I miss liquid yeast

Sharkeydude · Aug 30, 2009

When I buy liquid yeast in the summer months, it arrives hot and that's with the ice pack. It's hotter N' hell down here! I have been using dry yeast. Man this stuff is s l o w. I even hydrated it and it's still lacking umph. I use a freezer with a temp regulator set at 70 for a fermentation tank.
I wish that the HB online stores could get a good price on dry ice or something.
Should I start making my own starters? Can I stock up on different strains of liquid yeast in the winter months and store it till the heat sets in again?
Any suggestions except, moving north (I get a longer motorcycle season here), will be appreciated.

Yuri_Rage · Aug 30, 2009

What kind of dry yeast are you using and how much? Also, how are you rehydrating it? I find dry yeast to be very quick to start, and often quick to finish as well.

Sharkeydude · Aug 30, 2009

I'm using Safale US 05. I rehydrated at 80 for about 20 minutes, 11.5g. It's working, just not as vigorus as when I use liquid. I always do two batches at a time in two fermenters and when they're crankin', they sound like my Harley. Right now they sound like a Model T.

MattHollingsworth · Aug 30, 2009

You can bring some liquid yeast with you home when traveling and rinse that yeast and repitch it for a lot of beers as in the yeast washing thread. You can also buy bottle conditioned beers and step up the yeast from those and again rinse and repitch that. I brought yeast back from the States in my luggage with ice packs and it arrived here after a 12 hour flight safe and sound, still cool. Also brought back bottle conditioned beers from London to use the yeast but haven't done it yet.

You can also repitch that dry yeast from the slurry and should see a crazy fermentation.

Yuri_Rage · Aug 30, 2009

Airlock activity isn't the only way to gauge fermentation activity, and it has proven to be less than reliable. Is the beer nearing FG within a week? If so, fermentation is adequate, and you simply have a misperception about dry yeast.

Additionally, your recipe could lend itself to a less active ferment. If the OG is particularly high or there are a lot of complex sugars in the mix, fermentation may be a bit slower with any ale yeast.

I have been VERY happy with Nottingham, US-05, and S-04. I use them almost exclusively in beers that don't require a specific yeast flavor profile. I only use liquid yeast for Belgian beers, weizens, or other very yeast-centric styles.

Sharkeydude · Aug 30, 2009

I put it in the fermenter last night. They did read 1.045 O.G. That may be part of it. I guess I'm spoiled with the vigorous RIGHT NOW yeast LOL! Thanks all. I'll be trying the yeast rinsing as well.