First time freezing yeast.

Hi!

I've finally forked out some cash on some good liquid yeast and I intend to breed them and freeze them to use for future brews.

Would vials like these be good for the job?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150881529033&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

I intend to sanitize with starsan before freezing.

Thank you!

Or if something like this would be better (50ml vs 15ml, screw tops)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-x-Labo...Equipment_Lab_Supplies_ET&hash=item58a01ce998

I would find a vial between 20 and 50 ml that has a screw on top. I wouldn't trust a snap top cap. The link to the centrifuge tubes showed one with an attached cap, whatever that means.

Here is what I use: http://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin59a.html

This is the thread that got me started: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/guide-making-frozen-yeast-bank-35891/

I now have 9 or 10 varieties up to about 1.5 years old. I have used several, over one year old, successfully. I am using 5 ml yeast 5 ml glycerin and 10 ml water. I make a starter with every new liquid yeast purchase, larger than needed for the recipe being made. I then make up 4 vials to freeze. If I made 4 new ones from each I could brew 256 batches from the original purchase.

This is a great way to save money on yeast. It costs a lot less to make starters than to buy more liquid yeast.

Thanks for the feedback that this works. I've been "meaning to get around to it" but am a little skeptical, it just sounds to good to be true.

Now I am going to buy the equipment and start doing this.

This is where a stir plate comes in really handy!!! But yes this a really great way to save money and always have a few different strains of yeast on hand.

kh54s10 said:

I now have 9 or 10 varieties up to about 1.5 years old. I have used several, over one year old, successfully. I am using 5 ml yeast 5 ml glycerin and 10 ml water.

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Interested to know what process you use for reviving them. How to you raise their temperature and what size starter steps do you use?

Thanks!

I think that the 50ml ones are screw tops.
Is there any difference between storing yeast in 20ml or 50ml tubes apart from saving freezer space?

A couple of days later, but I hope you guys see my answers.

el_caro said:

Interested to know what process you use for reviving them. How to you raise their temperature and what size starter steps do you use?

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When I take a vial, that contains 5ml yeast, to use I put in the refrigerator for a day. Then I put it on the counter the day I start the step ups so it warms to pitching temperature while I make a weak 250ml starter and run it for 18-24 hours. I chill, decant and continue with a 500ml starter, chill and decant. I then figure this gives me approximately the amount in a vial or pack. I then make my final starter for the beer on deck. This has worked very well. I do not know how accurate I am with cell counts but I think this is close.

mChavez said:

Thanks!

I think that the 50ml ones are screw tops.
Is there any difference between storing yeast in 20ml or 50ml tubes apart from saving freezer space?

Click to expand...

I have seen different sizes used for freezing. I just selected the 20ml size. The main difference would be how much yeast you have in your vial and how much would result after your first step up. The 20ml vial has only 5ml yeast to be frozen, but this has worked well for me with yeast that has been frozen for more than a year.

If you store yeast in a frost free freezer surround the vials with freezer gel packs to counteract the thaw cycle. My yeast survived an 18 hour power outage.

Once again thanks for help!
Just waiting for all parts of my diy stir plate to arrive.

I hate to thread **** but at OSU they told me not to keep yeast in a residential freezer because of the defrost cycles. I thinks i have heard that here somewhere also. But if it is working for you all then **** it.