Liquid Yeast vs Dry Yeast

[theguy]

I have only used dry yeast so far and have had good results. It seems like everyone uses liquid yeast. Why is liquid yeast superior to dry yeast, and is it pitched any differently than dry yeast? Cheers in advance!

 

[Revvy]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/dry-yeast-vs-liquid-75697/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/dry-yeast-vs-liquid-yeast-45174/

It's a personal preference, they both make beer....I tend ot use more dry than anything else...it's way more cost effective....but there are more wet strains and you can wash an reuse or store..It's not really a vs question...they both work..It's NOT a superority thing at all....they all are excellent.

 

[jds]

Fourteen Essential Questions About Yeast Starters

 

[ArcaneXor]

Liquid yeasts are purer cultures and are available in many more strains, but they don't store nearly as well, have lower cell counts out of the package, are more expensive, and should really be pitched into a starter (unless you are making something like a Hefeweizen and you intend to stress the yeast to create more fruity/bubblegum flavors).

I'll use Safale US-05 or Nottingham dry yeasts whenever I want a clean-tasting American Ale, since they do just as well as available liquid strains (albeit with slightly more lag time). Safale-04 is a fine English ale yeast.

Beyond that, it's mostly liquid yeasts for me, since I primarily brew Koelschbier and Witbier when I don't make English or American Pale Ales, and there aren't any good dry alternatives for those yeasts (maybe Brewferm Blanche for the Wit, but I haven't used it and it costs almost as much as liquid yeast).

 

[theguy]

Thanks for the replies.

Revvy, do you notice a different taste when using dry vs liquid yeast? I am pretty new to homebrewing and want to understand the actual "inputs" a little better.

 

[llazy_llama]

It's not really a vs question...they both work..It's NOT a superority thing at all....they all are excellent.

Liquid yeast, dry yeast. Willamette hops, Cascade hops. Extract brewing, all grain brewing. Full boil, partial boil. Mr Beer, Cooper's Kit, $2000 brew sculpture.

All of the above make beer. We make beer. Beer is amazing. Therefore, everything listed kicks some serious a$$.

 

[beersydoesit]

Liquid yeasts are purer cultures and are available in many more strains, but they don't store nearly as well, have lower cell counts out of the package, are more expensive, and should really be pitched into a starter (unless you are making something like a Hefeweizen and you intend to stress the yeast to create more fruity/bubblegum flavors).

Wyeast Activators have 100 billion cells.

From Fermentis' web site a sachet of S-04 has 6*10^9 (6 billion cells) per gram. (http://www.fermentis.com/FO/pdf/HB/EN/Safale_S-04_HB.pdf)

6 times 11.5 grams yields 69 billion cells.

I don't understand when people say dry yeast has more cells per packet.
What am I missing?

 

[Brewpastor]

I got yelled at for posting my opinions on this topic, so I will just keep out of it.

Anybody use bleech?

 

[ajf]

Wyeast Activators have 100 billion cells.

From Fermentis' web site a sachet of S-04 has 6*10^9 (6 billion cells) per gram. (http://www.fermentis.com/FO/pdf/HB/EN/Safale_S-04_HB.pdf)

6 times 11.5 grams yields 69 billion cells.

I don't understand when people say dry yeast has more cells per packet.
What am I missing?

Dry yeast is about 80% viable. Liquid yeast is about 20 - 25% viable.
See MB Raines, Ph.D. - Guide to Yeast Culturing for Homebrewers - Maltose Falcons Home Brewing Society (Los Angeles Homebrewing)
It's not the number of cells that matter, it's the number of viable cells.

-a.

 

[beersydoesit]

Thank you.