Dry Yeast vs Liquid Yeast

[Zambi]

Dry
If only because of logistics & storage....
Well, that is: 1 batch dry, then a couple batches on the trub....

I've not used liquid so I got no comparison, but sofar I find the Belgians work very well. And they tend to like it hot, which is important to my brewing method

 

[Steve Ruch]

Don't overthink dry yeast. It is super easy, sprinkle it straight in right on top, stays viable in refrigerator for probably 10 years with minimal death,

I haven't gone 10 years, but I brewed A three gallon batch of bitter with a pack of Muntons that was 4 years past it's date that turned out fine.

 

[Herm brews]

I started out using dry, and have reused slurry several times. For a while, I was using only liquid, and then reusing that slurry. My most recent brew used dry yeast (US-05), and I’ll be checking on that in a week. I might use that slurry for my next brew.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

I've been using mostly dry lately and then will go 2 generations with the slurry.
This is a timing thing for me as I won't use a slurry that's more than a week old.
With liquid I make starters.
Dry I just use a calculator to determine amount.
Apex has some nice strains and is mow becoming available in 11g packs.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

I think the idea that one type is better than the other is a little too simple. Liquid can have some advantages over dry, but dry has some advantages over liquid. It's important to understand some basic things about both in order to make an informed decision about which to use. Both are capable of making excellent beers.

Dry yeast is as close as you can get to yeast being truly dormant without cryo freezing. The yeast count is very stable and can last for years in the refrigerator. Dry yeast have a reserve of lipids, sterols and glycine. The advantage of these reserves is the ability to reproduce in low oxygen environments, so brewers who neglect to aerate wort still get great results. The main disadvantage to dry yeast is selection. Since not all varieties do well in the dehydration process, the strains are limited.

Liquid yeast has a huge variety of strains. The price of this variety is that the liquid yeast needs to be kept at 34-38F, it has a short shelf life. The sterol and lipid reserves are limited and the yeast needs proper aeration of the wort at pitching. The glycine reserves are used up during storage due to the yeast not being dormant, but rather in a quiescent state. When the yeast get any indication of oxygen, it starts to ramp up it's cell activity to prepare for reproduction and fermentation, this reduces glycine reserves. Time is the enemy of liquid yeast.

I use both. 34/70 is one of the best yeasts for any American lager and it works well for some German lagers. 2124 is one of the best German lagers yeast I have found and despite the claims it'd the same as 34/70, the the two yeast perform differently, but it's liquid. S04 dry yeast is really versatile, but WLP007 liquid yeast makes a better PA/IPA.

So one or the other? I think it's best to get the yeast that works best in your brewery and gives you the results your looking for. Dry yeast is convenient, but liquid often has the exact yeast your looking for.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

I think the idea that one type is better than the other is a little too simple. Liquid can have some advantages over dry, but dry has some advantages over liquid. It's important to understand some basic things about both in order to make an informed decision about which to use. Both are capable of making excellent beers.

Dry yeast is as close as you can get to yeast being truly dormant without cryo freezing. The yeast count is very stable and can last for years in the refrigerator. Dry yeast have a reserve of lipids, sterols and glycine. The advantage of these reserves is the ability to reproduce in low oxygen environments, so brewers who neglect to aerate wort still get great results. The main disadvantage to dry yeast is selection. Since not all varieties do well in the dehydration process, the strains are limited.

Liquid yeast has a huge variety of strains. The price of this variety is that the liquid yeast needs to be kept at 34-38F, it has a short shelf life. The sterol and lipid reserves are limited and the yeast needs proper aeration of the wort at pitching. The glycine reserves are used up during storage due to the yeast not being dormant, but rather in a quiescent state. When the yeast get any indication of oxygen, it starts to ramp up it's cell activity to prepare for reproduction and fermentation, this reduces glycine reserves. Time is the enemy of liquid yeast.

I use both. 34/70 is one of the best yeasts for any American lager and it works well for some German lagers. 2124 is one of the best German lagers yeast I have found and despite the claims it'd the same as 34/70, the the two yeast perform differently, but it's liquid. S04 dry yeast is really versatile, but WLP007 liquid yeast makes a better PA/IPA.

So one or the other? I think it's best to get the yeast that works best in your brewery and gives you the results your looking for. Dry yeast is convenient, but liquid often has the exact yeast your looking for.

Yeah, what he said!!

 

[Josh Hughes]

I've been using mostly dry lately and then will go 2 generations with the slurry.
This is a timing thing for me as I won't use a slurry that's more than a week old.
With liquid I make starters.
Dry I just use a calculator to determine amount.
Apex has some nice strains and is mow becoming available in 11g packs.

Seen an email from Williams brewing about apex. What’s their English like or comparable too?

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Seen an email from Williams brewing about apex. What’s their English like or comparable too?

I use the London and love it.
Earthy, maybe a bit woody.
I use it for my dark mild, best bitter, stout and a porter.
I don't think it would be my choice for an EPA or a Golden ale though, not "English" enough.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Seen an email from Williams brewing about apex. What’s their English like or comparable too?

Right now the only 2 packaged are the San Diego and the London.
I can get you some on my next order if you want to try it out.
I think mailed to you would be ~$4 or less.
Let me know,
Brian

 

[The Brew Mentor]

 

[Josh Hughes]

Thanks for the info Brian. I’ll give this a read in a bit

 

[Bulin's Milker Bucket Brews]

Do you find it harder to get the specific yeast you need for your brews using the dry yeast? Are you particular to a specific brand? I see they also sell 'bricks' of yeast like this - Safbrew WB-06 - 500g Brick - Texas Brewing Inc. (txbrewing.com) ever used those?

Absolutely, the only way I've ever seen Mauribrew Lager 497(the yeast I use 80% of the time) packaged. I just pour the brick into a sterilized mason jar and keep it in the beer fridge. Pitch 1 tbs directly into 5 gallons, never had an issue. Just remember to keep it covered(sealed) between batches and always keep anything that touches it CLEAN.

Great way to save a few bucks if you have a yeast you use a lot.

 

[Zefram]

When I first started brewing many moons ago, I directly pitched dry yeast after mixing it with a little sugar water and letting it sit.... I can't help but wonder now, was I doing something wrong with the dry yeast?

I use dry yeast most of the time (primarily S-05 and English ale varieties) and personally don't rehydrate, but I've not seen any instructions on the varieties I use that suggest adding sugar to the water. Maybe that was the culprit? I can see why one might do that... that is how I proof my yeast when making pizza dough with baker's yeast.

For me, I usually just sprinkle two packets on top of the wort. That's slightly overpitching, but I prefer that over slightly under. Works great every time

 

[Ward Chillington]

For me, I usually just sprinkle two packets on top of the wort. That's slightly overpitching, but I prefer that over slightly under. Works great every time

Over pitch is not really a bad thing....I like to "Ample" pitch! If you're dropping two 11 gram packets into anything near 1060 for 5 gallons, you're just fine!

 

[Nosybear]

Dry yeast saves me time and a process step, oxygenation. I have built an inline oxygenation system for my RIMS system so my risk of something going wrong at the step is low, but not zero. As mentioned above, I use both, depending on the outcome I want. There's a greater risk of something going wrong with liquid yeast, there's building the starter, oxygenation, potentially pitching the stir bar into the fermentor, infection.... Cons, there aren't as many strains of dry yeast available. So I use what fits.

 

[Donoroto]

Over pitch is not really a bad thing....I like to "Ample" pitch! If you're dropping two 11 gram packets into anything near 1060 for 5 gallons, you're just fine!

In 98.3% of all cases an overpitch is not even slightly a problem. In the remaining 1.7%, where you actually want to stress the yeast - think Hefeweitzen, where ester production is desired - then an overpitch will mute the flavors you seek.

But an underpitch in, say, a hoppy IPA might give you flavors you never intended.

All that said, yeast is pretty flexible.

 

[Zefram]

Over pitch is not really a bad thing....I like to "Ample" pitch! If you're dropping two 11 gram packets into anything near 1060 for 5 gallons, you're just fine!

I'm gonna use "ample pitching" from here on out

 

[naDinMN]

For me it is all about the cell count. If I'm going to have to buy two dry yeast* why wouldn't I just buy an Omega or Imperial and still get more cells?

On a side note, I've spoken to several sales reps and wranglers from the major manufacturers and the consensus among most is to not use yeast viability calculators. The data used for all of them is outdated, having been done in the early 90's and doesn't reflect modern technology. Reps form Lallemand/Lavlin have advised against dehydrating dry yeast. They say there is really no reason to anymore and that it only increases chances of infection.

*You don't need to make a starter with dry yeast. It has the nutrients needed and a more or less known cell count.

 

[Donoroto]

Reps form Lallemand/Lavlin have advised against dehydrating dry yeast.

Surely you meant "Rehydrating".

I've done both and found no difference, so it just gets sprinkled on top dry.

 

[naDinMN]

Surely you meant "Rehydrating".

I've done both and found no difference, so it just gets sprinkled on top dry.

I surely did!