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

[jonocarroll]

Beer that is great...

Well, I've made great beers with dry yeast. Case closed.

QuantumBrewer (you know it's me, there's my name and avatar there to the left, but it seems popular to put one's username after one's post, so here it is).

 

[Brad Churchill]

I have found as have others that my APA's come up pretty great with dry yeast.
Have even used S-04 when I ran out of S-05 and produced a lovely beer.

But yeah I am in the process of trying differnt liquid yeasts for my English style beers because I am not as impressed with how these are turning out.

Cheers

Brad

 

[Dave70]

So if I make a starter with S05, does it then become a liquid yeast?
Dose the life of the yeast begin in the wort or in the packet?
Dose this sound to much like the abortion debate?

 

[Fodder]

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

:icon_offtopic: My problem exactly! Thus the other thread of ways to keep my brew cool... :icon_offtopic:

Back on channel... never used a liquid yeast. Still had some 'great beer' though, which was beer that tasted great (if thats the definition we are going by... :unsure: )

 

[raven19]

You can't make great beer using dry yeast.

Cheers

Paul

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

Yup - 3 of the top 4 beers all used dry yeast iirc.

 

[Nick JD]

I've found that in general, dry yeasts tend to be the more bland yeasts (bland, in a good way).

It's as if it's difficult to dehydrate a yeast that's got a lot of character.

If you want lots of yeast-derived flavours and aromas in beer you're most likely using a liquid yeast.

 

[felten]

It's as if it's difficult to dehydrate a yeast that's got a lot of character.

That sounds spot on, AFAIK the drying process is very strenuous and a lot of the strains don't perform the way you expect them to after they're dried.

 

[drew9242]

Ever since i used liquid yeast, I have never used dry again. The first beer i made with liquid yeast turned out fantastic, so i didn't see any point going back to dry yeast. I just love the flavour off all me yeasts in a beer. And for me i don't see the point of spending all this time making a beer with just dried yeast, when i am not 100% happy with the outcome.

 

[speedie]

as has been posted the possibilities of dehydrated yeast is huge consistent and award winning
repeatable and without all that handling for possible infections
try to improve your brewing regime that is in pratice now (with powdered yeast) and you will be rewarded with your efforts
dam i am now drinking a nelson hopped beer using US05 and it is rewarding to say the least
speedie

 

[rotten]

Gday mate. I started using dry yeast with great result, then started using liquid. WY2112 (californian common) was first liquid, the WY1469 (yorkshire ale) was my second. I brewed at least 3 brews using 2112 and I lost track with 1469, (10?) re-using yeastcake. Very cost effective and great beers all of them, nearly
I'm now back using US-05, a dry yeast, to punch out some APA's in quick succession, again using yeastcake. Will be less than 1$ a brew by the time I change.
They all have their place, liquid seems to have a more specific place or flavour in mind.
Cheers

 

[bear09]

Hi All.

Some bloody great discussion going on here so thank you. One point though I guess I would like to ask all the people waving the 'dry yeast' flag, is do you rehydrate?

I never did and I was never happy with my results. If I find that people are rehydrating a may change my ways.

Also, a very good point about having some dry yeast on hand as a backup - I never thought of that. Id be screwed if I lost a starter and was sitting there with 22L of cooled wort and no yeast. I will get some as backup.

 

[Frag_Dog]

My 2c...

I think its not a Dry vs Liquid yeast issue. I think it has more to do with pitching rates and lag time. The fact that dried yeast has to re-hydrate in the sugary wort and then get going vs liquids up-and-go I think plays a bigger part.

I've made some good beers with both liquid and dry. I find if you hydrate the dry in some boiled and cooled water (I just use water that's left over in the tea kettle), it makes dry comparable to liquid.

 

[bear09]

My 2c...

I think its not a Dry vs Liquid yeast issue. I think it has more to do with pitching rates and lag time. The fact that dried yeast has to re-hydrate in the sugary wort and then get going vs liquids up-and-go I think plays a bigger part.

I've made some good beers with both liquid and dry. I find if you hydrate the dry in some boiled and cooled water (I just use water that's left over in the tea kettle), it makes dry comparable to liquid.

AH HA! This is the point that I was waiting for someone to make. I think this is the only major difference in my process that is screwing with my dried yeast results. The next time I try a dried yeast i shall be rehydrating.

 

[speedie]

this is how brew day unfolds
mash in get things organised for rests
rehydrate in cooled boiled water the correct amount of yeast
wait for activity while mashing
add some cooled wort from run off while sparging
this gets yeast happy
boil as per normal
when all wort is areated .cooled and into fermenter add the active culture bingo!
it will be crunching sugar in no time
speedster :icon_cheers:

 

[mje1980]

My 2c...

I think its not a Dry vs Liquid yeast issue. I think it has more to do with pitching rates and lag time. The fact that dried yeast has to re-hydrate in the sugary wort and then get going vs liquids up-and-go I think plays a bigger part.

I've made some good beers with both liquid and dry. I find if you hydrate the dry in some boiled and cooled water (I just use water that's left over in the tea kettle), it makes dry comparable to liquid.

I have found rehydrating seems to get things going a lot quicker, and usually gives a better result IMHO.

P.S nice avatar, moss is classic!!

 

[argon]

:icon_offtopic: Firstly, that's 2 posts in a row that are actually helpful, informative, and well written (and in standard font) speedie. What's going on?

Anyway... as outlined above i'm adding my plus 1 to the camp of dry yeast for quick easy neutral profile and liquid yeast for more complex profile.

Essentially i only use liquid when i can't get it in dry form. I always reydrate and always have some dry yeast at hand. For example i accidentally opened the wrong cube when i only had 1 starter of 1272 ready. So i just rehydrated a spare US05 and pitched that to one cube and the starter to the other. Got me out of a spot of bother for sure.

 

[Wolfy]

One point though I guess I would like to ask all the people waving the 'dry yeast' flag, is do you rehydrate?

Always.

While you can get adequate results just throwing the yeast in, mostly all published literature - including the guides on the yeast manufacturer's websites - all suggest to rehydrate dry yeast. It does not take long, its easy to do, and (I think) you get better and more consistent results.

 

[stux]

The popular dried yeast strains are yeast strains which can survive the drying and rehydrating process and maintain their true character.

You should rehydrate them properly... and then you have a liquid yeast.

If I can source a strain in dried form, I use that, otherwise if it only comes in liquid form, I use that.

I've re-used and re-washed dried and liquid yeasts.

There is a greater variety of liquid yeasts for two reasons

1) not all strains can be economically dried
2) the big dry yeast manufacturers produce a much higher volume of yeast than for a liquid yeast run... so its only economical producing a very very popular dried yeast, where as liquid yeast production might be more economical for smaller batches

 

[matr]

I've only just started rehydrating my dry yeasts since reading it in the Fermentis Tips & Trick doc (attached).

On a side note I do not rehydrate dried apple, apricots, sultanas or other varieties of fruit.

Cheers, Mat.

View attachment Tips_Tricks.pdf

 

[razz]

Excellent find Mat. Puts paid to the myth of not rehydrating dry yeast in wort.