Rehydrate or not?

[moorerm04]

I am in the process of doing a brewers best red ale extact kit. This kit comes with Nottingham ale yeast. I have never use this particular yeast. The brew kit instructions say nothing about rehydrating the yeast, basically says just sprinkle it on. However the package of yeast says to rehydrate in 1/2 cup of warm water before use. What do you guys think I should do? Does it really make a difference weather I do or don't rehydrate?

 

[BrewerinBR]

Rehydrate the yeast!

 

[Oldbrew75]

Agreed rehydrate it's simple and easy.

 

[moorerm04]

Ok thanks for the advice? Do you notice fermentation taking off any faster with hydrated yeast?

 

[Taypo]

+1 for rehydrating. Posted in the yeast forum as well but after 36 hours, rehydrated Safale US05 is happy as hell and trying to blowoff my blowoff stopper.

 

[BrewerinBR]

Yes it will take off faster also if you let it sit for 30 minutes or so you will see it foaming up proving the yeast is live and active when it goes into the wort!

 

[brian74]

I brewed a batch last night and just sprinkled the dry yeast into the fermenter. I have always rehydrated dry yeast. I had no problems last night. It took off within a few hours and is still going strong.

 

[brewgasm135]

There are hundreds of these threads asking the same question... and now another. I'm surprised there aren't more people saying you don't need to rehydrate. I just used the Nottingham dry yeast myself and I didn't rehydrate. It was actively bubbling away within 6 hours.

 

[JonK331]

It will still work without rehydrating but some folks (Yeast book included) say that about half the cells can be lost if you don't. It's super easy to do, just make sure everything is sanitized and that the water is the right temp.

 

[Grossy]

My first 5 batches I rehydrated.

Yesterday I did not, just sprinkled it on top. American Pale Ale, Safale US-05.

I have had mixed results with rehydrating, 6 to 24 hours, and I had one 36 hours.

Yesterdays brew was fermenting like crazy after just 12 hours.

Is rehydrating easy, yes. But it is another step. It requires sanitizing another container, boiling water and chilling it before adding the yeast. And then it is one more container to clean. I would say it will add about 30 minutes of work to the day. And if you forget to do that, then what? You wait some more, your day got longer.

Here is where the rubber meets the road. The manufacturer states the yeast is directly pitchable. They did R&D on hundreds of batches of beer to make that claim.

For the convenience of not having to clean things twice, and one more task to do, I will sprinkle. Perhaps one day I will get burned, then i will re-evaluate.

Drink well friends.:rockin:

 

[kable]

I liked John Palmer's process. Take a ziplock sandwich bag, mist in some starsan from a squirt bottle, add your boiled and chilled water. Sprinkle dry yeast in bag, zip it and then massage it around every once in a while during the boil. Later, just cut the corner of the bag and add your yeast.

It is so simple, why not hydrate.

Sent from my Android, please excuse my grammar.

 

[moorerm04]

I will be using bottle water for my yeast and top off water.... I have never boiled it and never had any issues.

 

[BradleyBrew]

- 1 for re-hydrating
+ 1 for rehydrating

I've done both about 15x each. In MY opinion there is no difference.

I officially retire from talking about or debating this subject... my last rehydrate thread

 

[diannotti]

Ok, I am in no way any authority on the topic but I think there is a clearer answer then I see presented in the many threads on this topic that I have read.

Basically if you re hydrate you can pitch the yeast into a lower temperature wort which may be desirable based on style. If you pitch direct you generally need to have the wort at 68°.

I don't see that distinction mentioned generally so I just thought I would add that. Maybe I am completely wrong but that seems to be a significant factor to weigh in deciding to re-hydrate or not......

" To re-hydrate, or not to re-hydrate that is the question..."