Is wetter better?

[BrewDoc627]

Ok friends, I'm a bit of a rookie here--and I got a question....

I'm only up to 4 batches now (5 if mead counts), and I've always read that liquid yeast is better than dry. Well, I just pitched dry Cooper's yeast (not hydrated even) into a batch of red and am currently cleaning up the most vigorous fermentation I've yet had.

I previously did the same recipe with Wyeast Irish Ale yeast and the fermentation took 2-3x as long to take off. The end produst was just fine, but I'm wondering if the superiority of liquid yeasts is just hype now.

I'd love to compare notes or something here. Cheers, fellows.


"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Benjamin Franklin

 

[david_42]

Liquid yeasts are not better, but there are many more types. If you don't make starters, a dry yeast will almost always be faster.

 

[willynilly]

What he said...

I have been using dry for everything besides my wheat beers. Been using dry lager yeast too... really like it!

 

[wonderbread23]

I'm pretty certain a fresh wet yeast will always kick a dry yeasts's butt. The yeasties go through a lot of stress to become dried and powderized. Because of this, they pick strains based on their hardiness, not neccessarily their flavor characteristics. Plus, you can get a lot more variety with liquid yeast.

That being said, I always keep a packet or two of US-05 on hand to bottle condition. It does a nice job carbing, and I've already achieved any yeast character I want at that point with my primary yeast.

 

[willynilly]

The reason dry yeasts start so much faster is

#1 higher cell count
#2 they come packed with loads of nutrients

Liquid yeasts do not compare in either case.

Few varieties are hardy enough to be dried and remain viable, but the dry strains out there are very good.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I'm pretty certain a fresh wet yeast will always kick a dry yeast's butt. The yeasties go through a lot of stress to become dried and powderized. Because of this, they pick strains based on their heartiness, not necessarily their flavor characteristics.

You couldn't be more wrong. Dry yeast is extremely viable - it is dried using a process to ensure that. Additionally, in order to get similar results (short lag, proper pitching rate, vigorous activity) from liquid yeast, a starter is required. While it's true that some strains of yeast dry much more easily than others, the flavor profile is absolutely important.

Many years ago, dry yeast was in inferior product. That is just not true anymore. The only thing that makes liquid yeast better is the fact that more strains are available. If you want to brew most Belgian styles or Bavarian hefeweizen, liquid yeast is the only way to go. However, if you're pitching Chico (California ale) yeast, you're wasting time and money on WLP001 or Wyeast 1056. Fermentis US-05 is the exact same strain and requires no starter.

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

Vigorous & Fast fermentation doesn't necessarily equal better. It can actually mean that your temperature got too hot and your little yeasties went crazy and probably kicked off a bunch of esthers in the process. That could be good or bad depending on your tasted buds, and it's desirable in some beers.

What temp did you ferment at?

Liquid & dry both have their pro's & con's. Most of which have already been stated in this thread. For me, I've grown partial to US-05 because it's cheap,convienient & produces a clean beer. It also fits the style of the beers I like to brew. But none of that really matters if temperature isn't correct.

Hope that helps

 

[willynilly]

The OP is stating his opinions on what he has read, and what he saw using a liquid yeast.

Note, he does not mention making a starter... if he didnt use a starter with the liquid yeast, it is almost certain that he underpitched which would cause a really long lag time.

One is not "better" than the other, they are different and have different applications.

Is a Jeep "better" than a Ferrari? Depends, are you on a paved track, or a two track?

 

[elkdog]

A liquid yeast with a starter and a rehydrated dry yeast will perform about equally, assuming you pitch at the same rate. So for strains like the Chico Strain (S-05), the dry Whitbread strain (S-04) or Nottingham (great clean nominally british strain), dry works for me, being considerably less cost and work. If you maintain a yeast bank, you'll recoup your expense on liquid, but I only see it as worth the time for the strains that you can't buy dry. For typical clean American ales, and for drier English ales, I don't see a need for liquid. My ESB that I'm brewing this week is getting WLP005, though, because that particular yeast character (which I love) can't quite be attained with dry yeast.

 

[BrewDoc627]

I've pitched all my yeasts (ale--not lager here guys) at 78 F, and the batch in question is resting at 70 F, currently, and that is consistent with my previous batches.

 

[willynilly]

I think your question has been answered nicely

That being said, 78F is a pretty hot pitch

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

I've pitched all my yeasts (ale--not lager here guys) at 78 F, and the batch in question is resting at 70 F, currently, and that is consistent with my previous batches.

70 is pretty warm if that is ambient temperature of the room it is in. You can count on the temp inside the primary being at least 5 degrees hotter than that during the initial fermentation. I put my primary in a water bath and try to keep the water in the low 60's, preferably about 62. Then after the bulk of fermentation is complete I will take it out of the bath and let it sit at room temp for another 2 weeks or so.

 

[willynilly]

Agreeeeeeeed