[thebigbaker]

I choose to only use liquid yeast. While I always have some dry in the fridge for back up I just like the liquid and its never let me down.

What I really enjoy about is that when I make a starter I always make it 500ml larger than what I need. I save the extra 500ml slurry in a sanitized mason jar as a harvest and when I brew another batch I just use that, make a new starter, same process, repeat.

All my favorite common strains are in the fridge, dated and ready to go. I don't really remember the last time I actually bought yeast:)

Now that's something I will have to try!

It's quite easy. Once your 500ml saving gets crashed, take a smaller mason jar and fill half way with water, microwave 2 minutes to sanitize. Cool, decant your slurry and pitch the yeast into the fresh mason jar of water, label and refrigerate. When this flocs out you have a perfect cake of essentially first generation fresh yeast to use the next time.

I've washed yeast after fermenting, but this seems a lot easier!

[duboman]

I choose to only use liquid yeast. While I always have some dry in the fridge for back up I just like the liquid and its never let me down.

What I really enjoy about is that when I make a starter I always make it 500ml larger than what I need. I save the extra 500ml slurry in a sanitized mason jar as a harvest and when I brew another batch I just use that, make a new starter, same process, repeat.

All my favorite common strains are in the fridge, dated and ready to go. I don't really remember the last time I actually bought yeast:)

Now that's something I will have to try!

It's quite easy. Once your 500ml saving gets crashed, take a smaller mason jar and fill half way with water, microwave 2 minutes to sanitize. Cool, decant your slurry and pitch the yeast into the fresh mason jar of water, label and refrigerate. When this flocs out you have a perfect cake of essentially first generation fresh yeast to use the next time.

I've washed yeast after fermenting, but this seems a lot easier!

Much easier as there is no trub to deal with! You are also always harvesting the same 500ml so it's easy to calculate each starter afterwards. I'm sure there is a little difference in the call counts but more precise than washing

[kylekohlmorgen]

What I really enjoy about is that when I make a starter I always make it 500ml larger than what I need. I save the extra 500ml slurry in a sanitized mason jar as a harvest and when I brew another batch I just use that, make a new starter, same process, repeat.

This is a great idea!

Just listened to a Brew Strong podcast on reusing yeast - going to try to narrow down my strain selection and really get to know 1 or 2 strains.

[hopfenundmalz]

There are not many dry lager strains that I care to use, and 34/70 is not enough of a cost savings.

[beersk]

There are not many dry lager strains that I care to use, and 34/70 is not enough of a cost savings.

No? That's a shame. I've used it once or twice and thought it was good. Just hate getting liquid yeast shipped in the summer...perhaps in October or November I'll try some other liquid lager strains out. Just not a fan of making starters either...

[deepsouth]

i've seen a ton of dry yeast strains lately and i'm inclined to switch to dry, unless it's a real specialty type thing, such as  a sour.  most of the styles i brew are covered by the dry yeast selections.

[hopfenundmalz]

There are not many dry lager strains that I care to use, and 34/70 is not enough of a cost savings.

No? That's a shame. I've used it once or twice and thought it was good. Just hate getting liquid yeast shipped in the summer...perhaps in October or November I'll try some other liquid lager strains out. Just not a fan of making starters either...
quote]I mainly brew my lagers in the winter. 1 pack/vial at $7 and a big starter, or 3.6 packets of 34/70 at $5each. I don't mind the starters.

[cornershot]

I think dry yeast is as good as liquid but I mostly use liquid for the variety. I have some favorites but haven't settled on any in particular because I haven't tried them all.
Don't care much for making starters. So what I do is make a starter for the first generation of liquid or rehydrate dry. I pitch into wort after chilling overnight and then separating wort from trub. Now I have a 5 gallon starter to build up yeast in the same environment in which it will be used in the future. I also reserve some of this wort for a wort stability test to ensure the next generation is clean.
I usually start with a small beer and this produces enough fresh yeast for 2 more batches. So I'm still using second gen yeast for the 2nd and 3rd batches. I brew often enough that the harvested yeast doesn't have to wait too long. After 4 or 5 generations it's time to try a new yeast. If I dry hop I use hop bags to keep my yeast fairly clean. So, in effect, even if I use dry yeast, the next generation is liquid yeast.

I should mention that if I don't like the flavor profile of first generation there is no second. Wlp013 was my most recent "one and done."

[Joe Sr.]

A better selection exists than what was available in 2007 IMO

Back when I started brewing you got a small foil pack of yeast with a can (John Bull?) of malt extract.  Or you could buy an additional pack of ale yeast.  I don't even recall if there were different strains of dry yeast at the time.  Liquid yeast was such a huge difference, it was a no-brainer.

I keep a variety of dry yeasts in the fridge for emergencies and for spontaneous brew sessions (which don't happen anymore), but if I'm planning a brew it gets liquid yeast 99% of the time.

[denny]

Ya know, in these discussions of which is "better", I've never seen a definition of what "better" means.  Better fermentation performance?  Better flavor?  But isn't flavor subjective?  There may be differences in flavors, but after that isn't it all preference?  I mean, there are both liquid and dry yeasts that produce flavors I don't care for, but in that case "better" becomes strictly my own choice.  Right?

[euge]

I'd say that's a correct line of thinking Denny... It has to be about preferences and choice of options.

Instead of "better" perhaps "wider range" would be more appropriate in regards to my comment.

[bboy9000]

James Spencer of Basic Brewing Radio/Video did some unhopped worts with dry yeast and they came out sour.  I believe the conclusion was dry yeasts have small amounts of bacteria that the hops either mask or prevent from working.  I understand liquid yeasts are pure and don't have that problem.

Also, I always had longer lag times when I was using dry yeast .  Granted, I went all grain and did a starter  of liquid yeast for the first time on the same batch.   I have improved my process since the last time I used dry yeast so the long lag times I experienced may have been due to some other variable.

[morticaixavier]

James Spencer of Basic Brewing Radio/Video did some unhopped worts with dry yeast and they came out sour.  I believe the conclusion was dry yeasts have small amounts of bacteria that the hops either mask or prevent from working.  I understand liquid yeasts are pure and don't have that problem.

Also, I always had longer lag times when I was using dry yeast .  Granted, I went all grain and did a starter  of liquid yeast for the first time on the same batch.   I have improved my process since the last time I used dry yeast so the long lag times I experienced may have been due to some other variable.

I have done a number of un-hopped brews and they almost always go sour anyway. We don't always appreciate the full value of hops until we have tried to go without. not sure I would blame it on the yeast. not without side by side comparisons including controls and wort stability tests

[euge]

AFAIK even liquid yeast has some bacteria present.

[denny]

James Spencer of Basic Brewing Radio/Video did some unhopped worts with dry yeast and they came out sour.  I believe the conclusion was dry yeasts have small amounts of bacteria that the hops either mask or prevent from working.  I understand liquid yeasts are pure and don't have that problem.

I don't believe any of those statements are categorically true.