Liquid vs. Powder, which yeast is better?

[Brownbeard]

I am new to brewing, I have my first batch in right now. I am also eager to begin batch number two. I have been reading a lot on yeast lately, and I am wondering what the major, or minor differences are between using a dry or liquid yeast? I have been monitoring this page heavily, and couldn't find a better group to ask. I think you're stuck with me.

[Tom C]

I personally think liquid yeast gives you more opportunity to be truer to style and gives you a wider range to experiemnt with. Creating different tastes, higher cell count, etc. Just my opinion though.

Tom C

[Brownbeard]

Does it make a difference if I am using an extract?

[Payson]

If you are using a reputable kit the supplied yeast is probably adequate. If you are using various extracts and speciality grains, I would go with a style suitable liquid yeast. For a few extra bucks the difference in quality and peace of mind is appreciable. Especially if you don't make a starter. Brew on! God knows, worst case scenario will be "Hell in a Bucket" but at least you'll be enjoying the ride!

[Brownbeard]

Brew on! God knows, worst case scenario will be "Hell in a Bucket" but at least you'll be enjoying the ride!

Hey! Nice Dead reference. In my long strange search for a hobby, I think I have finally found something I can do for the rest of my life. I simply can't get enough. I have lately devoted all free time (with a 2 year old and a 2 month old, that is limited) researching brewing. I still need to convince the wife that this is not another "phase" hobby. I think once there is great beer around the house, she will get in line.

I am using a kit for my first beer, Brewer's Best Amber Cervesa (XX). There is only one local brew shop, and their supply is very limited. It's actually a liquor store. I think I will be ordering the next recipe online, I am not really ready to develop my own yet. Many give the option on yeast, and I was not sure what to do.

[Payson]

I wouldn't hesitate to used the supplied yeast. The more you get into it though the less willing you'll be to take any chances with bad or "off" yeast. As far as convincing the wife goes, the beer will easily do that. My girlfriend/brewpartner has totally sworn off the vast majority of swill that is commercially available due to the success of our creations... I too have had a few "phase hobbies" but brewing has rapidly become an obsession. I figure....I'm gonna drink anyway, might as well make it too.

[wortchillergoal]

You will make a good beer with the dry yeast supplied. I find that for the most part this hobby is full of graduations everyone experiences. You will start using liquid yeast, at some time the plastic fermenter will give way to glass and so on. The only other point about dry yeast I can make is most brewers can taste a beer and tell if you used dry or liquid. As I said dry makes a good beer but leaves a minor taste difference from liquid.

[Brownbeard]

I opted for the glass carboy right away. I used an "Ale Pail" for the primary, then moved to the carboy for secondary fermentation. Figured the "Ale Pail" with spicket will be great for bottleing. I think my next step is going to be extract with select grains as opposed to a packaged recipe. I have already told the wife I want a simple kegging system, possible Christmas gift. I am seriously considering the Tap-A-Draft system. I don't really have room for the cornelius keg option.

[wortchillergoal]

Yes, the pail with spiget will make a great bottling bucket, that is what I use. I think you will like using grains and extract as it lets you be more creative than a kit. I can't give advice on keg ot tap-a-draft as I bottle. I don't go through enough beer to keg, my 2 boys take away from my beer time. My wife and I don't consume enough in a timely fashion so bottling gives me a little better shelf life and easier to transport to my hockey buddies for after our skate.

[cyanide]

There is no real difference except for the fact that liquid yeasts require a starter, whereas dry yeast do not require one. Many brewers, myself included, often don't even bother to rehydrate the yeast before using it.

The advantage of a liquid yeast pack is that you have more specialized strains of yeasts. Yeasts are responsible for producing a lot of flavors in the beer, as I'm sure you know by now. Thus, many companies have 'bred' yeasts to produce these flavors.

However, a more experienced brewer may be able to do away with needing particular strains of beer to produce a particular style of beer. Most microbreweries don't keep but a few strains on hand... usually just a lager yeast and an ale yeast. They can produce of myriad of flavors unique to particular styles, all by using the same strain of yeast. How they do this, I have no idea. This is one area of brewing I am very interested in learning.

So to conclude:
Dry Yeast - Cheaper, less variety, typically produce 'neutral' flavors, more yeast cells, requires no starter
Liquid Yeast - More expensive, huge variety, allows the brewers more flexibility in what flavors he wants his beer to produce, less yeast cells, requires a starter.

One note... you can always lessen the cost of liquid yeast by stretching it out. This can be done by taking the yeast and mixing it with wort, then storing most of the liquid to be used in future batches... or by retaking the yeast from your fermenter and storing it for future use. There are lots of resources out there on how to do this. So if you know, for example, you are going to make three batches of beer that need a German Ale yeast... you can cut down on the cost.

[paul84043]

I have only used liquid yeast, the research I did beforehand led me to the conclusion that it is superior, albeit more expensive.

Good move on the glass carboy!! Now get a 6.5 gal for primary, when you do a big beer, you'll need it. Also, get the 1" O.D. tygon blowoff tube for when your big beer goes insane and tries to kill everyone in the house!! It's worth it's weight in gold as a blowoff tube. No clogs...EVER!

Oh, and get handles for your carboys, they make all the difference in the world when handling those heavy bastards.

I freaking LOVE this Hobby. I have only been brewing since Feb of this year and I'm easily pushing 30 batches. I have at least 3 going at all times and have had as many as 7......
It's fantastic and worth every ounce of energy you put into it!

[Tom C]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by cyanide
[B]There is no real difference except for the fact that liquid yeasts require a starter, whereas dry yeast do not require one.[B]

That is not true. Liquid Yeast does not require a starter. A starter is prefered, but not required. If a starter is not made (like with dried yeast, active fermentation will take longer to begin whereas a starter can get the airlock bubbling in 2-4 hours.

Tom C

[toneyc]

Pardon the correction, but liquid yeast does not require a starter. I've been using Wyeast and White Labs liquid yeasts for the last two years and have only started making starters for my last two batches to make parallel propagation cultures and stretch the yeast. I just happened to have an empty tube sitting on my desk here and it says right on the label "White Labs Pitchable Liquid Yeast". I've just been using kits from the local homebrew shop, Austin Homebrew, and they're fantastic. I have not yet felt the need to make up my own recipes. It's all good!

:edit: Man, I need to learn to type faster.

:)
Toney.

[cyanide]

Right... as long as you get one yeast cell in there, you can brew beer. But isn't it recommended by most liquid yeasts packs?

I still prefer to use dry yeast, so feel free to correct me on anything in my post.

[Tom C]

Pitchables are designed to be just that. It is worry worts like me that feel better when I diminish the lag time from finish boiling to active fermentation to minimize the time for unwanted bacteria to feast. Therefor I create starters.

Tom C

[Fast_Eddy]

Originally posted by Tom C
Pitchables are designed to be just that. It is worry worts like me that feel better when I diminish the lag time from finish boiling to active fermentation to minimize the time for unwanted bacteria to feast. Therefor I create starters.

Tom C

Just want to kick in here about starters. They're not just for "worry worts" Tom C. They just consistently(for me)produce better beer. You get a better, more vigorous, faster, more complete ferment. I've read in a number of places that, in general, homebrewers, by professional standards, underpitch and making a starter is the easiest way to correct that.

Lots of articles also suggest that the easiest way to improve your beer is to use a starter. From experience I have to agree.

[paul84043]

I've started leaving my liquid tubes out a full day before pitching, (not just the 6 hours or so the directions recommend) the lag time has been cut at least in half to about 6 hours on the last three or four batches, some even faster.