39 replies to this topic

[Brian72]

Tell me of this method G... I usually just pitch it on the rare occasion that I use dry... I was thinking of something simple to do... Do you heat your bottled water?

I would imagine room temp would do. I'm going to try this next time...

[Lonnie Mac]

I would imagine room temp would do. I'm going to try this next time...

I am thinking so too... Man, I spend a VERY considerable time in my brewing week just making great starters. But that's my bag I guess. It's what I do, but sometimes I will admit, it gets a bit old... It is great however to let loose sometimes and change things up... I had great luck using the old US-56 back in the day... Obviously that was some time ago... I have not used the US-05 yet... Same yeast I guess though... My LHBS keeps the US-05 right by the cash register... I'm like, you should refrigerate that crap you idiots!

[Brian72]

I am thinking so too... Man, I spend a VERY considerable time in my brewing week just making great starters. But that's my bag I guess. It's what I do, but sometimes I will admit, it gets a bit old... It is great however to let loose sometimes and change things up... I had great luck using the old US-56 back in the day... Obviously that was some time ago... I have not used the US-05 yet... Same yeast I guess though... My LHBS keeps the US-05 right by the cash register... I'm like, you should refrigerate that crap you idiots!

I dont know if there is a need to refirgerate it. I've always bought it off the shelf and I keep it in my brew closet in a bin with other stuff like airlocks and bungs and such. Should I be keeping this in the fridge?

[Lonnie Mac]

I dont know if there is a need to refirgerate it. I've always bought it off the shelf and I keep it in my brew closet in a bin with other stuff like airlocks and bungs and such. Should I be keeping this in the fridge?

I have always though so... I keep all my dry yeasties in my freezer...From Fermentis:Store in cool (< 10C/50F), dry conditions. Opened sachets must be sealed and stored at 4C (39F) and used within 7 days of opening. Do not use soft or damaged sachets.Of course, I also know that the cardboard case of US-05 at my LHBS has been sitting there way before IKE came through. And the power was out for over a month in 100 degree heat...EDIT: I should also add...About a month ago, I brewed up a Cream Ale using some (over) 2 year old US-56 that I had in the freezer... Man, that shat took off like a rocket, and made a GREAT beer... I just sprinkled two packets on 11 gals of wort and let it ride...

Edited by Lonnie Mac, 04 April 2009 - 09:59 PM.

[dapittboss]

I rehydrate. Simple to do and it increases the yeast viability. Of course, if you use 2 packets I doubt it matters.

[Brian72]

Fermentis yeast is the diggity. not too fond of the lager yeast though, but from what I've read here today the US-56 (S-05) can really take a beating and still produce great beer.

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

I'm using Nottingham yeast next, the last time I just dumped it in the carboy with out rehydrating. I can see how rehydrating would be an advantage chemistry wise, less potential for disaster.... seems I've been teetering on just that lately after not brewing for 2 years.

[zymot]

Here is the homebrewer's instructions for US-05https://www.fermenti...le_US-05_HB.pdfThey say you can rehydrate or pitch directly on to the wort. I recall an interview with a guy from Fermentis who recommended not rehydrating. Something about what the yeast was stored in.This is just one yeast product. I would not treat all dry yeast the same.If you are worried about viability and do not want to rehydrate, try two packets.zymot

[matt6150]

Here's an article about rehydrating dry yeast linky

[japh]

I've always just sprinkled and stirred into my beers, and rehydrated for meads.

Edited by japhmi, 07 April 2009 - 01:04 PM.

[BrewerGeorge]

Here is the homebrewer's instructions for US-05https://www.fermenti...le_US-05_HB.pdfThey say you can rehydrate or pitch directly on to the wort. I recall an interview with a guy from Fermentis who recommended not rehydrating. Something about what the yeast was stored in.This is just one yeast product. I would not treat all dry yeast the same.If you are worried about viability and do not want to rehydrate, try two packets.zymot

I think you're mis-remembering a bit. He was probably talking about not making a starter with dry because they are pre-loaded with sterols that may get depleted in the starter. Rehydrating is just putting them in water a few minutes before pitching. I usually do it during chilling.Lonnie, I do not do anything with the bottled water besides dip it in sanitizer and pour half the bottle out before adding the yeast.

[CoastieSteve]

I agree with George above. I used to only dry pitch since I always seemed to be leaving yeast behind in the hydrating cup. I eventually honed down the hydrating to the point it's now easy. I bring about 8 oz. of water to a full boil in the microwave while the mash tun is doing its thing. By the time I'm done chilling the wort, the hydrating water is room temp (or just above) and I pitch the yeast into the water and let it sit for 10-12 minutes. I then stir to get all the yeast wet. At this point I take my OG hydrometer reading and add the sample's wort to the cup of yeast and stir again. I've had some really vigorous yeast start some minor bubbling at this point. Also, you can smell the yeast from across the room- it's like bread baking a kitchen to me at this point (well after it sat for a few minutes while I aerated the wort). When I then pitch, I leave no yeast behind in the cup and the fermentations seem to start sooner rather than later compared to dry pitching. I have to admit that I can't tell a difference in finished product either way though.My thought is that any microbes that get in the water while it cools will be far, far, far out numbered by the yeast and the risk of contamination is small.

[kbhale]

If I have two packs I don't rehydrate. If I have one pack I make a starter with it. I do 11 gallon batches.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Everyone interested in rehydration of dry yeast should read this:https://koehlerbeer....r-clayton-cone/

[DuncanDad]

I just used dry yeast for the first time. I didn't rehydrate.I pitched 1 package for 11 gallons. Within 8 hours, the stuff was going like a freight train.I'm thinking I may like the dried yeast better than the Wyeast or White Labs. My LHBS does'nt seem to keep very up to date in theyeast department and I've had problems with the yeast not being viable.

[Deerslyr]

I didnt know if we already had this topic here or not so I thought I'd start.Does anyone bother to rehydrate thier dry yeast prior to pitching? I'v done it both ways and cant really say I could tell much of a difference in fermentation. So, whats everyones experience with doing this or NOT doing this?

I know I'm a late comer to the thread, but I just pitch it right on top. Although, after reading George's method, I'll give that a try because we've always got bottled water in the fridge. FWIW, I've been brewing a LOT with US 05 (Lonnie, I love this stuff) and Nottingham. Can't recall the last time I bought liquid yeast... must be well over a year. My buddy did give me a mason jar with a Kolsch slurry a few months ago that I used. I want to do a Hefe soon, so will splurge for the liquid.

[MAZ]

I just used dry yeast for the first time. I didn't rehydrate.I pitched 1 package for 11 gallons. Within 8 hours, the stuff was going like a freight train.

For future reference, the general ROT for pitching dry yeast is 11 grams per 5-6 gallons of average (1.050-ish) gravity wort. While I'm guessing your batch will be just fine (many people under-pitch successfully... especially with liquid and no starters), you probably should have gone with at least 2 packets of dry yeast, maybe even 3 if it was a high-gravity batch.You can plug in your figures here -> https://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

[stellarbrew]

I have used dry yeast extensively, and have rehydrated slightly less than half the time. I have never seen a bit of difference in results. That's not to say it doesn't matter, just that I've never seen any evidence to support that. I'm not sure I completely buy the argument that rehydrating yeast in water revitalizes the yeast better. Of course it might, but like I said, no supporting empirical evidence thus far. Certainly I'm no expert in this field, but based on what I know theoretically, it seems to me that initial rehydration of the yeast with wort would exert less osmotic pressure on the yeast cells' membranes upon pitching. If you hydrate them first in plain water, and then put them into wort after they are hydrated, then the wort will be hypertonic relative to the yeast cells and it seems like that could tend to have a dehydrating effect on the cells, because of water leaving the cells through osmosis. If someone can point out where I am going wrong in my logic, I'd appreciate it.

[nitroglycerin11]

I have NEVER rehydrated they yeast (always US-05). I just dump it in and forget it. It has always started by the time I wake up the next morning. That being said, I got a friend into brewing recently and "properly" rehydrated the US-05 and it did seem to start a bit quicker, but not enough for me to want to take the time to rehydrate (actually, I just usually forget).

[BrewerGeorge]

This is one of those subjects that is hard to argue, because it is obvious that just sprinkling yeast works very well. However, I have no reason to doubt that the people from the yeast companies whose business it is to understand yeast and yeast metabolism know what they are talking about. They say - always - that rehydrating is a better option, so I believe them. Is it better enough to be noticeable to us? Maybe not. But I do believe that these professional yeast biologists are sure that it's definitely theoretically better to rehydrate. Who am I to argue with them, really?