Wet or Dry Yeast?

So whats your take on Wet or Dry Yeast? I have done two kits so far, one using wet yeast and the second with dry yeast. I just finish the one with dry yeast, so don’t know the results yet. I was willing to give the dry a try because i have read a few things that suggested to me that although wet is more popular, dry is actually no slouch.

Opinion?

Using dry yeast really limits your options, but if a strain you like is available then it’s great. Twice the cell count for half the price.

[quote=“a10t2”]Using dry yeast really limits your options, but if a strain you like is available then it’s great. Twice the cell count for half the price.[/quote]I agree. Dry yeast works well for me, I mainly make American style ales so my go to is US-05. It’s like $3 a pack where I buy it and I reuse it 3 or 4 times so it works out to a buck or less a batch for yeast. For the occasional lagers or Continental styles I go with the appropriate Wyeast liquid yeast.

Glug Master,

What type of primary fermenter are you using?

I would be interested on how you reuse US-05.

I have the US-05 that I rehydrated when I pitched in my primary glass carboy (6 days ago)with American Amber Ale.

Can I just pour out of the carboy when I move the batch to my secondary
in about a week or what would you suggest?

jmarv, you can pour your next beer right on top of the yeast cake from your current batch, just make sure your beer is cool enough before you pour it in there. Also, look up cleaning yeast, this is a method for cleaning the yeast cake to remove everything but the viable yeast.

mppatriot, I know you are new like me so are you sure I can just pour another batch right on top?

I would pour 2 gallons of 50 degree tap water and then my cooled wort then more cold water to get my 5 gallons. My two other batches was right at 66 degrees when I pitched my yeast.

liquid yeasts cut into my time, but i wouldn’t really have it another way; i just enjoy seeing them go from “sleepy” to POPPIN during a two stage starter; sometimes a yeast sits in the fridge for longer that i’d like.

i tend to brew farmhouse, english pub ale and american hop ales.

I know I’m probably going to take a lot of heat for this, but I actually prefer dry yeast. I’ve used both, and I can’t taste a difference between the $7 wet and the $1 dry. I primarily use Cooper’s, which I know a lot of brewers out there hate, but it seems to work well for my brews (primarily ales, see my sig).

jmarv, I’m quite sure you can although it is preferable to do the whole yeast cleaning thing. There was a post a couple weeks ago where it was discussed (although briefly).

[quote=“jmarv”]Can I just pour out of the carboy when I move the batch to my secondary
in about a week or what would you suggest?[/quote]
If you can arrange to rack the beer over on the same day you pitch the next beer, that would work. To pitch a second average-gravity ale you only need about 1/3 of the yeast cake from the first though.

Here’s a good primer on yeast rinsing: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast- … ted-41768/

There are several ways to go about this.

  1. put the new beer right on top of the old beers yeast.
  2. sanitize a mason jar and pour the old yeast into it. Clean/sanitize fermentor and pour 1/3-1/2 of the mason jar into the new beer.
  3. go through the “washing” process.

and a couple more???

I’ve done 1 & 2. Also making starters and tossing in 3-4Tbls of the yeast. Then pitching that into a new beer.

Remember, if you save the yeast in the refrigerator to not tighten the lid down. CO2 can still be produced and the jar explode.

Thanks to all.

I will see if I can brew another batch when I rack this one or I will look at the yeast rinsing.

There are many beers that have their flavor defined by the yeast. Unfortunately the selection of dry yeast is small enough that I can’t brew many of the beers I love using dry yeast. If you can make beers you like with dry yeast, there’s no reason not to.

BTW, just checked my carboy and fermentation is just beginning to become visible at just under 9hrs. That actually beats the start of fermentation from when i used white labs, but i assume different beer recipes bring about different variables.

There are many beers that have their flavor defined by the yeast. Unfortunately the selection of dry yeast is small enough that I can’t brew many of the beers I love using dry yeast. If you can make beers you like with dry yeast, there’s no reason not to.[/quote]

So true, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Btw Denny, I used to live in Eugene; U of O grad 2005. Also, dennybrew.com is what guided my move from Mr.Beer to my current AG setup. Thanks for all you do!

Have you checked the price of dry lately? Some are pushing close to 6 or 7.

Have you checked the price of dry lately? Some are pushing close to 6 or 7.[/quote]

Prices are for sure going up, but the most expensive dry yeast at my LHBS is $4. Coopers is usually $2, sometimes 2 for $2. Yay!

Have you checked the price of dry lately? Some are pushing close to 6 or 7.[/quote]

Prices are for sure going up, but the most expensive dry yeast at my LHBS is $4. Coopers is usually $2, sometimes 2 for $2. Yay![/quote]

It can vary from place to place, maybe stocking up would be a good idea.

I really like Nottingham and S-23 Lager yeast. I use them for several beers but not all beers, it depends on what I’m brewing.