Wyeast and $6.99 shipping

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illin8

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Just curious...I've placed two orders in the last 45 days, both for a couple kits with a few misc items. It took about 10 days to recieve my first order (3-4 days processing & 6-7 days in transit) or close to it. It also took 2 weeks to recieve my second order (6-7 days processing & about 7 days in transit). I purchased the ice packs each time, but by the time I recieved each order, the ice was a melted warm liquid and the Wyeast packet was the same warm temp. Could the yeast be damaged or unusable?

I will definately be making a starter with them although one is a hefe yeast and wasn't going to, but I just want to be sure for future orders. I think Austin Homebrew Supply (plug for Forrest) is great and are top knotch, but if I am constantly wondering about the health of the $7 yeast packet after a long, hot trip in the big brown truck, should I just buy the dry yeast or travel the 45 minutes to my LHBS to buy Wyeast?

In no way am I knocking AHS, I think they are top knotch...just wondering everyone else's experience and if it is something to be concerned about...
 
well, it's about 100 degrees here now and my orders always get here at the end of the day so my order sits in the UPS truck all day long. I haven't had any problems with my yeast (but I always use a starter).
 
I've ordered kits from AHS up to Wisconsin (3 days shipping) without issue. The cold-pack isn't enough to make it up here frozen, but I haven't had any issues with the yeast. Granted, several times the yeast probably needed the melted cold pack to stay *warm* on my porch (a long winter this year...).

Anyhow, keep a fallback yeast around and use a starter, and you're good. Otherwise, it may not hurt to locate a place closer to you for emergencies. Of the three internet HBS's that I shop at--AHS being one--, one of them can deliver in 2 days (1 day of shipping at the cheap rate). Unfortunately, their prices are higher and their kits aren't as good as AHS so I have been using them only when we order Wednesday for a Saturday brew.
 
If the smackpack swells up, it is working. I ordered from Northern Brewer and I have had no trouble with the Wyeast smackpacks that came with the 2 kits I ordered.
 
Every year we ship over 10,000 liquid yeasts and the most we have had fail in a years time is about 10 yeasts. With these odds it is not the ice pack, temperature, or time in transit, that is the culprit. Odds are that the yeast was not well before we shipped it. Rest assured we will issue you a credit for a yeast if it doesn't work for you. That being said, it is always good to have a variety of spare dry yeasts on hand for emergencies. Dry yeast will last at least 2 years and even longer if it is refridgerated. It would be a shame to have a batch of beer go bad because you couldn't add more healthy yeast to the batch.

Forrest
 
In the past i have ordered liquid yeast with an ice pack. When it arrived, the pack was melted but the yeast was as good as gold, trust me! :mug:
 
Good to know...thanks all, I have been wondering about it for a few weeks, I feel better now :D

Forrest, your kits rock! I love New England, but AHS makes me want to move to Texas!!

BTW...I'm doing the Bavarian Hefe and know there are some thoughts that underpitching isn't a bad idea. Would making a starter for the Hefe result in any taste differences than if I didn't?
 
I've bought about several vials/packs using cheapo slow shipping and each swelled/started as expected.

I do make starters, though.
 
I've been nervous about ordering at this time of the year because of the yeast issue but this thread has convinced me to go ahead, and Forrest got the order this time. I'm making the rounds of the suppliers and AHS had a kit for my newest favorite - Stone Ruination IPA.
 
I have to give it to AHS. I have never purchased from you guys but it seems like you really back your products. Thanks for coming on and posting. It speaks a lot of your ethics.
 
but, you have to pay $1 (for each packet of yeast) if you want the ice pak.

Considering the ice pack melts after just a few hours at room temperature, I'd say it's pretty safe to skip it.
Midwest Supplies apparently includes an insulated pouch and ice pack with their yeast shipments for an extra $1.75, which may be a better option for people who are worried about heat damage during shipping. I haven't ordered yeast from them during the summer, however, so I don't know what difference the pouch makes.
 
Flat rate? That seems like a good deal. how are their prices?

We can't have the lowest price on everything but while other stores charge full shipping and we just charge a base charge, we should have the best delivered price. You have to consider the total price delivered to your door for your whole order to compare prices effectively. The flat rate shipping is a discount. We just shipped an order to Vermont and our shipping cost was $109 (a lot of grain) but we only charged $6.99 for the shipping.

Forrest

P.S. Here is the order I am referring to:

After a really disappointing interaction with my LHBS store, I finally gave up on them. Some really crappy attitude, from one of the owners, no less. It was too bad, because I like supporting the local businesses when I can. I even continued to shop there when the price of gas round trip exceeded shipping costs from online vendors.

Well, not anymore. I'm just stocking up base malts and specialty grains, and I'll just do it all online - I have 139 pounds worth of boxes coming from AHS right now!
 
Having lived in the boonies for some time now, I appreciate the $6.99 flat rate shipping. UPS doesn't necessarily put a priority on it, but it's nothing to hold against AHS. They stand behind their products, and Forrest is always here to help and respond to questions.
 
Considering the ice pack melts after just a few hours at room temperature, I'd say it's pretty safe to skip it.
Midwest Supplies apparently includes an insulated pouch and ice pack with their yeast shipments for an extra $1.75, which may be a better option for people who are worried about heat damage during shipping. I haven't ordered yeast from them during the summer, however, so I don't know what difference the pouch makes.

FYI, we started using the same pouches a couple of years ago but we stopped shortly after we started. While the pouch did make the ice pack last a little longer (a couple of hours), once the ice pack was no longer cold (before it reaches you the customer) the foil pouch increased the heat reaching the yeast and we had yeasts fail due to temperature. It works in theory but not in practice, especially if you are paying an extra $1.75 to simmer your yeast.
 
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