinkle the yeast into the fermenter is one of its major advantages. Dry yeast is awesome stuff. Stays viable for years, doesn't need to be rehydrated, doesn't even need to be refrigerated if you don't feel like it, and always turns out fine. Yes, I'm serious. Though I do refrigerate it, just because it's very easy to do and makes me feel better.
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Pre-yeasted DME and isomerized hop extract. Yumm.
US-05 says it doesn't need to be hydrated.
Fermentis says both are correct for S-05.
Rehydrate as instructed here
or
Sprinkle onto the wort surface so long as the wort is at least 68F
The problem with not rehydrating dry yeast is the oft quoted study by Chris White stating that direct pitching of dry yeast results in up to 50% reduction in viable cell counts.
I can't find the study. I believe it is just mentioned as empirical data in his book "Yeast". Not a peer revied syudy in a scientific journal but his own unpublished work. I could be wrong. If anyone has a link I'd love to read it.
Doed
Belching Dog Brewery
I rehydrate
johngaltsmotor
Well-Known Member
It's so simple to pour a few ounces of distilled water in the bottom of the fermenter and add the yeast when I start the IC cooling that I rehydrate. They say it's fine and some people say it's best, so I consider it belt AND suspenders.
johngaltsmotor
Well-Known Member
I question whether it makes an appreciable difference in the final product, but I still rehydrate because it's just too easy to justify not doing it, after all the "work" that goes into a brew day.
slym2none
"Lazy extract brewer."
Yes, pardon - I should have said in my post "Safale doesn't say whether to hydrate or not."
Now, I am still a green noob, and maybe too trusting, but I figure Safale knows about the possible "50% reduction of viable yeast" by not hydrating the yeast, and takes that into account. On the same (possibly flawed) reasoning, I figure Danstar knows and doesn't take that into account, and that's why they recommend hydration.
I could very well be wrong. I know my brain is messed up and seems to jump to conclusions too early sometimes...
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I rehydrate for anything over 1.050.
Yes, pardon - I should have said in my post "Safale doesn't say whether to hydrate or not."
Now, I am still a green noob, and maybe too trusting, but I figure Safale knows about the possible "50% reduction of viable yeast" by not hydrating the yeast, and takes that into account. On the same (possibly flawed) reasoning, I figure Danstar knows and doesn't take that into account, and that's why they recommend hydration.
I could very well be wrong. I know my brain is messed up and seems to jump to conclusions too early sometimes...
No worries slym.
I think it's more to do with the manufacturers trying to make their product as user friendly as possible. No one wants to make a dry yeast more difficult to use than their competitors', so the sprinkling dry is OK is touted by them.
The famous Chris White study is just 1 small empirical data set. I'm sure that fermentis and Danstar have their own weighty trove of scientific data to back up what they recommend.
The other benefir of rehydration that has not been mention relates to brewers like me that ferment in carboys. Sprinkling dry yeast in a thin even layer is just not possible. Rehydration is the way to go.
My perspective on beer making is to stack the deck in my favor.
Rehydrating dry yeast is one small, easy to do, simple step with no downside of which I'm aware.
I believe the quality of the beer can be greater than the sum of all the parts and steps that go into it. Each bit on its own and in isolation, for example yeast rehydration, may be inconsequential.
Get all the ingredients and processes working in harmony however, and you can conduct your homebrewing orchestra to truly perform to its utmost.
Age old argument. For every expert on the web giving you data that supports re-hydration, I'll pull you two off of the net and even BYO that says otherwise. Do what you want. I've only re-hydrated once and saw no difference. Well over a hundred batches down, so I'll take my chances. 
oljimmy
Well-Known Member
Oh, FFS. I've been using distilled water to rehydrate every time. Bollocks. Well, maybe that explains my lag times (usually ~24-26 hrs).
Beer's been good, obviously, but I wonder if I'll notice anything next time.
The 68F minimum temp bothers me. I figure aim for 70F to be sure. But that's warmer than I want to pitch. That's a big reason I rehydrate - and the reported 50% cell loss.
normonster
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Age old argument. For every expert on the web giving you data that supports re-hydration, I'll pull you two off of the net and even BYO that says otherwise. Do what you want. I've only re-hydrated once and saw no difference. Well over a hundred batches down, so I'll take my chances.
X2, except the hundred batches...more like half that.
singybrue
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So, do commercial breweries using the 500g packs rehydrate?
I re-hydrate, I use old pint or half pint jars and can / seal boiled water. I warm the jar and then pitch the yeast. Real easy, real quick, I have real quick starts and never a problem.
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moreb33rplz
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I've done both several times with us05. Can't tell a difference.
I'm curious for everyone who doesn't rehydrate, what size batches do you brew? Maybe in 5 gallons (believing the 50% reduction which my wife whose a microbiologist says is very likely) there is still plenty of yeast that it doesn't matter or isn't noticeable. I wonder if the 'pitch it without rehydration' would work on larger batches or higher gravity ales. If I use dry yeast, I personally rehydrate, but to each their own.
If brewing more than about 6 gallons, of course I would use two packs of dry yeast if not rehydrating. Or if making a big barleywine or something like that, extra yeast is important of course.
I rehydrate if I'm doing ~1.050 5 or 6 gallon brews, but lately I'm doing a lot of 4 gallon stove top batches. When using dry yeast on these I just direct pitch without rehydrating.
UndeadFred
Well-Known Member
I do rehydrate dry yeast because, even though I know better about being patient for up to 48 hours (on ales), I am a horrible worry wort. If I see it "proof" (foam up) then it's likely good and then I don't worry until the next morning..
I find it interesting though that you lose 50% of viable cells and that somehow matters.. with those cell count numbers I'd be concerned with "orders of magnitude" and not "2"... but I'm an engineer.
If I forgot to rehydrate and I was post chill, I'd probably dry pitch most beers..
Fred
I find it interesting though that you lose 50% of viable cells and that somehow matters.. with those cell count numbers I'd be concerned with "orders of magnitude" and not "2"... but I'm an engineer.
If I forgot to rehydrate and I was post chill, I'd probably dry pitch most beers..
Fred
Orders of magnitude would come into play once cell division comes into play. Losing half your cells due to shock will cause the lag phase to take longer. The shock from the high sugar (relative) environment causes heat shock proteins to turn on. This can potentially cause issues in fermentation. I think in a small batch/low gravity beer, these effects are unnoticed because there still is plenty of cells to get the job done. Dry yeast provides the most cells out of all the ways to use yeast. That being said, I would bet that if the yeast was properly rehydrated, it could handle larger batches / higher gravity ales. It would be a neat experiment. I like to think of it like this, "How would I like to be woken up from a deep sleep? Gently with a warm cup of coffee and breakfast cooking or with a pail of ice cold water?" I know which method is going to start my day better lol
kombat
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FYI, the "White" in "White Labs Yeast" is the same White in Chris White. As in, it's his company. I trust his knowledge of yeast.
I always rehydrate. I want to give my beer the best chance possible, and the research suggests if I pitch dry, I'm wasting half my money, so why not rehydrate? It's not that hard.
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FYI, the "White" in "White Labs Yeast" is the same White in Chris White. As in, it's his company. I trust his knowledge of yeast.
I always rehydrate. I want to give my beer the best chance possible, and the research suggests if I pitch dry, I'm wasting half my money, so why not rehydrate? It's not that hard.
since they don't sell 1/2 packs, you're not really wasting any money.
FYI, the "White" in "White Labs Yeast" is the same White in Chris White. As in, it's his company. I trust his knowledge of yeast.
I always rehydrate. I want to give my beer the best chance possible, and the research suggests if I pitch dry, I'm wasting half my money, so why not rehydrate? It's not that hard.
Yeah. I know.
Totally aggree. Simple no effort task, no down side.
I too trust the information from the Chris White book and Chris White himself. I have no reson to question his or it's veracity; not my intent to do so. It's just that to the best of my knowledge, the data is not open to scrutiny. Nor should it have to be of course.
His products speak volumes as to the man's knowledge and skill.
FYI, the "White" in "White Labs Yeast" is the same White in Chris White. As in, it's his company. I trust his knowledge of yeast.
Does White Labs sell dry yeast or just liquid? Financial incentive does sometimes play a role in interpreting data. I'm not arguing its the case, just playing Devil's Advocate.
kombat
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure - but his statements in "Yeast" don't claim that liquid yeast is universally superior to dry, but rather simply that sprinkling dry yeast directly into wort can reduce viability by up to 50%. If he were seeking to discredit competition, I'd expect him to take a position that portrays liquid yeast as superior to dry in all cases, rather than simply telling you how to get the most out of your dry yeast (that he doesn't even sell).
I think you can use yeast the way you want, but I also think that if you choose to pitch dry yeast you also forfeit delving into inane detail on other aspects of the brewing process. There's no point in discussing water or malt freshness or temp control if you're taking a kit approach to pitching yeast. Yeast actually make beer. Give them some respect.
I have brewed a few pro batches under contract, S05 was used for 3 of them. The first batch, the yeast was rehydrated and the other 2 dry yeast was dumped into the fermenters. There was no noticeable difference between the batches. Each batches were 2200L and the OG was 1053. They all came down to 1010.
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