Using dried yeast

[guypettigrew]

For reasons far too embarrassing to mention I've managed to kill my White labs 001 which has served me well for several brews.

This means tomorrow's brew will have to use my emergency dried West Coast yeast from the Malt Miller.

Not used dried yeast for years. Does it really need rehydrating in warm water, or can it just be stirred into the wort at about 20C?

Guy

[AdrianTrace]

Forget to use cooled boiled water?

Most dried yeast can just be sprinkled on top of the wort (not stirred in).

[Sura]

You can sprinkle it, but then about half of your yeast cells will die. Rehydrating in warm water is best: Sprinkle it on 25°C-30°C warm (brewing) water, after 15min stirr carefully till you get a milky suspension. After another 10min you can put it into. And dont use wort!

[Hanglow]

Best practice is to rehydrate in warm (30-35C) water (not RO/distilled, must have some mineralisation), then slowly bring it to the temperature of your wort then pitch.

Lots of us just hoy it in dry and make good beer

[MTW]

Be aware that the Malt Miller West Coast yeast often has quite a lag, even when properly rehydrated, and it can take 36 hours or so to see much action at normal temperature, depending on pitch rate and usual variables.

[gobuchul]

I always just sprinkle on top and then stir it in to wort at about 25C, Then it's into the fermentation fridge set at 18C.

Always make sure is well stirred and aerated before hand.

Never had a failure and don't notice any lag with that West Coast Yeast.

[orlando]

I always just sprinkle on top and then stir it in to wort at about 25C, Then it's into the fermentation fridge set at 18C.

Always make sure is well stirred and aerated before hand.

Never had a failure and don't notice any lag with that West Coast Yeast.

Unless it's a really big beer >6% aeration isn't necessary with dried yeast. Have you tried rehydration, there are a number of benefits from what I've read and experienced and much less risk too, though I accept you have to practice very good sanitation standards in doing so? On balance the advantages out weigh the risks in my view.

[MTW]

I always just sprinkle on top and then stir it in to wort at about 25C, Then it's into the fermentation fridge set at 18C.

Always make sure is well stirred and aerated before hand.

Never had a failure and don't notice any lag with that West Coast Yeast.

Maybe MMWC likes a warm start for a few hours then, which I won't disregard. I must admit, I rarely pitch above 18C, even if it's going straight in the brew fridge. However, I've never had any other yeast take so long to get going with my normal process (which includes rehydration), and I've seen plenty of similar reports. That includes a (rehydrated) lager yeast at 12C recently.

[Rhodesy]

I always just sprinkle on top and then stir it in to wort at about 25C, Then it's into the fermentation fridge set at 18C.

Always make sure is well stirred and aerated before hand.

Never had a failure and don't notice any lag with that West Coast Yeast.

Maybe MMWC likes a warm start for a few hours then, which I won't disregard. I must admit, I rarely pitch above 18C, even if it's going straight in the brew fridge. However, I've never had any other yeast take so long to get going with my normal process (which includes rehydration), and I've seen plenty of similar reports. That includes a (rehydrated) lager yeast at 12C recently.

Did the MM not up the amount to 15g to combat the lag time? I have only used it a couple of times and it kicked off within 24 hours