Mail order yeast tips

[bumstigedy]

I was wondering if anyone has any tips for buying liquid yeast via mail order?
In your experience has the ice pack or two kept it cold enough in the summer?

The few times I have tried this in the summer, the wyeast packs arrived swollen and the ice packs were melted.

Thanks!

 

[USMCYoder]

I ordered 2 yeast packs with an ice pack from northern brewer. Once it arrived, the yeast was warm almost hot to the touch. I tried to revive them, but it didn't help. NB was good enough to to credit me the money.

Since then I just go to the LHBS to get my yeast, but I feel in the winter time, it wouldnt be a problem.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Any concern over yeast freezing during the winter? Anyone with good tips for avoiding winter damage, if there is any to fear?

 

[johnnybob]

I live in Las Vegas, so I do not order liquid yeast in the warm months. In the fall/winter I'll order liquid yeast. My plan is to wash and save yeast strains that I'll want to use in the hot weather months. Otherwise, once the weather starts to warm up, I just plan to brew recipes that I can use with a dry yeast strain. Plan ahead. It works for me.

 

[badmajon]

During the summer I travel 70 miles to Columbia, SC for my liquid yeast. I made the mistake of ordering mail order yeast in summer only once and yes I included a cold pack.

In GA, we have pretty mild winters so right now I am just buying the yeast mail order, no problems. As far as freezing goes, I don't know- I think UPS's warehouses must be at least minimally heated, or perhaps the building just keeps the cold out naturally because the yeast I got last week was fine, and it was freezing outside at the time.

 

[BigBadMikey]

I have had really bad luck with buying yeast online. Unless using dry, I always buy yeast from my LHBS.

 

[devilishprune]

Am I the only one who hasn't had a problem using liquid yeast that I got from the mail? Every time it arrives and performs well enough to ferment a starter which will get pitched into some beer later.

Personally, I don't think that the cold packs to much of anything because I remember reading some story about a guy who threw one (that he refroze) into the trunk of his car in the summer. He said it was melted within a few hours.

 

[Wellshooter]

I received one in August that was very hot (nearly 100 degrees) and the ice pack was too. I made a big starter and the beer was great. Not something I want to repeat, but yeast is a tough little fungus.

P.S. I don't have a LHBS closer than 180 miles.

 

[bumstigedy]

Does anyone know how the LHBS's keep their yeast cool during shipping? I am assuming that they order enough volume at a time that the yeast is delivered on refrigerated trucks or via FedEx with one of those battery operated coolers.

 

[teddy4xp]

Order from a company that is close to where you live. It doesnt make sense to order from a company in OR if you live, lets say, on the east coast. When I lived in PA, I ordered from a company in Ohio, asked for USPS priority shipping and it showed up within 48 hours. I only did it a few times when there was a specialty type that I needed. It showed up still cool with the ice pack partly frozen.

As for the LHBS ordering...im sure they buy in bulk and the supplier probably rushes it to them since they want them to continue to buy from them, that would be my guess,

 

[JarrodH]

Even ordering form Morebeer, which is just up the state from me I still get warm yeast. I have just given in to just buying the yeast at the LHBS since I live in San Diego where the yeast is made and why have it shipped to San Fran and then back.

 

[TheDom]

I've ordered yeast in the summer to FL before, and as long as I made a good sized starter, I've never had a problem.

 

[rawlus]

during hotter weather i buy 6 wyeast activators at a time with 2-day shipping from midwest supplies, shipped in an insulated box. works great.
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/deluxe-insulated-foam-shipping-box.html

 

[barrooze]

I've ordered White Labs during fall months (and in TX, it's still dang hot) with a cold pack and insulated pouch from both Austin Homebrew Supply and Midwest Supplies. The yeast and ice packs were very warm to touch when I received them, but I made a starter with info from MrMalty and the beer's come out great! Just make a starter (as you probably should anyways) and all will be good. Order from a very reputable source and they'll probably replace it or refund the money if it's DOA.