I am making a brewers best kit today. The red ale. It uses Nottingham yeast which I have used before and I rehydrated before pitching. The instructions for this specifically say to broadcast over surface and mix into wort (DO NOT REHYDRATE). Any idea why they specifically say not to dehydrate?
I have never seen instructions not to rehydrate but honestly have never done so with any dry yeast. One thought is that it usually works without rehydratating and there are risks when you do. Too hot water or too much temp change come to mind. Brewers best has a contact on their web site so they might be able to explain.
Check out the directions from fermentis’ own website for US-05
[quote]rehydration instructions
Sprinkle the yeast in minimum 10 times its weight of sterile water or wort at 27°
c± 3°C (80°F ± 6°F). Leave to rest 15 to 30 minutes. Gently stir for 30 minutes, and pitch the resultant cream into the fermentation vessel. Alternatively, pitch the yeast directly in the fermentation vessel providing the temperature of the wort is above 20°C (68°F). Progressively sprinkle the dry yeast into the wort ensuring the yeast covers all the surface of wort available in order to avoid clumps. Leave for 30 minutes, then mix the wort using aeration or by wort addition.[/quote]
http://www.fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SFA_US05.pdf
Danstar Nottingham says on my packages to rehydrate in water 88-92 deg for 15 min then stir and pitch. Most dry yeast have their own instructions. I once had a beer judge tell me he detected a sweetness in an Alt I had made and immediately asked me if I had rehydrated the dry yeast I used.
He then told me I should rehydrate all dry yeasts. I was very skeptical about the comment. Has anyone had experience with that?
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=122355
After having one of my Redd’s Apple Ale clones that was supposed to be a bo pils while watching Team USA last night, I will here on out be a rehydrator.
As for making sense of directions on kits/yeasts/extracts, I have stopped trying a long time ago. These directions writers need to be stopped. Beer is suffering all across our great land.
Check out the directions from fermentis’ own website for US-05
[quote]rehydration instructions
Sprinkle the yeast in minimum 10 times its weight of sterile water or wort at 27°
c± 3°C (80°F ± 6°F). Leave to rest 15 to 30 minutes. Gently stir for 30 minutes, and pitch the resultant cream into the fermentation vessel. Alternatively, pitch the yeast directly in the fermentation vessel providing the temperature of the wort is above 20°C (68°F). Progressively sprinkle the dry yeast into the wort ensuring the yeast covers all the surface of wort available in order to avoid clumps. Leave for 30 minutes, then mix the wort using aeration or by wort addition.[/quote]
http://www.fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SFA_US05.pdf
[/quote]
That is not even the right yeast…
TO the OP because most instructions are horrible on homebrew kits…
direct from notingham link…it says to rehydrate on the pdf on the bottom
Well, I have always rehydrated and had excellent results with Nottingham so I think I will disregard the instructions and rehydrate before pitching.
One more question. If I chill my wort down to the low 50 degree range, then pitch with yeast that was rehydrated at 88 degrees, will that cause any kind of bad reaction? is it OK. I want to start cooler because I have trouble keeping cool through the fermentation at this time of year. So I want to start at the low end of the yeasts fermentation range.
It is best to pitch the yeast when there is less than a 10°F difference. You can cool your rehydrated yeast to the temperature of the wort by tempering with a bit of wort stirring and then a bit more.
It is less stress on the yeast to pitch into a lower temperature than a higher temperature.
after your yeast sits for the desired time check the temp of the rehydrated mixture, keep the temp swing to a minimal and you your own judgement. If your mixture is still at 88 (which it would not be after 15-30 minutes) down to 50 would be bad and shock a lot of the yeast.
I would not even go 50… that is the borderline of there temp. What are you making?
Cold wet tshirts, swamp cooloers, etc… anything helps this time of year if your in a hot climate
Making a red ale. I think Nottingham is good down to 55 degrees.I am going to start fermentation around 60
notingham is pretty clean and getting and a little ester production for a redale is not going to be horrible if you keep it in check.
I use a lot of Nottingham and just follow the directions on the spec sheet. Just pitched some in a red ale myself this weekend. The primary is usually somewhere in the neighborhood of 65 F … never had a problem that I was aware of.
The spec sheet describes pretty much everything you need to know, including how to attemperate, and avoiding temperature shock to prevent “petite mutants” … whatever they are … but they can’t be good! :shock:
