Rehydrating.....hurrah

[reegs210]

Well.....after a long time, I finally started rehydrating my yeast, rather than just pitching. Hesitant, mainly due to laziness. Hey, it's a long brew day after all, and after several pints, it always seemed too much of a chore

I'm now a convert. My yeast kicks off so much quicker! The activity within the first 24 hours is not like I've experienced on previous brews

So simple, and the extra half hour to prepare for rehydrating is well worth it

For the doubters, give it a go...

 

[Adr_0]

Welcome... may all your wildest dry yeast dreams now come true.

I read somewhere that the water for rehydrating should be ~10x the mass of yeast and 'not cold'. Still very subjective but I thought good advice as I'm sure once or twice I made it a little too warm. After letting sit for 15min, then stirring every 5min or so after that for 15-20min it's nice to have the delicious yeast cream.

Just don't tell DBS...

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

h34r:

 

[Kingy]

Ive gave it a go many times, yes it works but so does not rehydrating. Its always finished for me in the end and i cant taste the difference. I like doing the scientific thing and do the rehydrate every now and then on a rainy day when im bored but.
Edit. Spell check being a bitch tonight

 

[Yob]

Oh shit.. Here we go, I'll be back, need popcorn and beer

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Actually I've always believed in the Starter. It proves the Yeast is alive and active.
The only times I've dry pitched yeast it was a failed brew.
The best beers I've made brew out fast within hours of pitching the Active yeast, then in 3 days for most part,
and sit for ~around ~2 weeks.
I stir plate every yeast now. It like insurance for your efforts.

 

[Kingy]

You stir plate dry yeast as well?

 

[MastersBrewery]

Ok re-hydrate if you must; but when you do re-hydrate in wort, in a flask, on a stir plate, for 12-24 hours

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Oh shit.. Here we go, I'll be back, need popcorn and beer

Yeah...I'm going to come back in about 15 pages

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Ok re-hydrate if you must; but when you do re-hydrate in wort, in a flask, on a stir plate, for 12-24 hours

Making a starter is the habit on brew day. Stir plate hours between 2 to 18 hours (depending on activities).

 

[reegs210]

not meaning to stir up past debates, just pleased at results in switching my method of pitching yeast

 

[kaiserben]

I gave rehydrating a go yesterday. M44.

I thought I knew what I was doing, but it didn't really thicken up at all (it got plenty milky and frothy, but not creamy). Sound normal?

Pitched it at 6pm and no air-lock activity as at 15 hours later. (although the air temp in my ferment chamber seems to have risen by a couple of degrees, which could indicate activity is underway). Hopefully it'll be in full swing by the time I get home this evening.

 

[stm]

The only times I've dry pitched yeast it was a failed brew.

Maybe you need to look at your yeast storage process moreso than you pitching process.

 

[Adr_0]

I gave rehydrating a go yesterday. M44.

I thought I knew what I was doing, but it didn't really thicken up at all (it got plenty milky and frothy, but not creamy). Sound normal?

Pitched it at 6pm and no air-lock activity as at 15 hours later. (although the air temp in my ferment chamber seems to have risen by a couple of degrees, which could indicate activity is underway). Hopefully it'll be in full swing by the time I get home this evening.

You should get a cream if you go only 10x the yeast weight in water, i.e. 100mL for a pack of M44. Sprinkle on water, cover and leave for 15min, then stir every 2-3min for 5-10min and you should have a nice cream.

Person'ly, I like to DEhydrate my liquid yeasts to get the best results...

 

[Danscraftbeer]

More to my experience (Ale) a fast ferment is the best, (carefully handled) starter for any yeast, wet or dry kicks it all off.
My Beer brews are obviously popping the airlock after ~ around 8 Hours...-
Usuall scenario Pitched active yeast late at night, shaken wort to the shithouse for pfff at least ~2 min,
Airlock bubbling well by the morning and full speed by that afternoon (~15 hours) Ales at 18 to 20 celsius.
They brew flat out for 2 days. Then let sit basically idle for aww around 12 to 30 days until I get around to kegging or bottling them. :drinks:

 

[zeggie]

My last 2 brews have kicked off quicker sprinkling the yeast on without rehydrating *shrugs*

 

[kaiserben]

You should get a cream if you go only 10x the yeast weight in water, i.e. 100mL for a pack of M44. Sprinkle on water, cover and leave for 15min, then stir every 2-3min for 5-10min and you should have a nice cream.

Hmm. I used more like 200ml of water. Left it for only 5 mins before stirring. And then probably stirred too much/constantly.

I've rehydrated successfully before, but it's been a while (a decade).

Anyway, I'm finally starting to get some air lock activity after 30 hours.

 

[dicko]

Most yeast manufacturers recommend warmer water for re hydration.
It is also recommended to attemperate the yeast slurry by adding small amounts of the wort that you are going to pitch it into as well until it is close to the wort temp.
This is pretty important with lagers if you have the wort down around 12 deg c.

 

[Adr_0]

Hmm. I used more like 200ml of water. Left it for only 5 mins before stirring. And then probably stirred too much/constantly.
I've rehydrated successfully before, but it's been a while (a decade).

Anyway, I'm finally starting to get some air lock activity after 30 hours.

By the sounds of this, your beer is totally ruined. Throw everything out and start from scratch as there is no possible hope of making his beer from this horrible, failed rehydration.

I'm a stickler for following the rules and the advice of scientists (the 15min, 1:10, stirring, water that's not cold, using tap water wit minerals rather than distilled) but that's just who I am - we're getting into some serious anecdotal territory here. I do trust the guys who make our dried yeast and follow their instructions but I'm not sure that stirring/not stirring or 15min/5min will give your beer another 5 points in a comp or make your beer slightly more delicious.

 

[The Holy Ale]

I gave rehydrating a go yesterday. M44.

I thought I knew what I was doing, but it didn't really thicken up at all (it got plenty milky and frothy, but not creamy). Sound normal?

Pitched it at 6pm and no air-lock activity as at 15 hours later. (although the air temp in my ferment chamber seems to have risen by a couple of degrees, which could indicate activity is underway). Hopefully it'll be in full swing by the time I get home this evening.

I found this as well until I started using warmer water to rehydrate. All the texts I found said to use water between 35-40C but I wouldn't believe it as I thought that was way to high. I finally tried after having the same issue you have had and sure enough it worked like a charm.

Yeast taking off and lively in 37C water for 30mins and kick on in the wort in no time.