Author Topic: Where to buy yeast for bread?  (Read 26084 times)

tooqk4u22

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Where to buy yeast for bread?
« on: September 18, 2012, 03:27:13 PM »
I have made bread (and cinn rolls) from scratch but the supermarket only sells yeast by those little packets of three and usually costs about $2.50-3.00.  While the homemade items are tasty it is still not that great economically.  I know Costo and the like has bulk yeast but I don't have a membership. 

Any other suggestions on types of stores that sell it in bulk/cheap?

yolfer

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2012, 03:42:00 PM »
I get mine at Costco and I don't have a membership there either. My dad does, so once a year I go with him to stock up on stuff like that.  Maybe you know someone who has a membership and wouldn't mind tagging along with you yearly? I've also heard that a member can buy a giftcard and give it to anyone, regardless of whether the recipient is a Costco member or not. The giftcard itself is like a "day pass".  Hope this helps!

AJ

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2012, 04:15:56 PM »
Are there any stores in your area with bulk bins? I get yeast from my grocery store's bulk section, but if yours doesn't have one you might try the heath food store.

twinge

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2012, 05:19:57 PM »
You can get the same 2 lb Red Star bulk yeast I get at Costco for 8.99 on Amazon.com.  It's eligible for free shipping if you spend 25 total.

Worsted Skeins

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2012, 06:30:33 PM »
I buy yeast at a food co-op.  Are there any in your area?

kkbmustang

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2012, 07:37:35 PM »
Thanks for the tip, Twinge. I had been wondering the same thing.

michel31

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2012, 05:43:31 AM »
Hi,
In France we make a distinction between dry yeast and fresh yeast. The first one is bought at a supermarket, and is super fast but not very tasty, the second is bought at the baker shop, is always kept in the the fridge and is yummy :) If you have a baker shop around your area making good bread, chances are that they are using fresh yeast.
You can make also your own yeast. I think it is called a "sourdough" in english. A friend of mine did that. You just have to buy some organic flour, mix a good bit (say 200 g) with water, cover it, leave it somewhere warm (above the fridge for instance) and wait a few days or weeks until it starts to grow. Yeast is a natural element of flour (hence the need or organic).
Then you use it in your bread. Before cooking the bread, you take aside about 50 g that you keep in the fridge until your next bread. And so on. When the bread you make becomes too sour to your taste, just throw away the sourdough and start all over again :).
Have fun.

kdms

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2012, 08:39:26 AM »
I get mine at Bulk Barn...they sell the glass jars (150g - $4.39), the little packages, and vacuum sealed bulk packages (650g) for $6.59.  I did the math and worked out that at two loaves a week (two packages at 2.25 tsp each), one of those bulk packages would last around a year.  Only trick is to have the ability to repackage the yeast so that's it's as airtight as possible; I use old yeast jars (dark glass) and stick them in the back of the fridge, and it's worked out so far.

tooqk4u22

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2012, 09:18:17 AM »
Thanks for the tips I will check them out.

gecko10x

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2012, 10:57:56 AM »
Nuts.com has yeast as well. We were buying from our co-op, but discovered that their most recent batch was very poor.

Norman Johnson

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2012, 12:30:34 PM »
Different types of yeast have different shelf life times, so make sure you are buying something that will last as long as the bulk purchase will take to use!

anastrophe

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2012, 02:36:12 PM »
Different types of yeast have different shelf life times, so make sure you are buying something that will last as long as the bulk purchase will take to use!

Yes, yeast are alive and if you use old yeast, it will be dead and your bread will not rise. Put it in a little warm water or milk before you mix it in and make sure it blooms if it's been around awhile. Also, keep them in the fridge, that helps.

But if you make a lot of bread, and you want to be frugal, you need a sourdough starter. Sourdough is way more delicious IMO, and a starter will live forever if you take care of it properly. Plus, if you have too much, you can make amazing pancakes with it:) I got mine from a local bakery that makes sourdough, I just showed up at a slow time with a jar and they gave me some of their starter.

momo27

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #12 on: September 21, 2012, 09:26:55 PM »
I sometimes get my yeast from the bulk bin, but I don't like that it's been sitting at room temperature exposed to light for who knows how long.  You might check to see if you have a restaurant supply store nearby, most places here on the west coast at least have a Cash & Carry, if not a local option as well.  I have taken to buying all my baking supplies at the restaurant supply store. Yeast there typically runs about $4.50 for the 2 lb bag.

Gerard

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2012, 08:46:50 AM »
I've never seen a supermarket that didn't have at least those mid-sized jars for about five bucks.

To really drop your yeast costs if you make bread regularly, I'd find a recipe that calls for way less yeast and a much longer rising time. Jim Lahey's recipe uses only 1/4 tsp. of yeast, has no kneading, and is fucking amazing:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html

(Once you've made it a couple of times, you can skip the stuff with the towel and just dump the risen dough into the hot pan.)

frompa

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Re: Where to buy yeast for bread?
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2012, 03:10:18 PM »
I use a sourdough for most baking, from pancakes to breads.  I keep it in the fridge.  Just feed it some water and flour a day or so before using it, and no need to add any more store bought yeast. 

 

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