Well, I did this very test recently with a double batch of pale ale. The recipe was a basic pale ale recipe which I thought would showcase the yeast characteristics well (see recipe below). I fermented one 17L lot with a 12g pack of Dry Nottingham and the other 17L lot with liquid Nottingham (WLP039). Both were pitched at the same time, fermented side by side in the exact same conditions, and bottled at the same time too. The beers also finished within 1 SG point of one another, which makes for quite a good comparison of the dry vs liquid Nottingham yeast.
I took both beers to a mate's place the other day for a bbq where there was a commercial brewer and another experienced AG brewer. It was unanimous among us all that the liquid nottingham beer was far better. I never thought the difference would be so obvious! The WLP039 beer seemed a lot fresher and just had much more depth of flavour. The dry yeast beer seemed thin by comparison, and as one of the fellas said had kind of an unusual bready flavour. I always thought Nottingham was a fairly lifeless and even "boring" yeast but I must say the liquid version has much more going on.
I am really starting to wonder if the same trend would exist for the other dry yeasts. Has anyone done a side by side test on US-56 or S-04 and their liquid equivalents? This comparison has really made me consider going back to liquid yeasts again!
Here's the recipe:
Recipe Specifications
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Batch Size: 34.00 L
Boil Size: 39.08 L
Estimated OG: 1.041 SG
Estimated Color: 9.3 EBC
Estimated IBU: 24.9 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 71.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
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Amount Item Type % or IBU
3.00 kg Joe White Traditional Ale (5.9 EBC) Grain 47.62 %
2.00 kg Joe White Export Pilsner (3.2 EBC) Grain 31.75 %
1.00 kg Joe White Munich, Light (17.7 EBC) Grain 15.87 %
0.30 kg Joe White Wheat Malt (3.5 EBC) Grain 4.76 %
56.00 gm Hallertauer [4.10 %] (50mins 15.4 IBU)
28.00 gm Hallertauer [4.10 %] (20mins 4.9 IBU)
28.00 gm Hallertauer [4.10 %] (10mins 2.9 IBU)
28.00 gm Hallertauer [4.10 %] (5mins 1.6 IBU)
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 6.30 kg
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Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 16.43 L of water at 74.4 C 67.8 C