Should I Re-hydrate Dried Yeast?

[thylacine]

Re rehydrating, or not...

"Basic Brewing Radio" podcast.

http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=radio

Episode: July 28, 2011 - BYO-BBR Yeast Rehydration Experiment

 

[Chiro]

Re rehydrating, or not...

"Basic Brewing Radio" podcast.

http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=radio

Episode: July 28, 2011 - BYO-BBR Yeast Rehydration Experiment

Thanks for that link. I read the PDF. I don't think I'll bother rehydrating. I have done it both ways and never noticed a difference.

 

[Dave70]

Forget John Palmer's instructions - follow the fermentis instructions found here: http://www.fermentis.com/fo/pdf/Tips-Tricks.pdf (scroll to the bottom of page 5).

That's a good tip. Pitched an S05 last night at 17deg in that fashion and it's burping it's airlock off this morning. Hence forth, this shall be my dry yeast procedure.

A pox on Palmer and his needless sugary complication.

 

[felten]

I think in the lastest edition of how to brew, the sugar reference is removed. You have to remember that the online edition is over a decade old now.

 

[Truman42]

That's a good tip. Pitched an S05 last night at 17deg in that fashion and it's burping it's airlock off this morning. Hence forth, this shall be my dry yeast procedure.

A pox on Palmer and his needless sugary complication.

I did the same and its bubbling its head off less than 24 hrs later.

 

[Feldon]

Dry pitching that results in the claimed 40% or 50% death rate for yeast cells could be a positive outcome for the brewer?

Those yeast cells that die presumably do so because they can't handle the osmotic pressure of the sugary wort. Before they can reyhrate properly their cell walls are not strong enough to hold back the worty tide, and they burst open and die. A good thing because weak yeast cells are more prone to producing off flavor compounds?

The cells that do not die are, comparatively, the healthiest and most robust. And it is they that go on to multiple (producing offspring with similar genetic traits for robustness?) until the free oxygen in the wort is all used up and then get to work making beer.

Just a thought.

 

[katzke]

I always rehydrate. I dump the yeast straight from the packet when the carboy is about half full of wort. That way it gets stirred up well and gets right to work. Have not had a bad beer sense changing to dry yeast. Costs a lot less then liquid and no worrying over if I got the little pack smacked or remembering to take the pack out of the fridge in time. I live about 2 hours from the plant and still by dry yeast.

 

[Yob]

My train reading atm is the Yeast book by White and Zainsheff..

P124 "...that you properly rehydrate it following the manufacturers recommendations before pitching. Failure to rehydrate dry yeast properly will result in the death of approximatly half the cells"

US-05 for example has recommendations for rehydrating at +/- 3'c of 27'c, typically I like to pitch at fermenting temps (17-18'c) and the recommendations of this yeast say to ...10 times it's own weight for 15 mins, stir, and slowly add wort until the yeast is +/- 3'c of the wort you are pitching to"

Advised rehydration temps are rarely if ever, at fermenting temps...

I like this method and havnt had a stuck ferment (or problematic) since adopting it.

Whatever the yeast you are using, if you havnt had a look at what the manufacturers advice is then you are simply guessing and possibly stressing the yeast from the get go....

I mean... what the hell do the manufacturers know? <_<

 

[thylacine]

My train reading atm is the Yeast book by White and Zainsheff..

P124 "...that you properly rehydrate it following the manufacturers recommendations before pitching. Failure to rehydrate dry yeast properly will result in the death of approximatly half the cells"

US-05 for example has recommendations for rehydrating at +/- 3'c of 27'c, typically I like to pitch at fermenting temps (17-18'c) and the recommendations of this yeast say to ...10 times it's own weight for 15 mins, stir, and slowly add wort until the yeast is +/- 3'c of the wort you are pitching to"

Advised rehydration temps are rarely if ever, at fermenting temps...

I like this method and havnt had a stuck ferment (or problematic) since adopting it.

Whatever the yeast you are using, if you havnt had a look at what the manufacturers advice is then you are simply guessing and possibly stressing the yeast from the get go....

I mean... what the hell do the manufacturers know? <_<

Another opinion:

A paper (pdf) from the Basic Brewing/BYO magazine experiment link above.
http://hw.libsyn.com/p/1/a/e/1aeeb08f8db63...p;l_mid=2665804

"...For quite some years there is a debate amongst home brewers whether or not dry yeast should be hydrated before
pitching. Some even state that sprinkling dry yeast on wort would lead to a decrease in cell viability by 60 to
70%. Based on the historic data desktop research and the experiments that were performed using different yeasts I
conclude that hydration of yeast is not needed to make a good beer. It does not lead to higher degrees of
fermentation. On the contrary, the historic data research showed that the average brewer obtained lower degrees
of fermentation upon hydration of dry yeast. The historic data research showed that for 9 out of 12 yeast
hydration lead to significant lower degrees of fermentation..."

I use to always rehydrate and never had problems. Then I struck a really foul smelling rehydrated yeast which I frequently use. I quickly opened another packet, rehydrated, and stink-a-roo again. With my wort/fermenter still ready to receive, I simply grabbed a third packet (different yeast strain) and sprinkled it in. No problems, same beer to neighbours' and my buds. I am happy to use either method.

Cheers

 

[pcmfisher]

I mean... what the hell do the manufacturers know? <_<

Yeah, a bit like reading the back of Coopers cans about fermenting temperatures.

What the hell would Coopers know?? :blink:

 

[Yob]

Yeah, a bit like reading the back of Coopers cans about fermenting temperatures.

What the hell would Coopers know?? :blink:

that aint the topic soldier...

and I think you will find that it's widely accepted that if you have no temp control, as alot of new brewers dont, then the yeast they supply can be tolerant of (mild) temp fluctuations and is a little more"forgiving" than many commercial "specialty" yeast..

how many kits do you think they would sell if they said you had to keep your first batch at 18 for the entire ferment... people would die of stress... I effing would have

I guess they should dismantle the lab and send that guy packing... <_<

 

[boingk]

I rehydrate in a manner similar to the Fermentis instructions, except with a small pinch of raw sugar in there as well. Let stand while sterilising/pitching etc and then you're ready to go.

On the very odd occasion I've had a yeast not take off in the proofing jar, its saved me the hassle of a day or two wondering if I've got a dud yeast or not. All the rest have gone and done their thing pretty well, regardless of the yeast used.

All for rehydrating here.

Cheers - boingk

 

[mesa99]

I like this method and havnt had a stuck ferment (or problematic) since adopting it.

I'm with Yob, if you have issues with stuck fermentation, then re-hydrate could be your answer.

 

[mondestrunken]

Hi guys.

Normally I do starters for liquid and dry yeast, but I thought I'd have a go at rehydrating a packet of S-04 rather than going through the whole starter process.

I found the fermentis "tips and tricks" http://en.calameo.com/read/00450712718b6039a5606, which I've never seen before, and I'm following those instructions.

Whatever the yeast you are using, if you havnt had a look at what the manufacturers advice is then you are simply guessing and possibly stressing the yeast from the get go....

I mean... what the hell do the manufacturers know? <_<

The only problem is that the S-04 packet says just sprinkle it in, whereas the T&T guide has the information on rehydration. It's interesting to note that as far as I could see there's no link to the T&T under the homebrewers section, but only under the "craft brewing" section.

 

[danestead]

Hi guys.

Normally I do starters for liquid and dry yeast, but I thought I'd have a go at rehydrating a packet of S-04 rather than going through the whole starter process.

I found the fermentis "tips and tricks" http://en.calameo.com/read/00450712718b6039a5606, which I've never seen before, and I'm following those instructions.


The only problem is that the S-04 packet says just sprinkle it in, whereas the T&T guide has the information on rehydration. It's interesting to note that as far as I could see there's no link to the T&T under the homebrewers section, but only under the "craft brewing" section.

http://www.fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Safale-S-04-en.pdf

Straight from the munufacturer.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

You dont have to re-hydrate your yeast, but you can if you want to

 

[pist]

Don't bother as i can't tell the difference, an extra step and extra cleaning that I don't feel is necessary

 

[Seaquebrew]

You should always re-hydrate

Instructions - sprinkle dry yeast onto wort in fermenter, the yeast will take over from there

Cheers

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

You should always re-hydrate

Why ?

 

[Seaquebrew]

Why ?

Because yeast finds it tough to ferment the wort when it is dry

Smile

Cheers