Dry Yeast vs. Liquid Yeast - Wine

[Khubred]

I am making wine for the first time in many years, and used 3 different types of wine yeast in three different types of grapes (Barbers, Primitivo and Merlot). All the yeast were dry packets. A friend of mine owned a brewery, and recommended using liquid yeast as opposed to dry.

Does anyone have any experience with dry vs. liquid yeast for making wine? does the wine turn out different with liquid yeast?

Kevin

 

[dessertmaker]

Not really. Both have their disadvantages. A long time ago dry yeast was considered inferior. But with advances in technology dry yeast products have improved. Today's dry yeast is sterile, shelf stable and contains more cells per container than liquid yeast products. As I understand it, the difference in liquid and dry yeast product is more along the lines of process and propagation rather than taste of the finished product.

There are people on here with a lot more experience in this area than I have, but my 2 cents says no difference other than for a beginner the dry yeast is easier to store/use.

 

[Boatboy24]

I've read that with beer yeast, many of the liquids are better than dry; but not so much with wine yeast. I don't know if that's true, but it's what I've read. Based on what is available in the market, I'd say the dry wine yeast is just fine. And I think it's what larger scale wineries use. Good enough for them = good enough for me.

 

[spaniel]

I have used both, I could tell no difference. As long as the dried yeast are working, it really shouldn't make a difference.