DanFoxwell
Member
I got home and just realized the Liquid yeast I got... White Labs #41 expired on 12/17/10... When I called the store, they said it would still work, just take an extra day to do its thing. Is this true????
Expired Liquid Yeast
- Thread starter DanFoxwell
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Dasbootjoe
Member
Grinder12000
Well-Known Member
Yea - that's great - spend the next 5 minutes loading a link! LOL
You'll be good - I would make a starter anyway but you're good - might want to hit the Home Brew Store up on a discount next time!
You'll be good - I would make a starter anyway but you're good - might want to hit the Home Brew Store up on a discount next time!
Dasbootjoe
Member
Grinder12000 said:
5 minutes? You on dial up still
ChshreCat
Well-Known Member
Definitely make a starter. I usually don't, but I always buy brand new yeast right before I brew with it. Yeah... I'm the jerk that goes through them all at the brew shop and gets the one with the best date. 
iparks81
Well-Known Member
Ive used expired white labs yeast many times (I actually normally look for the old ones at the LHBS) since the owner appreciates that i get it off the shelf.
I always make a starter for the brews and Ive not once had a problem the only time Ive had any issues with white labs is when I ordered some over the hot summer and when I got the package the Ice pack was melted and the yeast was hot....still fermented the beer but it took 1 1\2 months with many off flavors...(WLP004 Irish ale)
anyways, your fine, go right ahead.
I always make a starter for the brews and Ive not once had a problem the only time Ive had any issues with white labs is when I ordered some over the hot summer and when I got the package the Ice pack was melted and the yeast was hot....still fermented the beer but it took 1 1\2 months with many off flavors...(WLP004 Irish ale)
anyways, your fine, go right ahead.
peachwein
Well-Known Member
I'm sure he was referring to the HBT problems that have gone on the past day or 2... although i think they may have fixed it now...
Dasbootjoe
Member
peachwein said:
Ohhh yes ....that makes sense now lol ...my apologies Grinder.
If you made a starter, then the age of a yeast isn't really an issue.
Bobby M did a test on year old stored yeast here; https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/testing-limits-yeast-viability-126707/
And my LHBS cells outdated tubes and packs of yeast dirt cheap 2-3 dollars each and I usually grab a couple tubes of belgian or other interesting yeast when I am there and shove it in my fridge. and I have never had a problem with one of those tubes.
I usually make a starter but I once pitched a year old tube of Belgian High Gravity yeast directly into a 2.5 gallon batch of a Belgian Dark Strong, and after about 4 days it took off beautifully.
With any stored, old yeast you just need first to apply the "sniff test" if it smell bad, especially if it smells like week old gorilla poop in a diaper left on the side of the road in the heat of summer.
Then make a starter, and if it takes off you are fine. The purpose of a starter is to reproduce any viable cells in a batch of yeast....that;s how we can grow a starter form the dregs in a bottle of beer incrementally...and that beer may be months old.
Even if you have a few still living cells, you can grow them....That's how we can harvest a huge starter (incrementally) from the dregs in a bottle of some commercial beers. You take those few living cells and grow them into more.
If yeast can be grown from a tiny amount that has been encased in amber for 45 million years, 45 million year old yeast ferments amber ale we really don't need to sweat too much about how old a yeast is, if it's properly stored.
Really even with "old yeast" if there is a few cells, they will reproduce. In your case it may just take awhile.
Bobby M did a test on year old stored yeast here; https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/testing-limits-yeast-viability-126707/
And my LHBS cells outdated tubes and packs of yeast dirt cheap 2-3 dollars each and I usually grab a couple tubes of belgian or other interesting yeast when I am there and shove it in my fridge. and I have never had a problem with one of those tubes.
I usually make a starter but I once pitched a year old tube of Belgian High Gravity yeast directly into a 2.5 gallon batch of a Belgian Dark Strong, and after about 4 days it took off beautifully.
With any stored, old yeast you just need first to apply the "sniff test" if it smell bad, especially if it smells like week old gorilla poop in a diaper left on the side of the road in the heat of summer.
Then make a starter, and if it takes off you are fine. The purpose of a starter is to reproduce any viable cells in a batch of yeast....that;s how we can grow a starter form the dregs in a bottle of beer incrementally...and that beer may be months old.
Even if you have a few still living cells, you can grow them....That's how we can harvest a huge starter (incrementally) from the dregs in a bottle of some commercial beers. You take those few living cells and grow them into more.
If yeast can be grown from a tiny amount that has been encased in amber for 45 million years, 45 million year old yeast ferments amber ale we really don't need to sweat too much about how old a yeast is, if it's properly stored.
Really even with "old yeast" if there is a few cells, they will reproduce. In your case it may just take awhile.
