Favorite Container for Yeast Storage?

I'm looking for good containers to store yeast in when I freeze them, or even just refrigerate them after harvesting from my starters.

I was looking for flat bottom test tubes with screw on caps, preferably autoclavable so I can just toss them into a pressure cooker to sterilize, but I'd like to check out anything you guys recommend.

So please, post up your favorites, least favorites, things you like, things you don't, and where you buy them at.

I use the small (1/2 pint) Kerr canning jars for storing, and larger ones for gathering/washing.

acidrain said:

I use the small (1/2 pint) Kerr canning jars for storing, and larger ones for gathering/washing.

Click to expand...

+1. I'm just using the fridge to store. No freezing yet.

I sanitize either by boiling water in them in the microwave or using Star-San.

For the freezer I have a dozen 4 dram glass vials. In the fridge I have used white labs tubes. I also bought online two kits that each have 6 pre-formed soda bottle tubes (same as white labs) with a rack for each. The racks fit perfectly into one of the door racks on the fridge. I always have a few mason jars around for washing the yeast.

for fridge storage i love these lab bottles. i know, they are expensive. but they are autoclave/dishwasher safe, high quality tempered glass, you can pour boiling water into them, or chill boiling liquid in a water bath, easy to clean, wide mouth but not too wide. they come in a wide array of sizes, 100, 250, 500 ml, 1L, 2L, 3L...

Mason jars. Very versatile. I have a range of sizes from 8 osz up to 2 quarts, and all get used often.

I usually store samples from starters in the 8 ozs jars, and slurry in the pint jars; I find the pint jars hold the perfect amount for re-pitching.

My fermenter! I never have to store it if it's always munching on some wort!

Sorry, I've been pretty busy and didn't respond to my own thread... Thanks for the advice.

I agree with the mason jars for slurry, but lately I've just been making extra large starters, pitching part and saving the other part (in the freezer since I don't brew enough to use the same yeast 3 weeks later).

I've been using white labs vials (preformed soda bottles), but I saw a write up on freezing yeast a while back that I can't seem to find again (no idea what site it was on). The guy in it had nice glass flat bottom test tubes that looked about 75ml with screw on lids. I've been looking everywhere for those...or even for the article so I could reference it.

ffaoe said:

For the freezer I have a dozen 4 dram glass vials. In the fridge I have used white labs tubes. I also bought online two kits that each have 6 pre-formed soda bottle tubes (same as white labs) with a rack for each. The racks fit perfectly into one of the door racks on the fridge. I always have a few mason jars around for washing the yeast.

Click to expand...

Actually it might be those dram glass vials. Sorry, I'm on a phone so it's a pain looking things up.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JVC7DQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This is my favorite write up on freezing yeast:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/guide-making-frozen-yeast-bank-35891/

He uses the 15ml (4 dram) flat bottom vials.

I've also thought about using these for yeast storage:
http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/687/80-ml-breastmilk-freezing-and-storage-retail-pack



I have a large collection of these already that were used for my son. They cost $14 for a pack of 12 (I have 24), and I bought them locally at a baby store, so if you need more in a pinch it's just a short drive away, rather than buying specialty bottles/vials online and waiting for them to ship. They are 80ml, come with pre-measured gradations, have flat bottom, are BPA free, and they can be boiled to sanitize. Right now I use mason jars, but these would take up considerably less space, and don't require a base to hold them like soda bottles. The only downfall that I see is that they are much larger than the 15ml vials, so you would have to fill the container with more yeast. I guess the flip side is you could probably forgo the first baby starter the OP in the link above does with his smaller volume of yeast.

maybe 50 ml conical tubes (usually called falcon tubes) but with a flat bottom flare? very versatile lab tube for a wide temperature range and low to moderate g centrifuging.