Clare, when we refer to "instant" yeast on our site, we're referring to something like the SAF Red yeast you've ordered or Red Star Quick Rise yeast - good, all around yeasts. "Instant bread machine" yeast and others like it are designed to have an especially quick burst of activity but tend to peter out over time, which makes them a great choice for single or very quick rising breads, but less reliable in recipes that call for multiple or more extended rise times. Proofing the yeast in water won't do anything to help that, but if you've had good success with the instant bread machine yeast as is, we'd recommend sticking with what you're doing until you have a chance to compare its performance with your new yeast - both should keep well if frozen in an airtight container! Mollie@KAF

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