Yeast viability

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have a vial of White Labs California Ale Yeast V WLP 051 with a best by date of 14 March 2014. Is this okay to pitch to a beer with a 1.070? I'm making a starter on a stir plate, about 1.75 cups of DME and 1.6 liters of water, it'll go for about 20 hours before I pitch. What are your thoughts? I also have a packet of US-05 that I could pitch as well. Thanks for the input, Jarnock.

 

should be fine. Definitely do a starter.

I have used yeast a month or two after the "best by" date. May take a little longer to get going but there is still viable yeast.

 

If you pitch that yeast to that starter, you will be doing great! One minor suggestion, I might start it about 48 hours prior to need and cold crash overnight then decant. But your way would work as well.

 

Jim, thanks for the tip. I can brew 48 hours from now. Silly question again, just put it in the fridge, pour off the water and pitch the "slurry"?

 

Yes, you got it!

 

Well I went ahead and pitched the White Labs California V in the starter. I might wait for two days, not sure yet. Possibly just wait 20 hours.

 

Hope you like that yeast, it may be my favorate yeast so far. Since you have a stirplate I would be more comfortable pitching sooner if you had to. I don't have one but I usually shake it intermittently for 2 days then crash it for a day and decant.

 

I have been wanting to try this yeast FOREVER. From what I've read, it's just like White Labs California Ale Yeast (WLP 001) except it is more fruity - which sounds even better IMO.

:rockin: