Use it or toss it

[newtobrew1981]

So I've recently purchased at bottle of anchorman ale yeast from escarpment laboratories, from my lhbs. When I got home the bottle was leaking it felt kinda swollen and looked like it was bubbling. So I'm not sure if this happened because of the change in temp from being stored in a fridge and then ambient temp on the way home. Or if it was stored improperly. It also had a weird look to it. So I don't know if I should dump or keep I contacted my lhbs that sold me the product and he said just shake it up and it will be fine. But I'm not convinced. Mainly it's the way the yeast looked in bottle that has me thinking more than anything. I've included a couple of pics please if anyone's used this strain is this how it should look.

 

[Hopsimus]

Take this with a grain of salt as I haven't used this strain myself.
However I think it's probably fine. Most likely the temp change woke it up a bit.

Throw it in the fridge to stop any further bubbling.

If you're concerned, make a starter a day earlier than you normally would. On the following day, give the starter a sniff and take a sample for a taste. If it tastes good, it is fine. If not, you have an extra day to get a new bottle from the LHBS. Granted, this route probably doesn't allow you to get a refund if it is bad...

Just my two cents.

Cheers!

 

[IslandLizard]

Yup, she woke up! At least you know she's alive!

The white part looks like yeast, but the browner and chocolate parts I'm not so sure about what that is.
I would definitely make a starter, as you always should with liquid yeast, unless it's a mixed cocktail for a sour.

I just saw you shook it up already, but let me add this to what @Hopsimus said:^

I would open up the cap carefully, and wipe the spilled yeast leaking from the bottle's neck and rim with a small washcloth drenched in Starsan sanitizer, without pushing any of it back into the bottle. You may even want to clean the inside mouth of the bottle with said cloth, alas, not drenched just slightly damp with Starsan, so it doesn't drip the goo back inside. OK, cleaning the inside neck doesn't apply anymore, since it's already shaken up.

Clean this until all remnants of yeast and brown goo are gone. Rinse the cap well too, re-sanitize, and screw back onto the bottle. Then put in fridge or make your starter.
Reason is the yeast that leaked out is most likely not sanitary anymore, and you don't want it siphoning back into the bottle.

I would surely question that dark brown goo. That can't be normal for yeast. I've never seen yeast looking like chocolate milk.

 

[newtobrew1981]

I did the whole starsan thing but the chocolate looking stuff is what put up red flags for me. I took a sniff of the yeast and it even smelled of chocolate

 

[newtobrew1981]

I'm thinking maybe the chocolate looking stuff is some sort of medium or nutrient to keep the yeast alive is this a thing. If not then I'm absolutely dumbfounded

 

[bleme]

I checked Google and it looks like all of Escarpment yeasts are kept in that brown liquid. I've never seen anything like that either.

 

[IslandLizard]

I checked Google and it looks like all of Escarpment yeasts are kept in that brown liquid. I've never seen anything like that either.

[...] I took a sniff of the yeast and it even smelled of chocolate

Alright then! Cocoa beans is the new yeast nutrient...

 

[Hopsimus]

Ha, for some reason I didn't even look at the color! I just assumed it was something with the lighting...

Good to know that all the Escarpment yeasts look like that.

 

[newtobrew1981]

I don't think they do that's why I'm concerned I have hordnal kviek blend and It doesn't look like that

 

[bleme]

I don't think they do that's why I'm concerned I have hordnal kviek blend and It doesn't look like that

I was going by this website. They are all varying shades of brown:
https://kj-urban-winery-craft-brewi...arpment-labs-guelphs-own-liquid-yeast-company

I'm particularly intrigued by the Kolsch and Ringwood bottles that seem to have 3 distinct layers....

 

[Hopsimus]

I was going by this website. They are all varying shades of brown:
https://kj-urban-winery-craft-brewi...arpment-labs-guelphs-own-liquid-yeast-company

Especially the "Weizen Yeast" https://kj-urban-winery-craft-brewi...t-company/products/weizenyeast-escarpmentlabs
Though the label in the picture says "Kolsch"...

 

[IslandLizard]

I've only had oozing problems with mason jars of saved Belgian yeast. Even when they've been in the fridge for months, completely crashed with 1/2" of yeast on the bottom, when I take them out of the fridge, some tend to wake up quickly. Bubbles arise from the bottom, the yeast cake starts to float, while built up pressure is bulging the lid. As soon as you unscrew the band yeast starts oozing out along the lid. The Blob is back!

 

[newtobrew1981]

So I've contacted escarpment labs and they asked me for a photo. I sent them the one I posted here. so the jury's still out. I will let you know what they say

 

[madscientist451]

Use it in a simple two gallon batch and see how it comes out. If its good, brew a full size batch and re-pitch the slurry.

 

[newtobrew1981]

So I've been talking back and forth with someone from escarpment labs I've sent him the pictures and he tells me that the dark layer could be dead yeast I'm not convinced by that so I may just make a mini beer like madscientist suggested and taste it.

 

[IslandLizard]

So I've been talking back and forth with someone from escarpment labs I've sent him the pictures and he tells me that the dark layer could be dead yeast I'm not convinced by that so I may just make a mini beer like madscientist suggested and taste it.

Glad you're in contact with the yeast lab, I'm sure they don't like what they hear, but would want to know about.

I've seen dead yeast, it indeed is dark, like old peanut butter and smells like Marmite, burned rubber, or worse. Unless it's the lighting, I've never seen it looking like dark chocolate as in your picture. Some of those bottles from the advertising page do have a very dark liquid on top, like from an Old Ale or a Brown, but nothing that one would expect turning yeast into mimicking chocolate.

When you cleaned the bottle's neck, did an offensive odor come from inside?

 

[newtobrew1981]

No it was pleasant it smelled of chocolate

 

[IslandLizard]

No it was pleasant it smelled of chocolate

I hope you told the lab that too.
I wonder what they'll advise you to do with it. That first picture tells a story. Reminiscent of an ice cream sundae.

So are you going to make a starter with a quarter or half of the bottle and try it out?
Or drizzle some into a gallon jug with wort?

 

[newtobrew1981]

I'm going make a mini beer and test it

 

[newtobrew1981]

The yeast company just told me I should make a starter before pitching

 

[IslandLizard]

Well, for starters, your mini beer will be a good starter, I'd say. And you can evaluate it as a proper beer, probably 4 days in.

Unless you're not brewing it in the next 2 or 3 days, then make a starter instead.

 

[newtobrew1981]

I could but I feel the stir plate would skew the results ( all the oxygen being sucked in by the vortex)