Liquid Vs Dry Yeast - Im Converted - Should I Be?

[bear09]

Hey All,

Have been brewing for a few years now and am addicted beyond belief. I am an AG brewer with a 3 tier setup. Nothing crazy.

Up until the last 6 months I have always used dry yeast. I found it cheaper and easier - which I liked.

My beer was always OK and I was always frustrated by this. I tried water chemistry, PH modification with salts, longer mashes, simpler recipes and always the same result - 'just ok - good beer'.

The catalyst for change was when I made a coopers pale ale clone using a culture of yeast from the bottom of a coopers stubbie - This beer was much better then good - it was great. I became a temporary alcoholic and drank the keg on my own in 13 days - yes thats a 19 litre keg in 13 days (1.46 Litres a DAY!!!!!!!!!) - scary.

Being a drunk aside, this was great beer and the only thing I changed was the yeast. Next brew I did I bought a wyeast 1272 and made a 2L starter and same deal - GREAT beer. I then bought the book 'Yeast' and read it cover to cover it then affirmed what I had just discovered - YEAST IS VERY VERY VERY VERY important to the beer you make.

Now for the point of this post...

Can dry yeast produce GREAT beer? People on these forums speak of US-05 all the time. Ross at CB stocks a massive range of dry yeast. I NEVER rehydrated my dry yeast. Could that have been my biggest fault?

What are peoples preference? I dont think I will ever go back to dry yeast. Saving a few bucks and some time for me is not worth it if after all the effort of AG brewing you end up with 'just ok beer'. Im a convert to liquid yeasts and I cannot get over the range an flexibility they offer my brewing - I have really stepped up now that I use liquid.

Cheers.

 

[mje1980]

I basically only use liquids for my UK ales, i really like the character of the beers brewed with these. US ales i dont mind US 05. Dont make many weizens, but when i do im happy with WB06 ( is that it? ).

I think dry yeast can make great beer, though i just think there's a little extra complexity and character with liquids.

 

[seemax]

Depends on the style of beer you're brewing.

For APA's i find Us05 or Nottingham does a good job, but they are hop driven beers.

Some styles are defined by the flavour that the yeast produces... in which case it's difficult to produce with dry yeast.

 

[Bribie G]

Great book, that Yeast:

"Brewers make wort, yeast make beer"

The only dry yeast I use nowadays is US-05 when I'm looking for a super clean blonde ale or fake lager etc. Even then I splash out on the Wy1056 which is a close brother, if I have an order in with Craftbrewer. Now, not all liquid yeasts are to my taste. I absolutely love 1469 and Irish 1084. However I've tried 1968 London ESB and it makes (to my taste) rather chewy, dull beers - I've tried it on a few recipes so it's not just the recipe. Others rave on about it. So many yeasts so little time.

My biggest adventure nowadays is getting into liquid lager yeasts. I'm upgrading my fridges setup so I can do Style-Nazi lagers at 10 degrees without going insane after a couple of months. Got a BoPils on Wyeast Urquell right now with a Pale Continental Lager on Wyeast Danish planned for when the BoPils is out of primary. :icon_cheers:

 

[Nick JD]

If Wyeast also sold their entire range in dry form I'd buy it dry.

Liquid yeasts are better for me because that strain is not available dry.

 

[[email protected]]

Hey All,

Have been brewing for a few years now and am addicted beyond belief. I am an AG brewer with a 3 tier setup. Nothing crazy.

Up until the last 6 months I have always used dry yeast. I found it cheaper and easier - which I liked.

My beer was always OK and I was always frustrated by this. I tried water chemistry, PH modification with salts, longer mashes, simpler recipes and always the same result - 'just ok - good beer'.

The catalyst for change was when I made a coopers pale ale clone using a culture of yeast from the bottom of a coopers stubbie - This beer was much better then good - it was great. I became a temporary alcoholic and drank the keg on my own in 13 days - yes thats a 19 litre keg in 13 days (1.46 Litres a DAY!!!!!!!!!) - scary.

Being a drunk aside, this was great beer and the only thing I changed was the yeast. Next brew I did I bought a wyeast 1272 and made a 2L starter and same deal - GREAT beer. I then bought the book 'Yeast' and read it cover to cover it then affirmed what I had just discovered - YEAST IS VERY VERY VERY VERY important to the beer you make.

Now for the point of this post...

Can dry yeast produce GREAT beer? People on these forums speak of US-05 all the time. Ross at CB stocks a massive range of dry yeast. I NEVER rehydrated my dry yeast. Could that have been my biggest fault?

What are peoples preference? I dont think I will ever go back to dry yeast. Saving a few bucks and some time for me is not worth it if after all the effort of AG brewing you end up with 'just ok beer'. Im a convert to liquid yeasts and I cannot get over the range an flexibility they offer my brewing - I have really stepped up now that I use liquid.

Cheers.

It's very easy to store you're liquid yeasts to save $$ and trips to the brewstore. Everyone has a different method. I like to make a starter a couple days before brewing with 1 L of wort made from dry malt extract. Simply keep about 100 mls of the starter in the fridge in a smaller container for later use (be very very careful with sanitation).

 

[bear09]

Hi Again.

Thanks for the quick replies. It seems as though I am in the right place then. I love that quote "Brewers make wort, Yeast make beer" - it is so very true. For me I am just so glad that I have discivered another way to further improve my beer. the major draw back with this is that I end up drinking far more then one should each night!!

Good brewing to you. Further comments and advice if anyone has them...

 

[Sammus]

I'm not sure how much different rehydrating makes, all my american pale ale's and done with US05 and people seem to like them. I've also used plenty of liquids, but only when the occasion calls for it (uk beers, belgians, wheats...).

P.S. 1.46L a day isn't a drunk, at least not on this forum. I got flamed badly here a while ago because I said I thought 6 long necks (that's 4.5L) a day was a tad excessive... suddenly everyone was up in arms saying that's reasonable consumption and i was some brainless sucker falling for some government brainwashing scheme of what is and isnt binge drinking or some crap...

 

[bear09]

I'm not sure how much different rehydrating makes, all my american pale ale's and done with US05 and people seem to like them. I've also used plenty of liquids, but only when the occasion calls for it (uk beers, belgians, wheats...).

P.S. 1.46L a day isn't a drunk, at least not on this forum. I got flamed badly here a while ago because I said I thought 6 long necks (that's 4.5L) a day was a tad excessive... suddenly everyone was up in arms saying that's reasonable consumption and i was some brainless sucker falling for some government brainwashing scheme of what is and isnt binge drinking or some crap...

HOLY CRAP! That is a little scary!

I hate to admit it and I may well get flamed here for saying it but I have to be honest with myself - beer is bad for you .

Its a tragedy I know but beer is rife with residual sugars (malt sugars are the highest is GI apparently and the worst to ingest), carbs and then of course ALCOHOL. I try to moderate my intake due to these things. I wish it was not this way but its a fact in life - all things that feel good are bad for you except sex (oh and that can be bad for you too in some ways)...

Ah well. Cant live forever though!

 

[Paul H]

You can't make great beer using dry yeast.

Cheers

Paul

 

[jonocarroll]

You can't make great beer using dry yeast.

Define "great beer".

 

[Bribie G]

Apart from a few years off in the 90s I've been drinking around the equivalent of 9 stubbies a day for the last 40 years and often a lot more. My liver is in good shape and many people take me for 10 years younger than I really am - at work recently someone spotted my Seniors Card when I opened my wallet and nearly fell over backwards

When they say I'm well preserved, yes that sums it up :drinks:

As you can see there's nothing wrong with my brain either

 

[felten]

Plenty of awards have been won using dried yeast, just look at the 2010 state/national comps.

 

[Nick JD]

You can't make great beer using dry yeast.

You can't make trolling comments without sweeping generalisations.

 

[QldKev]

If Wyeast also sold their entire range in dry form I'd buy it dry.

Liquid yeasts are better for me because that strain is not available dry.

Agreed! Use the correct yeast for the beer; if it's available dry excellent, if not get liquid.

edit: Also get the temps correct for the beer style and yeast strain you are using.

QldKev

 

[Fents]

at work recently someone spotted my Seniors Card when I opened my wallet and nearly fell over backwards

was that cocko? :lol:

 

[bear09]

Apart from a few years off in the 90s I've been drinking around the equivalent of 9 stubbies a day for the last 40 years and often a lot more. My liver is in good shape and many people take me for 10 years younger than I really am - at work recently someone spotted my Seniors Card when I opened my wallet and nearly fell over backwards

When they say I'm well preserved, yes that sums it up :drinks:

As you can see there's nothing wrong with my brain either

View attachment 44392

I am truly amazed you are still here with us... 9 freakin stubbies a day!! After a week of that I would be dead.

 

[Paul H]

Define "great beer".

Beer that is great...

Cheers

Paul

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Agreed! Use the correct yeast for the beer; if it's available dry excellent, if not get liquid.

edit: Also get the temps correct for the beer style and yeast strain you are using.

QldKev

Yup - have used Nottingham dried yeast as my main yeast for almost a year. Produced some fantastic beer last winter, but then rubbish in summer. Researched it and found that it really does not like warm temps, though thrives (for an ale yeast) at lower temps, hence why my winter beers were fantastic.

Goomba

 

[Wolfy]

What are peoples preference? I dont think I will ever go back to dry yeast. Saving a few bucks and some time for me is not worth it if after all the effort of AG brewing you end up with 'just ok beer'. Im a convert to liquid yeasts and I cannot get over the range an flexibility they offer my brewing - I have really stepped up now that I use liquid.

I think its a mistake to suggest you'd never use dry yeast, just as its a mistake to never use liquid yeast, both have their place and both are suitable for specific purposes.

Dry yeast is quick and easy to use and can be stored for a long period, its always good to have some on hand for a backup where a starter may get infected or fail, and as others have said US05 is a very clean yeast that is useful when you are making a hop driven beer (for example).

The biggest advantage of liquid yeasts is the vast number of different yeast strains available, many of which are simply not available in dry form.