Need a good recommendation for yeast

[Deleted]

OK, I've HAD it with the yeast I'm getting from Sam's Club. I threw out the last of the old batch (which was still well within its expiration time) and got a new, fresh, package. It's different than the other stuff they used to carry. This new stuff is "instant" yeast, whatever that means. Maybe I don't know how to use it, but it will NOT make my bread rise.

I finally broke down and made a couple of loaves of purely white bread today, thinking that maybe the wheat flour was inhibiting the yeast rising or something. Even using honey to feed the yeast wasn't working. It would foam up really good, and the dough would start to rise, but then it stops and won't go any further.

Today's bread looked OK at first, but I put it straight into the loaf pans from the mixer bowl, so I could bake it on the first rise. It started to crest the pans and then stopped. It's 76 degrees in the kitchen right now, so that should be warm enough. I let it sit a bit longer, hoping it would rise some more, but then it started shrinking and getting flatter. So I baked it. The finished loaves are BARELY above the sides of the pan and feel like bricks.

This is insane. It's Fleischman's brand that I'm using, and have been using for many years with no problem. I don't know what's going on with it now. Is there something else that's better? Like a LOT better? I'd prefer to buy in bulk (not the little individual packets). Any ideas would be most welcome! I'm getting really tired of these bricks!

Thanks!

~Lannie

[Kathy]

I've never used the bulk Fleishmans so I can't help you with the lack of 'energy' . The only thing I'm wondering is if they're storing it in a very warm area and it's causing it to go dead sooner than it normally would.

I have used SAF yeast for about 10 yrs now and it has been dependable.
I buy it at the local bulk food Co-op in 1# vacumm sealed 'bricks'.

Here's a website that sells it online but unless you order over $99 the shipping would be $7.95. They do have a nice variety of baking supplies so maybe you would find enough to get you free shipping.
www.pleasanthillgrain.com/grains_baking_supplies.aspx

Here's their write up about the shelf life of SAF yeast:
www.pleasanthillgrain.com/saf_yeast.aspx

The work and expense you've put into making bread is unbelievable and I'm sure you're frustrated- I know I would be.

Good luck, maybe it would be worthwhile to buy a 3 envelope pack of another brand of yeast(Red Star or SAF) just to be sure it's the Fleishman brand of yeast that's causing the problem.

[Deleted]

Thanks, Kathy! I did some Googling on SAF yeast and according to those "in the know," it seems to be a good brand. Says the bread rises more and stuff. I'll see if I can find some when we go shopping. Only 3 more weeks of brick bread! Unless it's not the yeast. In which case I don't know WHAT it could be!

I have to say, though, that even though it didn't rise very well, my bread is very good. It doesn't TASTE like a brick at least. It's just very short. I just had the crusty end piece off one still-warm loaf, slathered with homemade Bandit-butter. Ahhhh, heaven!

~Lannie

[Deleted]

OK, it's not the yeast....

Kathy (bless her heart) mailed me some of her yeast to try, and I just made a loaf with it, and it won't rise.

This is incomprehensible. I do NOT understand. Is my FLOUR bad? How can flour inhibit yeast rising?

The dough is still sitting in the loaf pan (and has been for two hours) and is not cresting above the edge. It filled out into the pan, but won't rise above the edge. I'll leave it for a while longer and see what happens.

My house is 75 degrees right now, so it's not too cold.

I put a bowl of hot water under the pan (pan's on a rack), just in case.

I used 3 cups of flour, 2.5 tsp. yeast, ~1 tsp. salt, 1.25 cups hot water, and a glug of olive oil. My method is I mix the yeast and salt in the flour, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, pour the hot water on, mix it up with a wooden spoon, then knead with the KitchenAid for 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Then I put the dough in an oiled bowl, let rise, then form into a loaf and into the loaf pan for a final rise and then bake.

This is how I've been making bread for 10 years. I can't figure out what's different.

~Lannie

[Kathy]

Dang, I really was hoping it was just a bad batch of yeast.

Ok, is there any chance your water has some new bacteria? Nothing that would hurt you but maybe it inhibits the yeast from working.

The only other thing I thought about was what do you use to wash dishes &/or kitchen area? Could it be something antibacterial that you're using in your cleaning that's not only killing the 'bad' germs but your yeast too?

Want me to send you some flour??

[Deleted]

Feb 14, 2009 18:30:27 GMT -5 Kathy said:

Want me to send you some flour??

You probably would, too, wouldn't you? LOL!

No, I think it's the yeast after all. Sorry for the delay in getting back here, but while I was down typing that last bit, it was rising a bit more, and when I got back up to the kitchen, I figured it was acceptable. Not as high as I'd like it, but definitely rounded above the pan, which is a darn sight better than it's BEEN doing! So I stuck it in the oven, then had to go out and feed and water and tuck all the critters in for the night, come back in, take the bread out, turn off my chicken (I'm making Annoying Rooster Pot Pie for dinner tonight) and come down here to update you.

Now I have to go back upstairs and press my butter, feed the dogs, and get the rooster pot pie started. Whew! I've been so busy lately I hardly have time to turn around! The bad part is the computers are down here in the dungeon and all my kitchen chores are up in the kitchen, so I can't just pop on here whenever I want.

But - I think it might be the yeast after all, so I'll get some new stuff next time we go shopping, but NOT from Sam's. My other thought was maybe because I keep it in the fridge, maybe it was too cold? I left yours sitting out, so it was at room temp when I used it. I went ahead, just in case, and put some of the Fleischman's in a little baby food jar in the cupboard. Next loaf I make I'll use that and see if it made a difference. If not, I'll use the rest of what you sent me and get more GOOD yeast at the store when we go.

Thanks, dear! You're a sweetheart!

~Lannie

[Deleted]

Oh, I forgot to say, no I don't use any antibacterials in the house. We have an air filter, but we've had that for years, and I've only been having this bread problem for the last month or two, so I don't think that's inhibiting it. My milk clabbers fine. I tried making it last time with whey instead of water, and it still didn't rise, so I don't think it's the water, either. I don't know WHAT it is. Maybe someone put a hex on me.

~Lannie

[Kathy]

Feb 14, 2009 19:44:22 GMT -5 @lannie said:

Oh, I forgot to say, no I don't use any antibacterials in the house. We have an air filter, but we've had that for years, and I've only been having this bread problem for the last month or two, so I don't think that's inhibiting it. My milk clabbers fine. I tried making it last time with whey instead of water, and it still didn't rise, so I don't think it's the water, either. I don't know WHAT it is. Maybe someone put a hex on me.

~Lannie

Maybe those evil(now pot pie) roosters put the evil eye on you!

[Deleted]

I wouldn't put it past them...

They sure are TASTY now, though!

~Lannie