What the hey? The plan was to make a batch of ciabatta bread but even though the bag of yeast from Costco had an expiration date six months from now, when I proofed it, it showed no signs of life. The yeast dissolved just fine but all I got was cloudy water - no "blooms" floating to the surface like I'm used to seeing. I made a poolish from it anyway.

I have a question as to the life span of yeast.  It arose as a result of reading the following recipe listed below.  And my question is that if waiting 24 hours is good for starter whether or not taste is improved by waiting longer than that ? I would think that the yeast would be on the down side by 24 hours; yes? The recipe is from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Authentic-German-Bread-Bauernbrot/Detail.aspx

I am including the whole recipe so as to not quote out of context......

Has anyone else tried reculturing the sediment at the bottom of a bottle of beer and using it in bread?

I have an old receipe that requires cake yeast to be crumbled over dough and worked in.

I cannot find cake yeast anywhere, can I use dry yeast.  And what do I have to do with it.  Can I just sprinkle is over the dough and just work in like the cake yeast or do I have to do something to it.  Help

The bread bible points out instant yeast as having a greater concentration of live yeast than the active.  Other than that is there any reason to use one as opposed to the other?