Determine what type of yeast you have. Dried yeast comes in two basic varieties: instant and active dry. If you have instant yeast, there is no need to activate the yeast: Just mix it in with your dry ingredients. If you have active dry yeast, it helps to activate the yeast first.
Determine the appropriate amount of yeast. Consult your recipe and measure out the amount of dry yeast that you need.
Fill a vessel with some warm water. The water needs to be between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit (37 to 43 degrees Celsius). If the water is too cold, the yeast will not "wake up." If the water is too hot, you run the risk of killing the yeast. Make sure the amount of water you use is not greater than the amount called for in your recipe.
Throw a pinch of sugar into the water. Stir to dissolve. This will provide the yeast with a little bit of food to encourage them to start metabolizing. If you don't have sugar, a drop of molasses works well. A pinch of flour will also work.
Pour the yeast into the sugar water. Stir vigorously until you can no longer discern the dried yeast granules. Cover the vessel with a towel, as yeast prefer to work in the dark.
Let the vessel sit for 1 to 10 minutes. This process is called "proofing" the yeast, and it means you are allowing the yeast to begin metabolizing the sugar and propagate. A minute or 2 is sufficient for most applications, but if you really want to be sure your yeast are alive and well, wait 10 minutes and then check on the yeast. If the water has a little bit of bubbly froth at the top, your yeast are healthy and working.
Add the yeast solution to your dry ingredients. Finish executing your recipe as planned. If you are using dried brewer's yeast to brew beer, follow the same process listed above. As an alternative, you can pitch the dried yeast directly into your wort, although by doing this you run the risk of under-pitching, as many of the yeast can be killed if the temperature is not perfect.
Finished.
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