Lucy Palmer
Dissolving beer yeast is a controversial topic in the world of homebrewing. Some sources say that yeast should be dissolved in warm water at a temperature of 90°F to 105°F to rehydrate it before adding it to the wort. However, other sources say that yeast should not be dissolved in hot water as it can kill the yeast and cause osmotic shock. Instead, gelatin can be used as a fining agent to pull the yeast out of suspension and reduce its taste in the beer.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Water temperature | 90°F |
| Water temperature | 100° – 105° F. |
| Water temperature | 150-155F |
| Water temperature | Much higher than 100°F will kill the yeast |
| Water temperature | Dissolve it in warm water |
| Water temperature | Don't dissolve it in "hot" water |
What You'll Learn
Use gelatin as a fining agent
Gelatin is a great fining agent that will pull the yeast out of suspension, the taste of gelatin itself is undetectable in beer and the grocery store Knox unflavored gelatin will work just as well as anything you get from a homebrew store. Just be sure that your fermentation is complete before you start this. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water to 150-155F. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of gelatin and stir to dissolve the gelatin. Add it to your fermenter, stir just a little bit, chill the fermenter and wait a day or so. Overnight usually seems to be plenty for me but I'm using a refrigerator.
Dissolve it in warm water -- 90 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Much higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit will kill the yeast. Dissolving directly in wort subjects the yeast to osmotic shock: the high sugar concentration in the wort forces water out of the yeast cells. Many yeast cells die, and the ones that don't take a long time to recover.
Depending on the flocculation characteristics of the yeast strain, this method may produce clear beer or it may do very little to improve clarity. A more active approach to yeast removal is to use a fining agent, such as isinglass. Isinglass finings are a very pure form of collagen and are derived from fish swim bladders. When hydrated in an acid buffer solution, the collagen protein becomes positively charged. When you add this solution to beer, the collagen will act like a big net to bind yeast cells and drag them to the bottom of the fermenter.
There are some isinglass preparations available today that are treated with the acid buffer and then dried.
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Dissolve in warm water
Dissolve the yeast in warm water at a temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Water at this temperature will not kill the yeast and will allow the yeast to dissolve without dying. Water at 100 degrees Fahrenheit will kill the yeast and water at 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher will kill the yeast and force water out of the yeast cells, killing the yeast.
Dissolving the yeast in water will subject the yeast to osmotic shock, which will kill the yeast and force water out of the yeast cells. Many yeast cells will die, and the ones that do not will take a long time to recover.
Do not dissolve the yeast in hot water, as this will kill the yeast and force water out of the yeast cells.
Dissolve the yeast in 2 ounces of warm water at a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the yeast stand for 15 minutes without stirring. After 15 minutes, stir the yeast and add it to the must.
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Don't use hot water
Dissolving beer yeast in hot water is not recommended. Using hot water will kill the yeast, as yeast cells are highly sensitive to temperature. At 100° – 105° F, a small portion of the yeast cells die every minute, and as the temperature goes up, an even larger number die every minute.
Instead, dissolve the yeast in warm water, with 90° F being the ideal temperature. Much higher than 100° F will kill the yeast. Dissolving directly in wort subjects the yeast to osmotic shock: the high sugar concentration in the wort forces water out of the yeast cells. Many yeast cells die, and the ones that don't take a long time to recover.
Gelatin is a great fining agent that will pull the yeast out of suspension, the taste of gelatin itself is absolutely undetectable in beer and the grocery store Knox unflavored gelatin will work just as well as anything you get from a homebrew store. Just be sure that your fermentation is complete before you start this. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water to 150-155F. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of gelatin and stir to dissolve the gelatin. Add it to your fermenter, stir just a little bit, chill the fermenter and wait a day or so. Overnight usually seems to be plenty for me but I'm using a refrigerator.
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Add to fermenter and chill
When you dissolve beer yeast, you should add it to your fermenter and chill it.
Dissolve the yeast in warm water (90 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal). Do not dissolve it in hot water as this will kill the yeast. Dissolving directly in wort subjects the yeast to osmotic shock: the high sugar concentration in the wort forces water out of the yeast cells. Many yeast cells die, and the ones that don't take a long time to recover.
Gelatin is a great fining agent that will pull the yeast out of suspension. The taste of gelatin itself is absolutely undetectable in beer and the grocery store Knox unflavored gelatin will work just as well as anything you get from a homebrew store. Just be sure that your fermentation is complete before you start this. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water to 150-155F. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of gelatin and stir to dissolve the gelatin. Add it to your fermenter, stir just a little bit, chill the fermenter and wait a day or so. Overnight usually seems to be plenty for me but I'm using a refrigerator.
Depending on the flocculation characteristics of the yeast strain, this method may produce clear beer or it may do very little to improve clarity. A more active approach to yeast removal is to use a fining agent, such as isinglass. Isinglass finings are a very pure form of collagen and are derived from fish swim bladders. When hydrated in an acid buffer solution, the collagen protein becomes positively charged. When you add this solution to beer, the collagen will act like a big net to bind yeast cells and drag them to the bottom of the fermenter. There are some isinglass preparations available today that are treated with the acid buffer and then dried.
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Use isinglass finings
Isinglass finings are a pure form of collagen and are derived from fish swim bladders. When hydrated in an acid buffer solution, the collagen protein becomes positively charged. When you add this solution to beer, the collagen will act like a big net to bind yeast cells and drag them to the bottom of the fermenter.
To use isinglass finings, you will need to rehydrate them in warm water (90 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal). Much higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit will kill the yeast. Dissolving directly in wort subjects the yeast to osmotic shock: the high sugar concentration in the wort forces water out of the yeast cells. Many yeast cells die, and the ones that don't take a long time to recover.
Depending on the flocculation characteristics of the yeast strain, this method may produce clear beer or it may do very little to improve clarity. A more active approach to yeast removal is to use a fining agent, such as isinglass.
Isinglass finings are available today that are treated with the acid buffer and then dried.
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Frequently asked questions
No, you should not dissolve the yeast in hot water. Dissolving the yeast in hot water will kill the yeast. It is ideal to dissolve the yeast in warm water at 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dissolving the yeast in water subjects the yeast to osmotic shock. The high sugar concentration in the wort forces water out of the yeast cells. Many yeast cells die, and the ones that don't take a long time to recover.
Adding the yeast directly to the wort is the recommended method. However, some instructions on the package may say to dissolve the yeast in hot water before adding it to the wort. It is important to follow the instructions on the package exactly to avoid any issues with fermentation.
A fining agent is a substance that helps to remove yeast from the beer. One example of a fining agent is gelatin, which can be used to pull the yeast out of suspension. Another example is isinglass, which is a very pure form of collagen derived from fish swim bladders. When hydrated in an acid buffer solution, the collagen protein becomes positively charged and acts like a net to bind yeast cells and drag them to the bottom of the fermenter.
To dissolve beer yeast in warm water, heat 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water to 150-155 degrees Fahrenheit. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of gelatin and stir to dissolve the gelatin. Add the dissolved gelatin to your fermenter, stir just a little bit, chill the fermenter, and wait a day or so.
