How many of you would roll the dice on this year-old yeast?

[SaisonMan]

I have a pack of WLP007 I semi-forgot about in the back of my fridge. The best-by date is 11/12/22. I'm curious if any of you think a step starter would resuscitate it. I think it would be an interesting experiment, but would it be worth gambling the money I'll spend on grain and hops?

 

[Miraculix]

Just do a starter and you'll see what you're up to. No gambling necessary.

 

[SaisonMan]

Just do a starter and you'll see what you're up to. No gambling necessary.

I guess I’m also wondering if taste might be affected by yeast that’s been dormant for so long. Is that a concern?

 

[Hammy71]

I would use with no concern

 

[whoaru99]

You'll likely get some idea when you open it, take a good whiff. Personally, I probably would not take the chance.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

The best-by date is 11/12/22. I'm curious if any of you think a step starter would resuscitate it.

See this thread :
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...quid-yeast-after-the-best-before-date.697114/
You're not even close to it being a problem, as long as it's not been exposed to freezing temperatures.

 

[SaisonMan]

See this thread :
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...quid-yeast-after-the-best-before-date.697114/You're not even close to it being a problem, as long as it's not been exposed to freezing temperatures.

Nice. I’ll check it out.

 

[lumpher]

I'd starter it and use it if it doesn't smell bad. No worries.

 

[passedpawn]

Starter. I never trust liquid yeast when it's 3 months old. 1 yr, hells no. I have definitely paid the price for gambling there.

 

[Miraculix]

I guess I’m also wondering if taste might be affected by yeast that’s been dormant for so long. Is that a concern?

Not if you do a starter.

 

[Brew_Dude41]

+1 on a starter. I have done this a number of times with old packs. There are likely some good cells that are just waiting eat and reproduce.

The biggest challenge can be your sanitation and making sure something else doesn't set up shop while you are waiting for your yeast build back up.

 

[SaisonMan]

To this point, the yeas are ahead of the nays, so I think I'll proceed with the step starter next week. I'll build up the yeast, put it in the fridge for a week or so while I'm out of town for the holidays and then be ready to brew when I get home. I plan on making an ESB with the WLP007. That will probably start another debate!

 

[danb35]

I don't know that my opinion is well-informed enough to be worth considering, but I'd be thinking the same: if it doesn't smell "off," and a starter behaves as expected, go for it.

 

[sampling6391]

If you’re not willing to take the gamble and really want to use it, just do the starter to see if there is life. Honestly for dry yeast I wouldn’t hesitate but since I’m still new to liquid yeasts I personally would just buy a new pack if that is the yeast I want. Brew days are too precious to me to gamble with and a starter isn’t worth my time to see if yeast is ok or not only if I have a need for that I want to give the little beasts a head start on the propagation step.

 

[dmtaylor]

Make a yeast starter and taste the starter. If it's not bad, it's good.

 

[IslandLizard]

I've successfully "revived" liquid yeast that was 8 years old, purchased in 2015. Always been stored in fridge at 34-36F, made starter in 2022 (last year). I did 2 rounds and it worked like a charm. The beer it produced was excellent, just as good as it did 7 years before.

 

[day_trippr]

Damn, I can't even imagine what the color of 8 year old fridge-stored yeast would look like.
If I let mine go for just a year in the fridge in tight mason jars they already look dark and scary
Takes some courage (and care) to propagate them at that point...

Cheers!

 

[IslandLizard]

Damn, I can't even imagine what the color of 8 year old fridge-stored yeast would look like.

That yeast, 8-10 bottles of them, aren't dark at all, they all look very fresh and good. These are all fresh yeast stock, directly from the yeast company (East Coast Yeast), never used in fermentation, alas 8-9 years old. I had used some of each for making starters over the years.

Even (liquid) yeast from (overbuild) starters, stored in 4 and 8 oz mason/jelly jars holds up very well over time, showing not much, if any darking.
Say 1/2" - 1-1/2" of settled out slurry with starter supernatant on top.

But I know what you're talking about with darkening, I have seen that too, but think they're saved out yeast after fermentation. Some of those start to smell like burnt rubber, and get composted.

 

[SaisonMan]

It lives! Here’s what it looks like after two starters over six days, one 500 ml, the other about 1000. I don’t see a big need to do another one, but I’ll cede to the expertise of the group.

It has a bit of a funky smell, but I don’t know if that means anything. Does it?

 

[whoaru99]

Repeating myself, but I wouldn't use it if I had any doubts at all with smell, appearance, whatever.

 

[SaisonMan]

I get it, but much of what I’ve read says that starters smell and taste a bit sour. I’m a relative noob so my nose isn’t qualified to know what’s Ok and what isn’t.

 

[whoaru99]

I don't brew that often so for me it's always better to get something I have faith in and no concerns, rather than spend the time and effort with doubts. In some regards, perhaps I might say I'd rather spend the money than risk the time (and even more money, alluding to sunk cost fallacy).

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Yeast that old can be revived unfortunately I’ve done it many times. It’s not like it’s been dormant and in survival mode at the bottom of the ocean for 200 years. Taste the fermentation see if the flavor is off/sour.

 

[IslandLizard]

It lives! Here’s what it looks like after two starters over six days, one 500 ml, the other about 1000.

Are you saying you did 2 steps on each starter, 500ml then ~1100ml?
We're looking at the results of the 2nd step of each?

The left one looks like it was crashed out already. Nice yield going by the size of the yeast cake. Looks very healthy.
Did you taste the supernatant of the left one? How about the right one?

I've always tasted starter beer, so I've become quite familiar with what they should smell and taste like. I expect them to taste rather clean, alas somewhat oxidized. Depending on the yeast, only a slight sourness may be present. But it should not taste like a sour beer, or have other (big) off-flavors or anything sheer putrid.

How about the one on the right, is that any different?

 

[SaisonMan]

Both photos are of the second starter. I haven't tasted it.

 

[IslandLizard]

Both photos are of the second starter. I haven't tasted it.

These are starters from virgin yeast packs, alas, 18 months old. As long as your starter procedure is as usual, clean and sanitary, I would expect the starters to be successful.
Factory packaged yeast does not spoil in the original package, it only gets older, cells dying off at a slow rate.

 

[Yesfan]

I'd pitch that in a small volume beer (1 or 2 gallon) and go from there. If it tastes like crap, you're not out too much. If it tastes good, then you have even more slurry for the next beer.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Actually it’s the age I use a lot. I build low strength wort, like 020. Then crash and decant. By then it’s ready to rock and I overbuild, pitch, and store again. My 021 and 3864 have been through some raucous times over the years. They still rise again and again!!

 

[whoaru99]

Factory packaged yeast does not spoil in the original package, it only gets older, cells dying off at a slow rate.

I agree it's likely pretty rare it's actually spoiled but I tossed a smack pack because it was bad, off-smelling upon opening. Off color and stinky.

Probably even posted here about it some years ago.

Yup, in this thread from 2017: Oktoberfest under pitch...any suggestions?

 

[SaisonMan]

I brought the starter to my homebrewing club get-together today. The consensus was that it smelled like … yeast. Coincidentally, this is what noob paranoia smells like, as well. Thanks for putting up with me.

 

[odie]

direct pitch that stuff. No starter.

I picked up a WLP007 a year expired at my LHBS for 99 cents.

Made a solid English pub ale. My buddies drink the crap outta it. I've been re-pitching on the slurry and harvested some jars of yeast off it too.

I've probably gotten 5 batches or so out of that one expired pack and will get many more I hope.