I tend to like to be able to taste the yeast in the finished bread and years ago compared Red Star and SAF to Fleishmans. I felt the later had more flavor. This was with ADY. Has anyone else noticed this?
A bakery I like a lot uses Fleishmanns compressed (cake) yeast. I've been using Red Star cake. I've not compared cake yeast (Fleishmans cake is not available anywhere I've seen near by), but I'd guess it's the same.
The difference - if there is any - is slight. Your mileage may vary - but it is slight if any to me. Enjoy!
To increase the yeast flavor, you can use a preferment and/or longer fermentation times. To get a longer fermentation time, you can use less yeast and let it go for longer and/or overnight bulk ferment in the fridge. I'd caution against doing an overnight final proof until you know the correct amount of yeast for your process.
Here's a resource on preferments: https://www.chainbaker.com/preferments/
Note that he's discussing refined flour and I think he mainly uses instant dry yeast, so you may need to use more with cake yeast. For 100% whole wheat, I'd suggest limiting it to a biga with 10% of the total flour and 4 hours at room temp (after that point, fridging it for a day or two is fine) at first to see how that goes.
The person I bake for who is all about yeasty flavor in bread is always happy when I use a biga but doesn't seem to notice as much difference with overnight fermentation.
Yes, I've noticed a difference in taste between Red Star and Fleischmann's ADY. The latter was darker coloured and stronger smelling. I'm looking for no yeast taste in the finished product, so wasn't too happy with Fleischmann's. I had other problems with it as well, here (scroll up a few posts). Red Star ADY does not need to be dissolved in liquid, FL does. As long as you proof it in the right amount of warm liquid (too little water produces a gummy mass at the bottom of cup), it's ok and you'll get your more pronounced flavour. I tend to be lazy and preferred adding it to coldish milk, so I gave up and just got a package of IDY. It's Fleischmann's again, but I have no problem with the company and used their bread machine yeast for years.
Increasing the amount of yeast in a recipe will increase the flavour as well, but then you get into fermentation changes.
I’ve noticed similar differences in yeast brands too! Fleishmann’s does seem to give a more pronounced flavor, especially when using cake yeast. If you’re looking for quick meal options while baking, the happy meal pris offers a tasty, balanced choice.