Expired yeast

[EvoFX]

Hello!
I was if using the expiring yeast, a little after its date would be fine? I have been extremely busy, so I have not had time to brew

 

[Revvy]

If you make a starter, then the age of a yeast isn't really an issue. When you make a starter, and grow it, you're replicating more yeast to make up for any loss. You're making new, fresh yeast.

Bobby M did a test on year old stored yeast here; https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/testing-limits-yeast-viability-126707/

And my LHBS cells outdated tubes and packs of yeast dirt cheap 2-3 dollars each and I usually grab a couple tubes of belgian or other interesting yeast when I am there and shove it in my fridge. and I have never had a problem with one of those tubes.

I usually make a starter but I once pitched a year old tube of Belgian High Gravity yeast directly into a 2.5 gallon batch of a Belgian Dark Strong, and after about 4 days it took off beautifully.
The purpose of a starter is to reproduce any viable cells in a batch of yeast....that;s how we can grow a starter form the dregs in a bottle of beer incrementally...and that beer may be months old.

Even if you have a few still living cells, you can grow them....That's how we can harvest a huge starter (incrementally) from the dregs in a bottle of some commercial beers. You take those few living cells and grow them into more.

 

[unionrdr]

I made a small starter for a 2 year old ale yeast once. It took 3.5 hours to get to high krausen before I pitched it on a mid-gravity wort. It wound up needing a blow off. So it can work if given a decent starter.

 

[EvoFX]

I may be confused. But how do you make a starter?

 

[two_one_seven]

1/2 gal jug (think growler)
stopper and airlock (ask your Local Homebrew store for size, I can't remember which one fits)
1 L of water
1/2 cup Dry Malt Extract (DME)

Put L of water in pot add DME and boil for 15 mins. Cool wort and place in sanitized grower. Pitch yeast. I usually do this the night before I plan to brew, normally around 15 hours +- of when you plan to pitch yeast. Thats pretty much it. My fermentation normally kicks off in about 8 to 12 hours, I keep my ales at 65 F.

Hope that helps

 

[November]

+1 to what has already been said about starters if its liquid. You didn't specify, but if it is dry yeast just use it as normal. My last batch used a packet of S-23 that was six months expired with no problems. I don't think yeast can read the dates to know when they have to stop working.

 

[lumpher]

i used 3-years-expired dry yeast, and it came out... BEER!!!!

 

[kh54s10]

1/2 gal jug (think growler)
stopper and airlock (ask your Local Homebrew store for size, I can't remember which one fits)
1 L of water
1/2 cup Dry Malt Extract (DME)

Put L of water in pot add DME and boil for 15 mins. Cool wort and place in sanitized grower. Pitch yeast. I usually do this the night before I plan to brew, normally around 15 hours +- of when you plan to pitch yeast. Thats pretty much it. My fermentation normally kicks off in about 8 to 12 hours, I keep my ales at 65 F.

Hope that helps

This, but ditch the airlock. The yeast need oxygen during the reproductive phase. Use a piece of sanitized foil

Metric is easier. 1 gram DME to 10 ml of water so 1 liter (1000ml) needs 100 grams, 1.6L (1600ml) needs 160 grams of DME, etc.

 

[two_one_seven]

This, but ditch the airlock. The yeast need oxygen during the reproductive phase. Use a piece of sanitized foil

I wouldn't think that it would matter. CO2 is heavier than air so there would not possibility of any o2 entering solution once fermentation has commenced.

I shake the wort in the starter jug to get o2 into solution before introducing the yeast. Ideally you would use a stir plate to constantly mix the starter, which is my next beer equipment purchase.

Cheers

 

[DarthMalt]

I've used liquid yeast that was several months old with no problems. I made a starter, of course, but it took off quite fast as if it was still fresh.

For dry yeast, I'd think it would last even longer past the expiration date if it was refrigerated. Just rehydrate and you're good to go.

 

[aiptasia]

Making a starter would give you some peace of mind.