Tag Info

there is a bit of confusion here. I see several divergent answers to this question The confusion seems to be between hydrating, proofing & creating a starter. These are different and are for different purposes. !st, hydrating: getting the dry yeast wet in order for it to be mixed evenly throughout the wort. Fermentis suggests dissolving their yeast ...

I would always recommend creating a yeast starter - with dry or wet yeast. A small 500 - 1500 ml starter helps the yeast get off to a great start in the new brew. To make a starter - pour 1 L water in a small pan, add 1/4 pound dried malt extract, a teaspoon of yeast nutrient and about half a hop pellet. Boil this for 10 minutes - then cool to about 70 ...

I would always recommend re hydrating the yeast. For some beers, especially in the 1040-1060 range you probably don't need to make a starter, as the yeast packet actually contains enough yeast for a beer that size. Instead of guessing, use a Yeast Pitching Calculator, like Jamil Zainasheff's here. Too much yeast can be a problem, too.

With quality dry yeast on a normal gravity beer, I just pitch it in directly. I have not had any problems with poor/slow fermentation or off flavors. Please note the word quality - if the yeast is old or somehow questionable play it safe. Various Danstar and Fermentis yeasts have always rewarded me with fast and vigorous fermentation after pitching ...

It really depends upon the type of container you're using, how much water, geometry, material etc. In a glass jar, the water could stay warm for a couple of hours. In a stainless steel jug (I use) it takes about 30 minutes. What you can do is instead is boil some water now and put that in a covered sanitary container. The water should cool to below 90F ...