BeerBorg

FedoraDave wrote:I'm a little amused by those who perceive rehydrating as adding another step to the brew day. Okay, technically, yes, you're doing something more than opening the package and pouring it into the wort, but let's look at everything that's involved in that "extra step".

I take a Pyrex measuring cup and put approx. 1/4 cup of water in it and microwave it for 2 minutes, so it boils. Then I take it out and set it on the countertop with a thermometer in it. When the temperature gets down to 90-95 degrees, I sprinkle the yeast into it, where it sits for 15 or 20 minutes.

Sure is a strain to do all that while I'm taking at least 60 minutes boiling my wort, and another 15 or 20 minutes chilling it to pitching temperature.

By the time I get that far along in my brew day I am tired and wanting to get the job and the clean up over with so I can rest. And those few steps do add a lot of work while I am, at the same time, trying to sanitize my fermenter, and stir my wort cool. And given I have never seen any difference in the finished product when doing either, even when using yeasts that say to rehydrate, it just isn't worth those few extra steps when I am trying to get done for the day.

FedoraDave wrote:I'm a little amused by those who perceive rehydrating as adding another step to the brew day. Okay, technically, yes, you're doing something more than opening the package and pouring it into the wort, but let's look at everything that's involved in that "extra step".

I take a Pyrex measuring cup and put approx. 1/4 cup of water in it and microwave it for 2 minutes, so it boils. Then I take it out and set it on the countertop with a thermometer in it. When the temperature gets down to 90-95 degrees, I sprinkle the yeast into it, where it sits for 15 or 20 minutes.

Sure is a strain to do all that while I'm taking at least 60 minutes boiling my wort, and another 15 or 20 minutes chilling it to pitching temperature.

For me it's not about the strain 9f the extra steps it's just that I prefer the KISS method. And I would also avoid the extra equipment bringing in a possibility of infection even if it is a really small chance. Also less dishes.

Maybe I'm just lazy.

FedoraDave wrote:I'm a little amused by those who perceive rehydrating as adding another step to the brew day. Okay, technically, yes, you're doing something more than opening the package and pouring it into the wort, but let's look at everything that's involved in that "extra step".

I take a Pyrex measuring cup and put approx. 1/4 cup of water in it and microwave it for 2 minutes, so it boils. Then I take it out and set it on the countertop with a thermometer in it. When the temperature gets down to 90-95 degrees, I sprinkle the yeast into it, where it sits for 15 or 20 minutes.

Sure is a strain to do all that while I'm taking at least 60 minutes boiling my wort, and another 15 or 20 minutes chilling it to pitching temperature.

I can see where you are coming from there, Dave. Though it may not sound like much of "adding another step" in the entire scheme of a brew day, if it does not (to me) add any sort of actual, proven advantage to the brew, then why bother do it? Just to say you do it? I fall in with others who said, if you do it you'll always do it. If you don't, you probably never will. I see no advantage or disadvantage to doing it or not.

And yes, I have read and read and read why to do it this way or not do it and still having done testing myself on split batches, I have not seen nor tasted any distinct difference in rehydrating or not rehydrating. Both beers in this case came out to the same FG (virtually) and tasted identical. Funny though, when I did smaller batches, say 5 gallons or under I actually use to rehydrate the yeast. When I went to doing 25 gallon batches or more, I stopped. No rhyme or reason either that I think back on it.

This is one of those debates in brewing that will continue on throughout time. Sort of like wildcard teams and the designated hitter. Which I oppose both by the way

Where is Screwy with his words of wisdom on this debate?? I rarely use dry yeast so I am of no help here!!

haerbob3 wrote:Where is Screwy with his words of wisdom on this debate?? I rarely use dry yeast so I am of no help here!!

Alas our beloved SB is in transition (moving/relocating) mode right now HB3.

While I'm here I'll say that we read the package/website and decide based on what we are brewing- because we have brewed several times where the OP has not.

This is a conversation where the OP is a new brewer and could be overwhelmed by opinions of more experienced brewers who have set their methodology in place.

The realty being that some do re-hydrate and some don't is there for all to see. The other, and most important thing for all to see is that everyone of you is happy with the resulting beer you brewed using the method you chose.

The real answer the OP needs down the road is that a knowledge of yeast as it relates to his new hobby will be essential because without yeast you can't make beer. But for now and what he's got I don't see dry pitching giving him a problem.

BrewBirds. You're words are full of knowledge. And knowledge will help me and others enjoy my brew.
Thank you.

sounds like you learn well my grasshoppers (BBS)

Very well said, Brewbirds

FedoraDave wrote: I take a Pyrex measuring cup and put approx. 1/4 cup of water in it and microwave it for 2 minutes, so it boils. Then I take it out and set it on the countertop with a thermometer in it. When the temperature gets down to 90-95 degrees, I sprinkle the yeast into it, where it sits for 15 or 20 minutes.

I agree it's not any time when you do it mixed in with the rest of your brew day, so it's ready when your brew is ready for it to be pitched.

Don't take anything I say below personally - I'm just tossing it out for clarity and want to make sure any newbies that read the thread understand some potential issues. You probably do this but...

I assume you are sanitizing the pyrex first, and also keeping it covered with a sanitized bit of "something"? If not, it is an open invitation to getting an infection. Beer infecting bugs are circulated in the air and "fall into" things from above given enough time and luck. (especially in a critter filled home like mine and with my native wild brett floating around too!). And the cooling time there uncovered is plenty of time.

If you are not sanitizing it first, 2 minutes is not enough. That's why when you make a yeast starter, you keep the vial covered with your foil or whatever it is you are using while it cools, and only remove it to toss in the yeast once it's at pitching temp. Also FWIW, a starter if done in clean but unsanatized pyrex vial is always boiled for at least 15 minutes, because it really takes that long to guarantee sterility if you are not using sanitizer.

If you are not covering it, then I suggest you do, given the recent history of gushers. Although I think you tied it to a specific LBK, it got into the LBK somehow. This is one way it could have happened. I am certain that my own Brett C infections in the summer are always caused just by stuff falling into my pot or fermenter while it's uncovered and the contents are cool enough that it doesn't die.

For full disclosure, I do not rehydrate because I also do not notice any difference. But then I am pitching an 11.5 g pack into a 2.5 gallon batch, so even if half my yeast puke I still have a high enough pitching rate to make good beer.

As a side note, from what I have read there is no "one size fits all" temperature to rehydrate at. Each yeast has a different recommended temperature range. And if you rehydrate outside of that range you will kill more cells than you will kill by just pitching the stuff on your beer to begin with. If you do decide to rehydrate do a little research and use the correct temperature range.

This was supposed to go in the pictures thread

Please understand I wasn't scoffing or ridiculing anyone. I'm just one of those people who likes to comment on perceived irony, so the comment about the extra work struck me in same vein as someone who makes similar excuses for not engaging their safety belt when driving. In the overall scheme of things, it's a tiny "extra" step.

That being said, I definitely rehydrate simply because I got into the habit, and it fits into my brew day schedule the way I do it. What's "right" is what works for an individual.

Thanks Dave. I just want to be proficient.
And in the end have an enjoyable drink. Obviously it takes work.
More or less I'm not concerned with.

I rehydrate my dry yeast. I just do because I do. No other scientific reason other than that I read the yeast can better control what comes into it's membranes if it is hydrated and can be overwhelmed in its dry state. That may have been debunked in later books but I'm sticking with it as I want more viable yeast cells to go to work.