How long does Wyeast Activator yeast stay good?

I've got a pack of Wyeast Activator liquid yeast with a date of 9/13/10 in the back of my fridge. It has puffed up a bit, but not as big as they usually do when you smack them. I was planning on using it for a brew day on Saturday, but the Mr. Malty calculator says that its only 10% viable. My planned brew is going to have an OG of 1070.

Should I...

A. Throw it out and buy new yeast.

B. Make my starter as planned, try the old yeast, and hope for the best.

C. Make a starter with new yeast, and double pitch the starter and the old yeast.

D. None of the above.

 

Make a starter and give it a couple of extra days. I might do a step starter where you keep adding in extra starter solution every day. It will help the yeast stay in reproduction as opposed to fermentation.

But if you got the pack to inflate a normal starter will probably work.

 

The pack actually inflated on its own :-\

 

Option 3, you will be fine. If you have a few minutes to spare I would do as flyhigh suggested and make a small first step starter with around 250mL, once that reaches krausen pitch it into the size of starter you calculator says.

 

If I was planning on brewing on Saturday, then when should i start the small starter?

 

Go ahead and start the starter tomorrow (or tonight if you've got the inclination!). Give it to Wednesday to grow up a little bit, toss it in the fridge, decant it on Thursday and add more wort, toss it back in the fridge on Friday, and decant again on Saturday for pitching!

 

started the starter tonight, i'll see how it goes by wednesday. Worst case I'll swing by my LHBS and buy some new yeast.

 

the starter is going well. i came home from work today and swirled it a few times, and that was all it took to blow the airlock and stopper right off.

I started with about a 1L starter, I'm going to refrigerate it tomorrow morning, decant, and pitch into another ~1L starter. Or should I go bigger?

 

so far so good. the yeast seems really happy with the starter.



that was just after a couple swirls

 

Diggity, I think those boys are ready.

 

after chilling, decanting, adding new wort, and sitting on the counter for a day, a few swirls, and we got this...



i think theres some yeast loving going on in that flask

 

thanks for the encouragement to make a starter guys! I decanted and pitched this Sunday into 1.068 wort (a little shy of my target 1.070) and I'm seeing very active fermentation this morning.