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What Temperature Does Yeast Grow Best
Yeast can grow best at the optimum temperature of about 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. They may grow over a range of temperatures from 0 to 47 degrees Celsius. Yeast grows well under acidic conditions at pH 4 to 4.5. Yeasts can grow at lower pH than bacteria but do not show growth under alkaline conditions.
Studies show the optimal temperature for yeast growth and flavour development is between 75degF to 78degF. While 95degF is a better temperature for yeast to reproduce, it is not warm enough for proofing dry active yeast.
Once active (only for active dry yeast), proofing the dough with yeast at lower temperatures takes longer to raise. In a worst-case scenario, cool water that is close to 4F is unable to ferment the yeast. Once water temperatures get up to 140F or higher, this is when yeast is killed entirely. Regardless of what yeast type you are using, yeast will start dying off once your water hits 120degF or higher.
If yeast is added directly to dry ingredients, the liquid temperature should be 120degF-130degF. In using most home bread machines, using 80F-temperature water or any liquid is best for using instant yeast. For quick rising, or for instant yeast which will be mixed into the flour instead of added directly with the water, the recommended water temperature is considerably warmer.
The ideal temperature for rising dough is between 75 and 80 degrees F, until it reaches a temperature of 140 degrees F, at which point the yeast dies. I have learned that during the winter (when my kitchen is cold), if I just put the lights on one hour before adding a bowl of dough, the oven temp is just about 76 degrees F. Their oven takes about an hour, when only the light is on, to get from a cold room temperature to optimum temperature for rising yeast dough.
| Situations | Temperature |
| If yeast is added directly to dry ingredients | The liquid temperature should be 120degF-130degF. |
| In using most home bread machines, | Using 80F-temperature water or any liquid is best for using instant yeast. |
The pilot light on their oven typically results in temperatures around 115 degrees F, which actually kills the yeast. The best temperature to allow the yeast to grow is 80degF to 90degF; higher temperatures may kill the yeast and prevent your dough from rising; lower temperatures will inhibit the yeasts activity, increasing which will extend your rising time. Warmer water can kill some yeast cells, regardless of whether you have chosen an appropriate temperature. If a proper temperature is applied, yeast cells may die when immersed in hot water, whether or not the temperature is applied properly.
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While yeast will tolerate some water that is slightly too cold for the yeast, too much water — particularly in between 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit — will kill it. If yeast does not, that means that yeast is expired, and it should not be used, since it will not make bread rise. Store dried yeast in a cool, dark, dry place, and use within the best-by date — past that, it will likely not help bread rise.
If you have a suspicion that your instant yeast might be expired, do not hesitate to give it a test run in hot water. There is a simple way to test your yeast proofing to see if it is still active, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast (one packet) to 1/4 cup warm water. Dry, granulated yeast and fresh yeast must be tested (this is called proofing) before adding it to a mixture of dough to ensure that they are still active.
If you forget to add yeast to the dough, you can simply stir in the yeast called for in the recipe along with several tablespoons of warm (but not boiling) water. Now you can go ahead and mix 300ml boiling water with flour and the rest of your dry ingredients in your recipe.
My actual right version is IIRC based on Danstar instructions on brewing yeast, but the yeast in the bake does not seem to mind: Water (ideally boiled and cooled) about 85-95F/30-35C Sprinkle the dry yeast over, leave it undisturbed/unstirred/etc for 15 minutes, stir it up, and wait another 5 minutes, inject into food (flour) and try to avoid any dramatic temperature changes. Some folks feel that recipes for yeasted bread are too finicky, as many state very tight temperatures ranges for water used for proofing the yeast. Experience tells me that, unless the water is so hot it will kill the yeast, you have got a much wider temperature range that is totally safe for the yeast. Temperatures between 75degF and 78degF allow yeast-doughs plenty of time to develop flavors, but keep the entire process in a manageable timeframe.
Because yeast growth and fermentation are exothermic, and thus heat-generating, calculate that temperatures inside your fermenter may be up to 8degF (4oC) higher than outside your fermenter in the first few days of fermentation. A fermentation temperature too hot may trigger yeast metabolism and cause a lot of undesirable flavors to come alive. In addition to exhaustion, and perhaps more important, high fermentation temperatures will alter the yeasts metabolism, producing a diverse array of byproducts that may significantly affect flavors.
If temperature is too high, the yeasts growth will be too vigorous, producing excessive demands on nutrients, and your beer will become depleted in those nutrients. If the temperature is too cold, fermentation will be slow, leading to an opportunity for contaminants to grow, like wild yeasts and bacteria. If temperatures really fluctuate dramatically during those early hours, the fermentation can get slow, and quite a bit of your yeast can fall out of suspension.
Most brewers yeast strains can handle temperatures above 110F (43C), but it is not a good idea to allow your beer to approach this extreme. Temperatures For Ale Yeast It is best to pitch and ferment below 80 fF, with most Ale yeast strains coming in closer to 68 f. While the above may differ between each individual, it is safe to assume 68 F is a good temperature. The pitching temperature for your wort depends on your yeast strain: Some ale strains will typically begin fermentation at about 70 O (21) degrees C, while others will begin at a much warmer temperature. If left for 12 hours at room temperature, that pitch might be a bit under-inflated, although it would still be lefty.
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Yeast is a living thing, and is killed off at higher temperatures, about 140 degrees F. This is particularly important to keep in mind when you are rehydrating active dry yeast. The industry standard temperature range for a dried active yeast is 100-115 degrees F. Fresh yeast, as well as instant dried yeast, does not have to be rehydrated.
Some yeasts, known as osmophilic yeasts, can be grown with a W concentration of only 0.62-0.65 at a high concentration of sugar or salt. The minimum and optimal w of any given yeast may vary depending on external factors, such as nutrition, pH, temperature, oxygen, and presence of inhibitors.
What are the best conditions for yeast to grow?
Normal yeasts need at least 0.85 water activity or 88 percent relative humidity. Yeast can tolerate high sugar concentrations and thrive in solutions with a 40% sugar content. The osmophilic kind of yeast is the only one that can survive at concentrations higher than this.
What do I do if my yeast doesn’t foam?
The yeast must be alive based on the foam. Now that the yeast mixture has been combined with the flour and other dry ingredients in your recipe, you may proceed. If there isn’t any froth, the yeast is likely dead, and you should start over with another package of yeast.
What happens if fermentation temperature is too high?
A temperature that is too warm for fermentation may hasten the metabolism of the yeast and can result in a variety of unpleasant tastes. The greatest issue I have is with the flavour of the beer. It is difficult to explain, but overly warm fermentation of beer results in the formation of fusel alcohol, a higher molecular weight alcohol with a chalky, solventy odour.