How long will harvested yeast keep?

[BierMuncher]

I'm getting ready to rack off of my AG Begian Wit. I have a great yeast and plan on washing and keeping it.

Assuming I do a good job on washing and sanitation, how long can this yeast remain viable in the refrigerator?

Any tricks? Dos? Don'ts?

THanks.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I've used yeast from baby food jars that were 6 months old without any problems.

Just remember to sanitize all the containers well and you should have no problems.

I have over 20 vials and 30 baby food jars of yeast. I can grab any one of them to use without thinking if it's good or not.

 

[BierMuncher]

Cool. Now I gotta find me a baby.

 

[ill.literate]

Cool. Now I gotta find me a baby.

LMAO... and with that, I'm going home. It's too nice to stay at work any longer

 

[Yooper]

Cool. Now I gotta find me a baby.

You can have one of mine. They are now 17 and 14 1/2. You can have either one, no charge. I'll even through in the baby food jars (as many as you want), a car, and a month's supply of Cheerio's for the youngest one, a boy ( 30 boxes). Yes, that's right- a box of Cheerio's a day. But he's only 6'2'' and growing. I'll throw in 3 pairs of basketball shoes, too, in size 14.

 

[BierMuncher]

You can have one of mine. They are now 17 and 14 1/2. You can have either one, no charge. I'll even through in the baby food jars (as many as you want), a car, and a month's supply of Cheerio's for the youngest one, a boy ( 30 boxes). Yes, that's right- a box of Cheerio's a day. But he's only 6'2'' and growing. I'll throw in 3 pairs of basketball shoes, too, in size 14.

Thanks but with three girls away at school and a fourth in middle school...

I got all the fun I can handle...

Why do you think I started brewing for a hobby?

 

[abracadabra]

I've used yeast from baby food jars that were 6 months old without any problems.

.

Glad to hear that as John Plamer's "How to Brew" says only a couple of months
and discard when it turns the color of peanut butter.

I just took some out of the fridge and tossed it because of the color.

 

[Rhoobarb]

FWIW, I've stored yeast in the freezer and used it a year later with no probems. Just make sure you add some glycerine to keep it from freezing solid and killing the yeast for good! You want a 'yeast slush'. You can get glycerine at any drug store. I've read warnings about no-frost freezers being bad for frozen yeast, but I haven't seen that to be the case IME.

 

[BierMuncher]

FWIW, I've stored yeast in the freezer and used it a year later with no probems. Just make sure you add some glycerine to keep it from freezing solid and killing the yeast for good! You want a 'yeast slush'. You can get glycerine at any drug store. I've read warnings about no-frost freezers being bad for frozen yeast, but I haven't seen that to be the case IME.

Intrigued...Where in the drugstore is the glycerin? Is it a shelf item?

How much glycerin and how is it introduced to the yeast?

Signed, Glycerin Clueless

 

[abracadabra]

glycerin aka K-Y jelly

Also ball jars are good for storing and then adding wort for a starter

I use some very small ball jars that pesto sauce comes in as well as the 20 oz. jars

 

[BierMuncher]

glycerin aka K-Y jelly

K-Y? I HAVE That.

 

[JayMckeever]

I haven't been able to find glycerine before. K-Y really works for storing yeast?

 

[homebrewer_99]

Glad to hear that as John Plamer's "How to Brew" says only a couple of months
and discard when it turns the color of peanut butter.

I just took some out of the fridge and tossed it because of the color.

Odd...most liquid yeast looks like peanut butter when you get it.

 

[bnutting]

Do I need to wash the yeast prior to putting in a jar to store or can I just sanitize everything and scoop up a cup or two of the cake and slap it into a jar?

With the price of yeast going up slowly I think I will start saving my cakes.

 

[sirsloop]

you're going to want to get yourself a "brew" ky jelly tube...lol... last thing you want to be using is that OTHER tube w/ bodily fluids on the outside, LMFAO.

I've used yeast after 4 months in my fridge. Just clean things up good, warm for ~12-24 hours, and make yourself a starter 48 hours prior to pitching.

Actually, what ive started doing is making a bit larger starter, pitching 3/4, saving 1/4 for storage. Saves me the trouble of pitching it, and having to clean all the trub out after its fermented for 2 weeks. Whenever you want to reuse, just make another DME starter, pitch the 1/4 tube from the fridge and repeat.

 

[jdcoffman]

lol "No hunny I'm just taking the KY into the garage to give my yeast something to live in" ;-)