Rant: I actually think using fresh yeast is way overrated for home bakers

I read a study from King Arthur Flour's website that said active dry yeast and instant yeast work just as well as fresh in 95% of cases if you handle them right. I tried fresh yeast for months and kept getting inconsistent rises because it’s so tricky to store. Does anyone else just stick with instant yeast and get better results?

2 comments

2 Comments

stella_lee1d ago

King Arthur actually has a whole breakdown on this and it convinced me too. I used to swear by fresh yeast from a local bakery but I kept having batches fail because the stuff died before I used it up. Switching to instant let me get consistent 2 hour rises every time without worrying if my yeast was still alive.

the_nathan1d ago

Man I feel your pain on the fresh yeast struggle. I went through a whole phase where I thought I was some kind of artisan baker for using it, but I killed more batches than I saved. The worst was when I spent all day prepping a sourdough discard loaf and my fresh yeast just gave up halfway through the final proof. Instant yeast is so RELIABLE it's not even funny. I can buy it in bulk, throw it in the freezer, and it'll work months later without any drama.