Re-Hydrate v Not..

[carniebrew]

You all know the acronym.

That beer would have a much better head if he'd re-hydrated. Slack prick.that Charlie.

 

[Droopy]

You all know the acronym.

Don't let that guy near your kids...?

 

[bum]

You all know the acronym.

CPIAC?

 

[carniebrew]

Can't we all just call it 'horses for courses' or some such though? I remember reading "How to Brew" and after chapter 7 was sure the only way to make beer that didn't taste like cabbage (or was it creamed corn?) was to chill it really quickly with the lid off. A whole generation of no-chillers has shown how wrong that is, for plenty of styles anyway.

If you don't re-hydrate a pack of S-23 when pitching it onto a clean, light lager, and you don't like the resultant taste the lack of viable cells caused, then don't do it again. But if you pitch dry into your pale ale with 100 grams of late hops and it tastes great, who gives a flying safale?

 

[Bizier]

CPIAC?

Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center

Oh, wait.
Bad Bum!

 

[Bizier]

Can't we all just call it 'horses for courses' or some such though? I remember reading "How to Brew" and after chapter 7 was sure the only way to make beer that didn't taste like cabbage (or was it creamed corn?) was to chill it really quickly with the lid off. A whole generation of no-chillers has shown how wrong that is, for plenty of styles anyway.

The thing is that all these arguments all have some root in science. Whether or not said phenomenon significantly affects the beer to the extent that the brewer can perceive or identify is the thing.


Give Yeast a Chance

 

[QldKev]

I think they DO know what they're talking about...and look at the last line as written on a pack of US-05:

us-05.jpg

If you can't read it, I'll reproduce it:
Pitching: Sprinkle into wort.

So it's not just as easy as saying "It's a terrible idea". Other dry yeasts may require re-hydrating, but the manufacturer of US-05 doesn't think it has a downside worth caring about.

And anyone trying to argue that it's "just as easy" to re-hydrate is talking ****. Re-hydrating involves extra sanitation, temperature monitoring and timing issues. It's not hard, but it's nowhere near as easy as snip and sprinkle FFS.

I continue to re-hydrate us-05 maybe half the time I pitch it, maybe one in every three. Why? Dunno, it's just kinda fun. But I have never noticed any difference. I say do whatever you prefer.

The reason why dry yeast manufacturers say sprinkle in wort is because they don't know what the brewer's sanitation practices are like - so sprinkling dry yeast is not the best however better than re-hydrating with unsanitary conditions.

That's my understanding too. It's not just the sanatisation issue, there are many other factors that if hydration is performed incorrectly you could cause more bad than good. The Mangrove Jack yeast range (NZ company, but UK yeast) say on the packet to pitch yeast directly into wort, but if you read their detailed info manual it it says hydration is a better practice.

Also US-05 on the pack says add dry, but in their detailed spec sheet also recommends to hydrate

 

[Pickaxe]

So what's the consensus here?
Hydrate or not?

 

[GalBrew]

So what's the consensus here?
Hydrate or not?

Well, do you want to follow best practice or not?

 

[Pickaxe]

yes, I do. It seems that Hydrate is best practice, and the science is there to back it up.

 

[Greg.L]

The reason why dry yeast manufacturers say sprinkle in wort is because they don't know what the brewer's sanitation practices are like - so sprinkling dry yeast is not the best however better than re-hydrating with unsanitary conditions.

Water at 35c in a clean bowl or jug is all that is required. If you have a thermometer that is pretty easy, even for the most basic bewing. You don't need to sanitise or boil, I have never read that on a packet of yeast or a data sheet.

 

[Silver]

So what's the consensus here?
Hydrate or not?

Obviously mixed. For some who have the time and inclination to hydrate and think they are making better beer, assuming they have tried on more than one occasion, both methods (experience), and believe it is worth the extra effort and risk, happy days. To those who have tried both methods and made the choice to snip and sprinkle,cheers. I think a very interesting point was raised in this debate which has not been followed up on is the survival of the fittest comment. Are the offspring of the 50% of surviving yeast (sprinkled gang) better in any way than the offspring of the (mollycoddled) hydrated yeast?

 

[Ross]

I've resisted getting involved in this one, but here's my 2c worth as a homebrewer & commercial brewer.

In the brewery we hydrate the yeast (maximum bang for buck, my call), at home where I'm on tank water, I sprinkle dry (can't be arsed boiling & cooling, my call). For a standard sized 20L batch with OG up to approx 1050 one pack sprinkled dry is fine. If I go out of these specs at home I pitch 2 dry packs, simple.

As for earlier posters inferring commercial brewers don't pitch unhydrated - RUBBISH. One of the most successful & highly respected craft breweries in the country, does just that, as do many others, equally many hydrate.

Both methods work fine, as confirmed by the manufacturers. As long as you pitch enough yeast for the job, hydrating will not improve your beer. Look at the size & gravity of your wort, check the age of your yeast & make your call...

Then chill out & have a beer


Cheers Ross

 

[GalBrew]

Good, now that this is settled maybe we can argue if you need to do a yeast starter, as it says that one vial/pack is enough for a 20L batch right??

(I would insert a winking emoticon here, but I am on the phone).

 

[Ross]

Good, now that this is settled maybe we can argue if you need to do a yeast starter, as it says that one vial/pack is enough for a 20L batch right??

(I would insert a winking emoticon here, but I am on the phone).

As with dried. Batch size, gravity of wort, age of yeast, will give you the information to make your best call... (inserted for you )

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Good, now that this is settled maybe we can argue if you need to do a yeast starter, as it says that one vial/pack is enough for a 20L batch right??

(I would insert a winking emoticon here, but I am on the phone).

Dont even ******* go there........

 

[GalBrew]

Ha! Could be a theme, the whole chill v no-chill thing is going on elsewhere (not that I am going anywhere near that one).

 

[slash22000]

Assuming a standard Aussie 23 litre batch, one 11.5g packet of dry yeast NOT rehydrated (-50% cell count) is an ideal pitching rate in wort with a maximum ... 1.026 OG.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Ha! Could be a theme, the whole chill v no-chill thing is going on elsewhere (not that I am going anywhere near that one).

There already has been....There is enough in the pack FFS...went for 13 psges

 

[eamonnfoley]

I rehydrate because its proven to be better, and its too easy not to. But.....good brewers such as Feral (yes Feral) use dry yeast and dont rehydrate - just chuck it straight in. Some beers they wouldn't do it for, but I asked Brendon once and he told me they use dry yeast almost exclusively. A lot of WA breweries do actually.