Hydrate or pitch dry?

[browning348]

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

 

[MHBT]

I always rehydrate, if you pitch dry it will ferment but you will get some cell death and lose some of your cell count.. If you are gonna work hard to produce wort and go through all the steps needed to make a great beer why cut corners on the most important aspect of making beer, which is yeast.

 

[beerlover77]

For sure rehydrate. Just be sanitary about it

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

This topic has been beaten to death and youll always get the same answers Yes and No.

Do whatever floats your boat, youll be fine either way.

I've never rehydrated once and also never had an issue...so there you go...NO
Opposite of previous answers...expect that for the rest of the thread

 

[browning348]

I always rehydrate, if you pitch dry it will ferment but you will get some cell death and lose some of your cell count.. If you are gonna work hard to produce wort and go through all the steps needed to make a great beer why cut corners on the most important aspect of making beer, which is yeast.

Definitely not trying to cut corners. To me it’s pretty simple and painless, I just don’t want to risk infections if it’s not that big of a deal. I’ll most likely continue to rehydrate because it seems logical. Just wanted to pick the brains of the more experienced

 

[MHBT]

Definitely not trying to cut corners. To me it’s pretty simple and painless, I just don’t want to risk infections if it’s not that big of a deal. I’ll most likely continue to rehydrate because it seems logical. Just wanted to pick the brains of the more experienced

My bad was not trying to sound like you are cutting corners i meant it in a more generalized way like "why cut corners" cheers

 

[flars]

If you are worried about infection this is the technique I use to rehydrate dry yeast to reduce risk. The water is boiled in the microwave and covered immediately with the plastic wrap. The temp probe tracks temperature and becomes the stir bar after the first 15 minute period to stir the hydrated yeast into solution. The probe isn't removed until the yeast is pitched.

 

[browning348]

If you are worried about infection this is the technique I use to rehydrate dry yeast to reduce risk. The water is boiled in the microwave and covered immediately with the plastic wrap. The temp probe tracks temperature and becomes the stir bar after the first 15 minute period to stir the hydrated yeast into solution. The probe isn't removed until the yeast is pitched.
View attachment 557585

What I’ve done is take a cup of boiling wort at 15 min and poured into a sanitized class to cool. When I set my wort in the ice bath I place the wort in the glass into the bath as well. So in 5 min or so it’s around 75 degrees and yeast goes in there for 15 or 20 min until the wort is cooled to pitch temp. I keep a spoon for stiring and thermometer in a bowl of one step while not being used.

 

[beerlover77]

Well all the yeast instructions say to rehydrate as do all the experts. The reason being is apparently when you pitch dry a lot of the yeast cells don't make it. If you dry pitch you could probably add an extra 1/2 pack to account for the yeast cells that die?

 

[PADave]

I've always rehydrated. Simple to do, and why wouldn't you want to keep the yeast happy?

 

[Velnerj]

I have tried both and haven't noticed a difference either way. However, I brew smaller batches so cell count isn't that big of an issue. If I have any doubts about the yeasts viability (i.e. past/near expiration) I'd rehydrate otherwise I think I just pitch it.

 

[flars]

What I’ve done is take a cup of boiling wort at 15 min and poured into a sanitized class to cool. When I set my wort in the ice bath I place the wort in the glass into the bath as well. So in 5 min or so it’s around 75 degrees and yeast goes in there for 15 or 20 min until the wort is cooled to pitch temp. I keep a spoon for stiring and thermometer in a bowl of one step while not being used.

? This is the same as pitching dry if you are subjecting the yeast to a sugary rehydration solution.

 

[browning348]

? This is the same as pitching dry if you are subjecting the yeast to a sugary rehydration solution.

That I do not know. I used that method because I had read about it. My reasoning I guess would be the yeast need water, sugar and O2 to multiply and be happy. With that, I just went with the wort. I’ve seen other methods like boiling water then adding dme and pitching in dry after the mixture cooled.

 

[BrewInspector]

It IS the same as pitching dry if you rehydrate in wort. The purpose of rehydrating is to allow the cells to fill with WATER prior to being subjected to the sugars.

If you rehydrate in a small amount of wort it is the same as rehydrating in a larger amount of wort. This is not rehydrating it is simply pitching dry in a smaller amount ultimately serving no purpose.

I think you may be confusing the creation of a starter from a lesser amount of yeast (usually done with wet yeast or when growing up a volume from bottle dregs) Dry yeast are recommended to be rehydrated in water but many find it unnecessary. Rehydrating dry yeast is not making a starter. I no longer rehydrate yeast or build starters. I pitch dry or more often pitch saved yeast from a previous batch.

 

[browning348]

Ahhh, there’s the reason I posed the question here. That makes sense and is not something I’ve read anywhere else.

 

[helibrewer]

Do a proper rehydration, then temper the hydrated yeast with small amounts of wort until the yeast is within 10F of the wort....then pitch. Hydration allows the yeast to get it's cell membrane in good shape before being subjected to the osmotic stress of wort. Tempering it with wort acclimates it to fermenting temperatures and presents the signals required to start producing all the enzymes it will need to become a fermentation machine.

 

[flars]

If you like videos this is one produced by Lallemand. They are showing the rehydration of a 500 gram brick for larger volumes than the typical home brew volume. The reason to rehydrate though remains the same.

 

[browning348]

If you like videos this is one produced by Lallemand. They are showing the rehydration of a 500 gram brick for larger volumes than the typical home brew volume. The reason to rehydrate though remains the same.

That’s awesome, thanks!

 

[mabrungard]

Rehydration is a good idea, but it may not be needed if you're pitching a sachet into a low gravity batch or smaller than 5 gal batch. If you're more on the edge, you are wise to rehydrate.

Remember, rehydration water needs to have some ionic content. Straight distilled or RO water is not ideal. Adding 1 to 2 grams of Epsom Salt per quart of distilled water is an ideal rehydration medium. Make sure your water isn't too hot since that could kill yeast too. I generally try and let the water come to room temp before pitching.

 

[BucksIPA]

I dont re-hydrate. You could try and dump the packet in as you are cooling at 85, cool slowly to 68 , then transfer normally.

 

[jcubit]

I always check what it says on the yeast package. Most of them have said rehydrate but a few lagers I have done said to pitch direct to wort.

I really dont think it all matters much since I rehydrate in lme mix and that has done exceptionally well. Same process for reclaimed yeast.

 

[h22lude]

I always rehydrated but now I direct pitch two packets. Only $3 more, much easier and I get a ton of yeast even with some dying.

 

[jason613]

Try 2 identical worts and compare your results. One with rehydrated, one with dry pitch. I suspect results would be very similar. I would say the fundamentals would have a greater affect...sanitization, pitch temp, constant ferment temp, oxygenation, yeast nutrient, etc.

 

[jason613]

What I’ve done is take a cup of boiling wort at 15 min and poured into a sanitized class to cool. When I set my wort in the ice bath I place the wort in the glass into the bath as well. So in 5 min or so it’s around 75 degrees and yeast goes in there for 15 or 20 min until the wort is cooled to pitch temp. I keep a spoon for stiring and thermometer in a bowl of one step while not being used.

This would be a good time to also add yeast nutrient...

 

[kristiismean]

I don't always rehydrate. I dont really notice a difference when I do. I double pitch over 1.060.. My thoughts are if you are considerimg hydrating then maybe start looking at starters instead...

 

[hethacker12]

I find that rehydrating with some wort or must between 2-5 hours prior greatly increases my fermentation speed (I can have a beer made grain to keg in about 5 days vs. 7-8 days). I also do not do anything to make sure that it is sterile; I sanitize everything with StarSan, fill a container with 2 ounces wort and 5 ounces filtered water to cool it, add the yeast, and cover with aluminum foil.

I also think that the dehydrated yeast is highly condensed in its dry form; by having the yeast rehydrate with water, instead of a high sugar and nutrient liquid like wort (which will make the liquid more dense), it will allow the yeast to expand easier as well as reduce the chance of shocking the yeasts’ membranes with an immediate concentration of sugar, potentially stressing and scarring the budding process.

The likelihood of an infection occurring in the starter after the yeast is added is very small, the yeast are crowding that container as it is, there isn’t a foothold for other bacteria to colonize inside of it.

I can see the conversation going both ways for time and results, I think that if you have the time to rehydrate, it can be helpful, especially in nutrient poor liquids, like wine musts.

 

[triethylborane]

I always rehydrated but now I direct pitch two packets. Only $3 more, much easier and I get a ton of yeast even with some dying.

$3 a packet . . . paying 2.5 times that here for dry yeast fml

 

[beerlover77]

One thing I might add is when you re-hydrate, you proof the yeast to see if it is good before pitching. You can actually see the yeast bubbling within 15 min and you know its good. A few times I went to re-hydrate and the yeast sank to the bottom and did nothing.

If you Dry pitched those bad packs you probably wouldn't know for a day or two that your yeast was not going to work. Don't think dry yeast can't go bad, if it is handled improperly, shipped in a hot container it may not survive.

Also dry yeast is usually $4.50+ for a pack so for me it's worth saving that cash for the 2 min work to simply pour some yeast in a bit of water 20 minutes before pitch time.

 

[browning348]

One thing I might add is when you re-hydrate you proof the yeast to see if it is good before pitching. You can actually see the yeast bubbling within 15 min and you know its good. A few times I went to rehydrate and the yeast sank to the bottom and did nothing.

If you Dry pitched those bad packs you probably wouldn't know for a day or two that your yeast was not going to work. Don't think dry yeast can't go bad, if it is handled improperly, shipped in a hot container it may not survive.

That’s a great point. Never thought about that way.

 

[ncbrewer]

One thing I might add is when you re-hydrate, you proof the yeast to see if it is good before pitching. You can actually see the yeast bubbling within 15 min and you know its good.

I don't normally see bubbling when I rehydrate - according to Danstar, foaming or lack of foaming isn't an indication of the activity of the yeast. You might be throwing away good yeast.