Hydrate or pitch dry?

[biochemedic]

I am living proof that you don't have to know a thing about brewing beer to brew beer.

True, we can get away with a lot as homebrewers and still make a pretty good product...but I enjoy doing the fiddley bits with rehydration, and as an upside, I really do think I've seen that my beer and mead is better than it was...

 

[ncbrewer]

Use 10 times as much water as you have yeast. I.e., 10ml/g.

I don't feel that measuring the temperature of 1/4 cup of water would be accurate for me, so I rehydrate in a cup of water. I've never read any published info about whether this is ok, but I get good results. Has anybody seen a solid answer to this?

 

[Indoril]

There's a lot of good information in this Xbeeriment

Like some of the participants who made it past the triangle test, I perceived the rehydrated beer as being noticeably more malty and smoother than the dry pitch beer, which had what I can only describe as a subtle apple-like tartness, perhaps as a result of acetaldehyde from stressed yeast(?). I didn’t notice any differences at all in appearance or mouthfeel and neither have any real significant flaws that I could pick up.

 

[beermanpete]

I don't feel that measuring the temperature of 1/4 cup of water would be accurate for me, so I rehydrate in a cup of water. I've never read any published info about whether this is ok, but I get good results. Has anybody seen a solid answer to this?

Agreed, but you could pour off the extra 3/4 cup after reaching the desired temperature.

 

[browning348]

I did a brew yesterday and rehydrated a pack of US05 in just tap water that was at room temp. Glass was sanitized and covered, yeast added thirty min later. 8 hours later I have what seems like a strong fermentation starting.

 

[JDXX1971]

As you drop the initial temperature of the water from 95 to 85 or 75 or 65F
the yeast leached out more and more of its insides damaging the each cell.
The yeast viability also drops proportionally. At 95 – 105 F, there is
100% recovery of the viable dry yeast. At 60F, there can be as much as 60%
dead cells.

Somewhere on here (HBT) I was reading a thread that was saying re-hydrating in 95-105 was bad, too hot. So I told my chief yeast re-hydrator (SWMBO) who proceeded to roll her eyes at me, oh she who reads instructions. I tried to explain but that I had read it on the internet so it must be true, uh, no go. My wife has watched her little babies (the yeast) each time and knows when something is wrong she does it her way (the right way obviously) and we get good results.

We recommend that the rehydrated yeast be added to the wort within 30
minutes. We have built into each cell a large amount of glycogen and
trehalose that give the yeast a burst of energy to kick off the growth
cycle when it is in the wort. It is quickly used up if the yeast is
rehydrated for more than 30 minutes. There is no damage done here if it is
not immediatly add to the wort. You just do not get the added benefit of
that sudden burst of energy. We also recommend that you attemperate the
rehydrated yeast to with in 15F of the wort before adding to the wort.
Warm yeast into a cold wort will cause many of the yeast to produce petite
mutants that will never grow or ferment properly and will cause them to
produce H2S. The attemperation can take place over a very brief period by
adding, in encrements, a small amount of the cooler wort to the rehydrated
yeast.

My wife has always dealt with the dry yeast and has always had it ready in time, when being the variable. We never checked the temp of the yeast at pitch, most times it was probably about perfect (room temp) but past the 30 min window. I am going to pay attention to this next brew day.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Fermentis gives instructions for both rehydration and direct pitching. I don't usually rehydrate because I've had excellent results without the extra step. If it's a bigger beer I will either rehydrate or pitch an extra pack. I usually pitch extra because it's easier and I'm lazy [emoji16]
That said, I also have very good brewing and sanitation practices,so I'm confident I'm giving the yeastie beasties a good meal! I aerate with pure O2 and I use Wyeast yeast nutrient because it's cheap insurance.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Oh, and RDWHAHB [emoji482]

 

[GnenieGone]

I’m new to homebrewing, I’ve got 5 small stovetop batches under my belt, two kits and three just experimenting. All have been fairly decent. The last 3 I have hydrated my yeast, US05, and the precious two pitched dry. The yeast seems healthier and begins work sooner in the hydrated but all have turned out well IMO. My question is am I wasting time and risking infection by hydrating? Is it just as efficient to pitch dry? I’ve read both sides of the argument. TIA

I rehydrate in the wort, always, never an issue.