Expired Coopers Wheat Beer Kit

[guitarguy6]

My local LHBS was blowing out some Coopers kits for $10 so I grabbed a wheat beer kit. I didn't know that they were on sale because they Expired Oct 2014. Is the yeast packaged with the kit still good or should I buy something like the Lallemand wheat beer yeast?

 

[b-boy]

I'd definitely replace the yeast, but everything else is probably fine.

 

[guitarguy6]

I'd definitely replace the yeast, but everything else is probably fine.

That's kind of what I figured. I guess I could try rehydrating the coopers yeast and if it doesn't seem to be working I could use a fresher yeast.

 

[kh54s10]

The yeast is probably still good, but from what I have read it is not the best yeast. Package size? If 7 grams I would replace it with a good brand 11 gram pack. Re-hydrated would be best.

 

[unionrdr]

Nah, the yeast should be OK at only a couple months past expiration. I used a 2 year old Cooper's can with their 7g ale yeast in a small starter once & it wound up needing a blow off. This was the result;

It's a high flocculation yeast that is a real beast rehydrated. I've had those 7g packets rehydrated work the same as a 11.5g packet of US-05 pitched dry side-by-side in similar pale ales. Keep the temps around 66F or so, & it's great for English-style ales where that non-descript fruity ester is desirable.

 

[guitarguy6]

Alright, I'll give the Coopers yeast a try. I'm not going to bother putting it in my fermentation freezer but it'll be in a closet that's consistently between 66-70F.

 

[RM-MN]

Dry yeast keeps remarkably well. Your out-of-date yeast may not have as many viable cells any more so help them along by encouraging them to grow by providing the conditions they need. Wort provides the proper nutrients so the only thing left to add is oxygen. Aerate your wort well and the yeast will propagate right in the fermenter to get you the cells needed for the fermentation.

 

[unionrdr]

Dry yeast cells will retain more of their numbers by rehydrating first, especially since it's a couple months out of date. Doing so in the wort could drastically reduce their numbers.

 

[guitarguy6]

I rehydrated the yeast and made the kit last night and am happy to say that the air lock is bubbling nicely. I didn't add any dextrose or DME but only added about 14 liters of water and got an OG of 1.04. Curious to see how this turns out.