Gavin's ale yeast

[sbond10]

Received my Christmas ale kit today and now I'm about to ask a daft question. It says to rehydrate it in wort before pitching now this could be the 500 lemsips I've had this morn but I don't have any spare wort lying around do I just make the kit to 20 litres and then steal the 250 ml it says I need to rehydrate then let it do it's magic then throw it in. Sorry for the really stupid question and don't worry I'll wait for the cold to go before I starting the kit

[Cozzyb]

Completely up to yourself, using it as normal i.e. sprinkling dry over wort will be fine, but if you want to rehydrate you can just add it to warm water (i.e. 25c) or you can use some sugar/wort/dry malt to make a starter but it's not really needed.

[Wolfy]

If you are going to reyhdrate yeast, it's best done in plain (cooled boiled) tap water, and usually best done at the correct recommended temperature - neither wort or pure/distilled water are good options.
Many home brewers report good results from simply sprinkling the yeast on-top of the wort.
However, if you wanted to follow the instructions to the letter (which I'd recommend against) there is no reason you can't take 250ml of wort and use that to rehydrate the yeast (but like I said, if you're going to do that it's best done in cooled boiled water).

[truemay]

Never done anything else but sprinkled dry yeast on top of wort and forget about it.

[Andy]

Does Gavin want it back ?

[Wolfy]

Does Gavin want it back ?

Before or after it's used?

[JammyBStard]

I believe it's better to re-hydrate dry yeast in plain waster. Something to do with getting the membrane wall flexible again before setting it to work on the maltose.
I wouldn't give the yeast plain sugar before malt.

[sbond10]

Well the actual milestone instructions say sprinkle but the instructions on the yeast to make a starter, I've never done anything but sprinkle and stir
And yes Gavin wants it back his mum wasn't to inpressed he was showing his yeast around

[twentyfootwilf]

I always just sprinkle the yeast on top of the wort which should be nice and frothy. Just leave it sitting on the froth and it will rehydrate itself whilst sitting there, then it will start to multiply and begin working several hours after this. If the yeast is just a 5, 6 or 7 gram sachet I use two packets, but if the yeast is in an 11g or more pack then one is enough for me. That's not to say a single smaller pack wont work as it clearly will, I just like a generous amount.