Freezing yeast

Hello, I recently bought a couple all grain kits, I made the horrible mistake of throwing the hop kits into the freezer for when I am ready for them, now made the realization that the yeast packs were in there as well, it was a total of 24 hrs. Did I just destroy the yeast?

Dry or liquid yeast?? Dry yeast should/could be ok (check the packet, if it says you can freeze it, you're ok). If they included liquid yeast, chances are you have little, if any, viable yeast left. Make a starter and see if anything happens. If nothing does after enough time has passed (at least a few days) then assume the yeast are all dead and you need to get new yeast.

BTW, in the future, I wouldn't put ANYTHING in the freezer except for hops.

Might be alright. Proof it if it is dry or make a starter if it is liquid.

Hey, it was dry yeast. I normally don't do stuff like that, but I did, sucks. Oh well maybe I will contact the manufacturer.

nsrooen said:

Might be alright. Proof it if it is dry or make a starter if it is liquid.

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Proof it??

smalltownbrewer said:

Proof it??

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Should be instructions on proofing the yeast on the packet, or on the manufacturer's web site. The packet should also have storage parameters listed on it. At least the packs of Lalvin yeast I have do.

There's a very high chance that the dry yeast will be ok after just 24 hours in the freezer. Just put it into the fridge now and proof or make a small starter, before you use it. Maybe get a spare packet to have on hand, just in case it didn't make it.

Test it by adding it to water and see if it starts to bubble.

If it is liquid yeast you need to get it out ASAP. Liquid yeast doesn't do well freezing in plain water but is almost certainly doomed in a frost-free freezer where it cycles from thawed to frozen over and over.

Alright thanks, I took it out.

smalltownbrewer said:

Alright thanks, I took it out.

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Don't keep us in suspense! Did you proof it? Make a starter? Let us know how it turns out. Chances are you won't be the last person to do this and your experience can help someone else down the road!

Good luck!

Sorry, no I have proofed it. Talked to the guy that sold it to me from hopdawgs and he said it would be fine, liquid yeast is another story. I ended up removing it within 24 hours and placed it into the fridge. When I am ready to use it, I will rehydrate it. He said that his mother used to freeze dry yeast all the time, basically freezing puts it into a dormant stage, where as heat on the other hand would kill it. I have been working night shift and plan to do a brew this weekend. Will post again when I have finished the brew and have some action.

smalltownbrewer said:

Sorry, no I have proofed it. Talked to the guy that sold it to me from hopdawgs and he said it would be fine, liquid yeast is another story. I ended up removing it within 24 hours and placed it into the fridge. When I am ready to use it, I will rehydrate it. He said that his mother used to freeze dry yeast all the time, basically freezing puts it into a dormant stage, where as heat on the other hand would kill it. I have been working night shift and plan to do a brew this weekend. Will post again when I have finished the brew and have some action.

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That's what I was sitting here thinking, dry bread yeast isn't harmed by being frozen, so this should be good too.



Rick

There are plenty of threads on this (one a ways back was my own)
Here's my experience. Pitch the yeast, drink a beer, you'll be fine.
This is my experience for liquid yeast. Both vials and my own harvested. Up to 3 days in the freezer.
I keep all of my Motrachet and US-05 in the freezer and ::gasp:: have never had a problem even without making a starter.

I feel alot better now, cant wait for the weekend, brewing my first all grain beer. Making a Garage Floor IPA from Hopdawgs brewing supplies.

You do know that me fee for such brilliant advice is that you send me some, right?

Have fun brewing it up! That's what this is all about. I started having the most fun when I stopped worrying so much.

Mash temp is off a little? Have a brew and move on.

Fermented 2 degrees hot? Open a sud, relax.

Caught the garage wall on fire again? Ok, you may want to panic at this point.

Remember, the worst that can happen is you make a beer that only a mother can love. You choke it down, you tweak it so next time it's delicious.

snaps10 said:

You do know that me fee for such brilliant advice is that you send me some, right?

Have fun brewing it up! That's what this is all about. I started having the most fun when I stopped worrying so much.

Mash temp is off a little? Have a brew and move on.

Fermented 2 degrees hot? Open a sud, relax.

Caught the garage wall on fire again? Ok, you may want to panic at this point.

Remember, the worst that can happen is you make a beer that only a mother can love. You choke it down, you tweak it so next time it's delicious.

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Thanks, will do!

Cheers

Quick Update. Well, I brewed my first all-grain beer (BIAB) method on Sunday, thought it went pretty well, the wort smelled and tasted great already. My first hiccup was making my strike water a bit to warm (165f) and it only cooled down to 155f when I was done mashing in, so I added a little cold water and mixed it up, brought it to 152f. When I was done I checked my OG @ 1.042, target OG was 1.053, so I was a bit off, next time I will mash longer and rinse the grains. Then I sprinkled the yeast that I had froze by accident onto the wort and hoped for the best. I had some action after about 10 hrs, but not great. I checked it again after 24 hrs and it was going crazy, so apparently freezing the yeast had little to no effect on it. Will update with a FG in a week. Cheers.

Bravo

I recently made my garage floor IPA with the other pack of yeast I froze and it worked great. I had OG 1.052 and my FG was 1.007. Therefore freezing yeast doesn't appear to have much if any effect on its effectiveness.