Extra Liquid Yeast. How best to preserve?

[cwhill]

I am brewing this weekend and when I thought my Wyeast 2565 wasn't going to take off in my starter I panicked. I ran to my LHBS and picked up an extra one. Well my starter is doing just fine so...Obliviously these liquid smack packs aren't like having an extra dry yeast packet around not to mention $7. So I thought I'd ask the question. I won't brew again for another few weeks at least and even then maybe not a beer that would use this yeast. How do folks preserve this liquid yeast. It has a packaged date of 03/08 so I assume it is already getting kind of old? Can I make a starer and preserve a starter or something like that?

 

[Revvy]

Just stick it in the fridge til you're ready then make a starter..that is if you haven't smacked it already...Just make sure to make a starter when you're going to pitch it.

 

[cwhill]

Just stick it in the fridge til you're ready then make a starter..that is if you haven't smacked it already...Just make sure to make a starter when you're going to pitch it.

Thanks Revy! No I haven't smacked it yet. How long can it keep in the fridge as long as I make a starter with it. We talking another 6 months or 6 weeks?

 

[Revvy]

Thanks Revy! No I haven't smacked it yet. How long can it keep in the fridge as long as I make a starter with it. We talking another 6 months or 6 weeks?

A lot of LHBS's sell yeast past their date, and people make starters and use it...So I would say 6 months may be at the tail end...but 2-3 months beyond the expiry date, you'll be fine...

If you really are motivated you could harvest and freeze the yeast from the pack (search for yeast freezing and also making slants) but if you know you're gonna be using the yeast in the next few weeks, don't bother, just build up a starter and go.

 

[cwhill]

A lot of LHBS's sell yeast past their date, and people make starters and use it...So I would say 6 months may be at the tail end...but 2-3 months beyond the expiry date, you'll be fine...

If you really are motivated you could harvest and freeze the yeast from the pack (search for yeast freezing and also making slants) but if you know you're gonna be using the yeast in the next few weeks, don't bother, just build up a starter and go.

Awesome. I'll use it up probably within a month or so. I'm not quite ready to harvest yeast and things yet, But soon. I don't remember seeing an expiration date on the Wyeast package. I only saw the date it was packaged which was March. I'll have to double check.

 

[Revvy]

Oh, I thought Marcj was the expiry date, not packaging...you're fine then.