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The Right Way to Hydrate Dry Yeast for Beer Brewing

BeerSmith

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The Right Way to Hydrate Dry Yeast for Beer Brewing
  http://beersmith.com/blog/2018/01/03/the-right-way-to-hydrate-dry-yeast-for-beer-brewing/

Cheers,
Brad
 
At the bottom of the article you say "The above process will give you the best results when working with liquid yeast. ".  I think you mean "dry yeast".

A lot of folks, including myself don't rehydrate dry yeast.  Some manufacturers say to just sprinkle it on the top of the wort.  However, there are strong reasons to rehydrate yeast. 

If you don't rehydrate, lag times from pitch to fermentation start  are longer.  This can be over 24 hours which is is time bacteria and wild yeast can start taking hold in your wort.

Fermentation takes longer.  Again, more time for aliens to party in your wort.

You need a longer diacetyl rest. if you are not doing one now, do it and then extend it a day or two if you don't rehydrate. 

The risk of a stuck fermentation, that is where the fermentation stops at a higher finishing gravity that you expect, is higher.

If you are going to relax and have a homebrew, at least take some simple precautions to make it a good one.

 
jomebrew said:
At the bottom of the article you say "The above process will give you the best results when working with liquid yeast. ".  I think you mean "dry yeast".

A lot of folks, including myself don't rehydrate dry yeast.  Some manufacturers say to just sprinkle it on the top of the wort.  However, there are strong reasons to rehydrate yeast. 

If you don't rehydrate, lag times from pitch to fermentation start  are longer.  This can be over 24 hours which is is time bacteria and wild yeast can start taking hold in your wort.

Fermentation takes longer.  Again, more time for aliens to party in your wort.

You need a longer diacetyl rest. if you are not doing one now, do it and then extend it a day or two if you don't rehydrate. 

The risk of a stuck fermentation, that is where the fermentation stops at a higher finishing gravity that you expect, is higher.

If you are going to relax and have a homebrew, at least take some simple precautions to make it a good one.

Ironically I don't hydrate and have really fast fermentations. The other day I had one beer ferment in 2 days and show signs in 4 hours. And I pitched it dry.

I also sent make starters with white Labs tubes and have never had issues.
 
I have noticed  lag, but no problem once it goes.

That said, I normally do ciders with dry yeast.

Right now I'm making a Gluten Free "Lambic" that I used Mangrove Jack's Dry Yeast.

Not much in the first 12 hours, but it's been like this;

1.046  OG
1.040 24 Hours
1.020 48 Hours

About to pull the 72 hour sample, but it got cold twice today as power keeps on going on and off, and the FTSS heater needs power. And my garage is kind of cold since Snowmageddon has hit Virginia Beach.
 
Here in California we heard the storm was bad, with roads and airports and schools closed, but I didn't know it was so bad it was affecting the beer. This is a real disaster!

--GF
 
72 hour reading 1.014

My bugs were supposed to be here yesterday. I have the raspberries. Just waiting on the bugs.
 
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