Fermentis E2U™ Dry Yeast: Zen and the Art of Stress-free Fermentation

Dec 15, 2022

As most brewers already know, brewing ain’t easy. So many variables go into making beer, and each one of those steps brings its own complications. The fermentation stage in particular, can seem especially daunting. Even if you’re an expert brewer or just getting started it can still be a tricky thing to wrap your head around. Intuitively you can understand what a specific malt or hop can bring to your beer because you can see, touch and taste them. In contrast, fermentation is a little more abstract. We’re essentially putting our faith in invisible microorganisms to work their magic and transform malt-flavored sugar water into an effervescent elixir. Add in biology, chemistry, and the dreaded waiting, and it’s easy to see why fermentation can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.

Thankfully there are companies like Fermentis, a global leader in yeast and fermentation solutions. As experts in their field, they are the sole supplier of a wide range of dry brewing yeasts all developed to adhere to the strictest manufacturing standards. In addition, over 90% of the Fermentis yeast and derivative range is E2U™ certified. What does that mean? To put it simply E2U™ means “easy to use”. These yeasts have been specifically designed to save you time and energy so you can spend less time worrying and more time focusing on creating great beer.

Now, let’s dive into E2U™ dry yeast, what it is and how to use it, so you can be on your way to stress-free fermentation.

What is it?

Fermentis Active Dry Yeast is a ready-to-pitch yeast that can be pitched either directly into the wort or after simple rehydration. Each strain is produced in a cutting-edge propagation facility and carefully dehydrated to preserve its unique characteristics. This process makes active dry yeast the convenient yeast format used in brewing and incredibly reliable way to achieve consistent fermentations from batch to batch.

How to use it:

E2U™ Dry Yeast affords you a fair amount of flexibility. You can pitch directly, or you can rehydrate first, depending on your equipment and preferences. However, if you have the equipment, it is highly recommended to pitch directly as it saves time and uses less water, which is easier for you and better for the environment.

Direct Pitching:

Fill the fermenter with 1/3 of the wort volume at a temperature of 21-29 °C (69.8 °F – 84.2°F)
Sprinkle the active dry yeast cells directly in the fermenter
Add the remaining 2/3 of the volume of wort at fermentation temperature to allow for mixing of yeast and wort.

Rehydrating (if you prefer):

Rehydrate the dry yeast into a yeast cream by sprinkling it onto 10 times its weight of sterile water or hopped wort
The temperature of the hydration media should be between 10 and 28°C (50-82.4°F) (ideally close to fermentation temperature)
Let it rest or optionally gently agitate for 15 mins
Finally, pitch the resultant cream into the fermentation vessel

Additional Resources:

Demistify Active Dry Yeast Hugo Picard- Fermentis webinar

Rehydration vs Direct Pitching of Active Dry Yeast – Fermentis webinar

Brewing with E2U™

10 Little Known Facts About Yeast

What brewers are saying about it:

BR-8 In The Brewhouse

Lakes & Legends Brewing Co. Brews a Wild Bock with Fermentis BR-8

Beer Styles and Recommended Yeasts

Saison Farmhouse Ale

SafAle™ BE‑134

Ideal for dry and spicy Belgian-style beers, like Saisons