I think that saccharomyces cerevisiae has been unchanged as far as humans are concerned for 10,000 years. Unless you are theorizing some mutation or genetic engineering of the yeast itself I don't think it is any different now than it was 50 years ago, nor is it any different dry or in moist chunks.

The improvements in the granulation of dry yeast, plus the dough enhancers that some yeast mfgs add to the coating, may be producing a rising cycle that doesn't develop the flavors you prefer. Have you tried creating a long liquid poolish, say with 150 g flour, 345 g water, and a pinch (1/16 or 1/32 tsp) of active dry yeast left covered for 18 hours? Or a poolish with a bit more yeast (1/8 or 14 tsp active dry) left out for 4 hours at 72-82 deg.F then in the refrigerator overnight (or a 63 deg.F space if you have one)? You will get plenty of "yeasty" aroma from such poolishes.

sPh

Thanks for your information.  I know that the breads I am producing do not have the aroma or flavor of the breads my mother made years ago.  Will try the poolish and feed back the results.  A call to Fleischmann's helpline offered up they do not make yeast like they did years ago.  Adviser there says she gets a number of calls per day with the same complaint, no taste in the yeast.  Off to make the poolish.  Thanks again.

If you're expecting yeast to give your bread flavour then you are not making it properly (unless of course you like the flavor of yeast).  The flavor is developed from the starches in the wheat (or other flour) that are broken down into simple sugars after long periods of fermentation.

Breads made with minimal bulk fermentation, high quantities of yeast, and short proofing times will tend to derive most of its flavor from the yeast itself--  hence the 'yeasty' flavor.  But if that's what you prefer, go crazy.  Have you tried different brands as well as instant, fast rise, and active?

Cheers

Thanks for the input.  Guess what I am trying to produce is from long ago.  When I would be out in the field on the tractor, I could smell that great aroma of fresh bread baking in the oven at the house.  This bread was very "yeasty" tasting and that is what I am trying to make.  Unfortunately, the ones that did that baking are all gone.  Yes, I have tried several different yeasts but none yield the taste I am looking for.  Even hunted down some yeast cake type and it too failed the taste test.  None of the old bakers I knew used any Poolish, long fermetation times, etc.  Was the basic flour, water, yeast, salt, sugar.  Will get there in time but it will take more work on my part.  Everyone wants to bake the bread they remember they had in the past someone made for them.  When the rep at Flieschmann's admits freely that their yeast is made differently than long ago, that is probably where the taste I am looking for went.  Thanks again for your suggestions and input.