Dry Yeast Storage

[314alias]

Went to the store and all their dry yeast was not being refrigerated. Does this cause problems?

 

[Golddiggie]

Best to keep even dry yeast refrigerated. You can even freeze dry yeast if you like. Personally, I wouldn't purchase any yeast that is not stored chilled/cooled... Look at it this way, even supermarkets keep their bread yeast in the refrigerated section (at least where I shop they do)... So, unless the ambient temp in the store is ~40 (or less) yeast should be in a fridge.

 

[onipar]

Best to keep even dry yeast refrigerated. You can even freeze dry yeast if you like. Personally, I wouldn't purchase any yeast that is not stored chilled/cooled... Look at it this way, even supermarkets keep their bread yeast in the refrigerated section (at least where I shop they do)... So, unless the ambient temp in the store is ~40 (or less) yeast should be in a fridge.

+1 This. I wouldn't buy yeast that has been left out. It won't necessarily be dead, but I still wouldn't trust it because who knows how long they had it out or in how hot a room they had it. I did find this said about dry yeast: "Dry yeast can be stored at room temperature until the expiration date--or within 4 months of opening--but it lasts even longer in the refrigerator or freezer."

I refrigerate my own brewers yeast, and I actually freeze my bread yeast.

 

[bcryan]

i have made wine kits for a few years. not one of them ever was refrigerated. they all contain dry yeast. i recently started making beer with liquid yeast. now i want to switch to dry yeast for beer making just to save money and not have to worry about my yeast being killed in the mail. is beer dry yeast different from wine dry yeast??

 

[onipar]

i have made wine kits for a few years. not one of them ever was refrigerated. they all contain dry yeast. i recently started making beer with liquid yeast. now i want to switch to dry yeast for beer making just to save money and not have to worry about my yeast being killed in the mail. is beer dry yeast different from wine dry yeast??

I think it's more of a peace of mind thing. Like that quote I posted, dry yeast will survive at room temperature, it just lasts longer when refrigerated and ensures it doesn't sit in a room that *was* "room temperature" but got much hotter.

 

[314alias]

Cool thanks guys, now that we have discussed that, any recommendations on which dry yeast is the way to go. My first beer was an Irish red ale that used muntons dry yeast. this yeast was fermented at 68 degrees and the primary fermentation only lasted about 3 days, and then the secondary fermentation lasted about a week and a half. Is this normal for this yeast and do the different brands vary in fermentation time?

 

[passedpawn]

I keep my dry yeast at room temp, never a problem. But packets are so small, might as well keep them in fridge, right?

The grocery stores here keep the bread yeast (fleischmann's) in the baking aisle, not refrigerated.

Fermentis S-05 is a great, great ale yeast. For lagers, W34/70.

 

[lumpher]

for an irish red, i use nottingham (a dry yeast). after 3 days, it's still fermenting. leave it alone for 4-5 weeks, then bottle/keg

 

[rycov]

your primary should be a little longer, at least a week or two (or three or four if you decide to skip secondary). but it will be fine, don't worry. as for yeast I like to keep a couple packs of fermentis so5 around. unless I'm using a specific yeast for a specific style, so 5 is a good clean yeast. as for how long they take they're all different. you can use the same yeast and the same recipe and have fermentations that act different. there is too much involved for any one to predict how each batch will behave.

 

[unionrdr]

I store my dry yeast packets in the butter cubby on the fridge door. It has a clear door on it like a roll top desk. Great,out of the way spot for them.