Pitching process for dry lager yeast like Saflager

[SpeedYellow]

After making dozens of lagers with liquid yeast, it's time to give dry yeast a shot in the interests of saving effort. But I can't understand the pitching process: after you rehydrate (at 73F or so) can you pitch this warm yeast directly into your 50F wort? With liquid yeast, this is generally considered a no-no. I guess the two alternatives would be (1) slowly lower the temp of your rehydrated yeast until it's near 50F, or (2) pitch into 65-75F wort then lower the beer temp.

Fermentis' instructions sheet doesn't really address this issue unless I missed it.


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[urg8rb8]

After making dozens of lagers with liquid yeast, it's time to give dry yeast a shot in the interests of saving effort. But I can't understand the pitching process: after you rehydrate (at 73F or so) can you pitch this warm yeast directly into your 50F wort? With liquid yeast, this is generally considered a no-no. I guess the two alternatives would be (1) slowly lower the temp of your rehydrated yeast until it's near 50F, or (2) pitch into 65-75F wort then lower the beer temp.

Fermentis' instructions sheet doesn't really address this issue unless I missed it.


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It seems necessary to pitch the yeast in the wort that is within 15F of the rehydrated yeast solution. I usually just pitch the solution in wort while its temp is in the upper 70s.

 

[BigFloyd]

I'll rehydrate and then slowly reduce the temp of the yeast slurry by adding small amounts of the cooler wort spaced a couple of minutes apart. That sort of "attemperation" avoids shocking the yeast.

For a lager, that means going ahead and chilling wort to the proper pitch temp (upper 40's) and getting the yeast slurry down to around 60.

 

[estricklin]

I absolutely love S-23, probably because I'm more familiar with it than perhaps any other yeast.

I usually cool the water down that I'm going to rehydrate to my fermentation temp, I also leave the packet of yeast at that temperature as well. This all happens in my fermentation chamber obviously. Of coarse when I'm running S-23 at ale temps I don't bother with this procedure, I let the yeast packet come to room temperature and use my rehydrating water at room temperature. So 4 or 5 degrees difference.

 

[FarmerTed]

Check the top two videos: http://www.scottlab.com/forms-downloads-60.aspx

 

[dcp27]

I know rehydration is the ideal way, but I just sprinkle 2 packs of the W34/70 in around 45F and have never had an issue. they always start quickly (for a lager) and come out clean

 

[theWilly]

I've got a lager going now. I rehydrated Saflager W-34/70 yeast at about 50F then pitched into 55F wort. I know the directions say to rehydrate in the 70's but I figured since it ferments at 50F and you can get away with pitching straight that it wouldn't hurt too much. After 30 minutes the yeast were active and frothy in the 50F water. Unless I hear something definitive to the contrary I'll just continue this method. Rehydrating is advised for dry yeast and pitching into wort that's a few degrees warmer is supposed to be good too. It apparently worked this time around.

 

[SpeedYellow]

Thanks for the suggestions. Interesting to hear that about every conceivable method seems to work.

Check the top two videos: http://www.scottlab.com/forms-downloads-60.aspx

Excellent videos -- thanks! Sounds like adding cold water to the slurry is the recommended method. And I like how quick this method would be.


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