Dry Vs Liquid

[wrightyman]

Hi all im just getting back into brewing after a 5yr rest, back then liquid yeast were the go is that still the way or has Dry made a run???

Any thoughts



Wrightyman

 

[Bribie G]

Hi all im just getting back into brewing after a 5yr rest, back then liquid yeast were the go is that still the way or has Dry made a run???

Any thoughts



Wrightyman

Depends on the style. There are some excellent dry yeasts that make superb beers - for example lager yeasts W 34/70 and S-189. I make really nice Aus and Euro style lagers with them. On the other hand if I were trying to make an authentic Bohemian Pilsener then personally I'd ramp up a notch to a liquid yeast.
I wouldn't make any of my UK bitters and milds with anything other than the appropriate liquid yeast. However having said that, I always have a few packs of US-05 in the freezer for making American Cream Ales and fake Kiwi/Oz lagers when I need to crank one out quickly.

But it's sure moved on from the days when the only dry yeasts were the gold foil ones off the tin or Nottingham / S-04 / S-23. Others who have been back in the game longer than me would be more familiar.

Edit: 34/70 not 37/40 oops

 

[Wolfy]

Given your location, you may like to check the range of dry-yeast that CraftBrewer (see the links at the top of the page) sells, depending on what you intend to brew some of them should be more than adequate.

 

[Weizguy]

Hi all im just getting back into brewing after a 5yr rest, back then liquid yeast were the go is that still the way or has Dry made a run???

Any thoughts



Wrightyman

One thought only. Liquid yeasts rule, but use the dry yeasts where other flavours disguise the yeast character for best results.

Les the yeast snob

 

[manticle]

My take on it is simialar to Les - there is such a great range with liquids that when specific characteristics related to yeast are required then I will go for liquid. If I want a clean profile I will use a dried yeast. The only dried yeast in my inventory (besides white wine yeast for ciders) is US05.

Nothing against dried yeasts but if I want to brew a westmalle type beer it makes sense to use a westmalle type yeast (3787)

 

[wrightyman]

Thanks for info yes location is an issue how do the liquids travel???



Wrightyman

 

[Swinging Beef]

US05 of course
Danstar Nottingham and Windsor are descent english yeasts.

All good dry yeasts when used in an appropriate manner.
I think tho, if it is a yeast forward beer, liquid yeasts are the go.. so for Belgians and Weisen, go the liquid.

 

[Pennywise]

Thanks for info yes location is an issue how do the liquids travel???



Wrightyman

They'll travel fine if you get it sent with some of those cold packs, though this time of year not sure it's worth bothering. Spose it's better to be safe than sorry

 

[Dazza_devil]

Since making the move to liquid yeasts I have been astounded at the improvement they have made to my extract brews. It's really educated me on the difference a yeast can make and the depth of charcacter they have added to my beers has pleased me greatly.
As for travelling, I had my smack packs sent from Queensland to Tassie by Craftbrewer, never had a problem and they were posted express with the ice packs in the height of a heat wave. The first three packs swelled within 3 - 4 hours and the last, which was pushing 6 months past the manufacture date by the time I used it, took about 7-8 hours. All my starters took off nicely and have made great beers.

 

[Batz]

There are some fantastic dry yeasts available now, but I still use these as a convenience, example is a rainy day and I can't work on the farm so I have a brew day instead. I have no starter so an Alt or British Ale with Nottingham is a good choice.

When it comes to the crunch it's impossible to beat liquid yeasts.


Batz

 

[Sunshine_Brewer]

When it comes to the crunch it's impossible to beat liquid yeasts.


Batz

I agree, nothing beats the fresh taste of 3068 hey batz :icon_cheers:

 

[Batz]

I agree, nothing beats the fresh taste of 3068 hey batz :icon_cheers:

Even the best of things have their limitations.

Batz

 

[Pennywise]

3068 :icon_drool2:

fixed

 

[Swinging Beef]

When it comes to the crunch it's impossible to beat liquid yeasts.

Batz

How dare you speak to me of The Crunch!
You know nothing of The Crunch.
You've never even been to The Crunch

 

[Wolfy]

When it comes to the crunch it's impossible to beat liquid yeasts.

Actually since liquid yeasts are grown in lab conditions in special media etc, there is some suggestion that it may suppress some of their characteristic profile and that storing/selling/shipping yeast on slants (grown on a mix of agar and wort) is a better solution (in terms of yeast character and for small scale home-brewers) - they're just not readily available like liquid yeasts are.

 

[Batz]

Actually since liquid yeasts are grown in lab conditions in special media etc, there is some suggestion that it may suppress some of their characteristic profile and that storing/selling/shipping yeast on slants (grown on a mix of agar and wort) is a better solution (in terms of yeast character and for small scale home-brewers) - they're just not readily available like liquid yeasts are.

There is a German brewer here who just wonders up the the local brewery and comes back with a yeast to pitch, and it's either an Ale or a Lager.

How dare you speak to me of The Crunch!
You know nothing of The Crunch.
You've never even been to The Crunch

Yes your 100% on that, I have been to Tidalpete's for 'Lunch' that was pritty wild.

Batz

 

[Wolfy]

There is a German brewer here who just wonders up the the local brewery and comes back with a yeast to pitch, and it's either an Ale or a Lager.

Very true, the 'suggestors' that I mentioned are from the UK, with a higher density of Micro/brewery's where you can directly obtain a sample of their yeast, slants were suggested as the next-best-thing for those of us not able to do that.

 

[hazard]

My take on it is simialar to Les - there is such a great range with liquids that when specific characteristics related to yeast are required then I will go for liquid. If I want a clean profile I will use a dried yeast. The only dried yeast in my inventory (besides white wine yeast for ciders) is US05.

Nothing against dried yeasts but if I want to brew a westmalle type beer it makes sense to use a westmalle type yeast (3787)

Sorry to be pedantic about this - but are you saying that liquid yeast is better than dry yeast, or are you saying that the some yeasts are only available as liquid?
It seems to me that most comments in this thread are actually saying the latter, which does not imply the former. That is to say, you should use the yeast strain most appropriate to the beer style you're brewing, and often it will be a liquid.

Which then leads to the point - if the desired yeast is available in both liquid and dry, what do you do? eg US05 is the same strain as WY1056. Which is better?

 

[boss brew]

I've found that US 05 and 1056 are very similar, but a little different. The US 05 always seems to finish at a slightly lower gravity, so the beer's a little drier. It also takes a little longer to clear. The taste between the 2 is close enough that I almost always use the 05.

I've also had good luck with Saflager S 23 in my lagers. I recently made an Oktoberfest with it that came out quite nice! I think the key with dry yeasts (just like liquid yeasts) is to make sure that you keep top notch brewing practices - sanitation, pitching + fermenting temps, and so on...Just my thoughts. But it sure is great to have the various liquid yeasts when you're trying to match a specific style.

Dave

 

[manticle]

Sorry to be pedantic about this - but are you saying that liquid yeast is better than dry yeast, or are you saying that the some yeasts are only available as liquid?
It seems to me that most comments in this thread are actually saying the latter, which does not imply the former. That is to say, you should use the yeast strain most appropriate to the beer style you're brewing, and often it will be a liquid.

Which then leads to the point - if the desired yeast is available in both liquid and dry, what do you do? eg US05 is the same strain as WY1056. Which is better?

Probably that some yeasts are only available as a liquid although I understand liquid to be considered better for reharvesting too. I use 05 over 1056 but that's as much due to the fact that beers in which I use 05 rely on a clean yeast - I'm not looking for stone fruit esters etc and 05 does the job well.