Old dry yeast -- brewing tomorrow

[rellot]

So I have a Safale-04 I'm using for a 5 gallon batch tomorrow, 1.065 OG. I thought it was a newer sachet, but the expiration date is this month! I found out that means it is two years old.

Beer Home Brewing Why use Fermentis Yeast

The Mr. Malty calculator says the viability is 44%.


What are people's opinions? Should I make a starter for this or scratch it and throw in a new US-05?

If you think I should make a starter, how would I figure out what size starter to make? There's not a "I have some freaking old yeast" button on Mr. Malty.

I know Wyeast says putting a smack pack into 2L will double the cell count. So I might just go with that. I probably wouldn't go with smaller. I have a stir plate.

Of course, I don't want to have a bad batch, but I also paid $5 for this sachet (supporting the LHBS, Friendly Frank).

 

[samc]

US-05 for this batch. If you want to save the 04 make a starter and decant for use on your next batch.

 

[ACbrewer]

What beer style? Most are under pitched, but some styles are more forgiving.. ok.. only belgians, but still..

Me? I'd have done a starter today and brew with it tomorrow.

How was the yeast stored? White labs says dry yeast only looses 4% if in the fridge for 1 year.. don't know how that translates to 2 years..

 

[rellot]

It's an IPA, which people usually say use 1056 or us-05 for. But I wanted to play with s-04.

it's been in a freezer vacuum packed in a mason jar -- I don't mess around.

the waiting to have enough time to decant makes more sense to me now. if I pitched it now 2 pm tomorrow when I need it wouldn't be enough time to grow it and then drop the yeast out completely, even with putting it in the fridge. might get only the most flocculation yeast, and s-04 is only a moderately flocculation yeast.

 

[rellot]

I went ahead with the s-05. rehydrated, etc. I usually use liquid yeast and get fermentation before 12 hours. I woke up this morning and checked it out (about 15 hours) and it wasn't bubbling. So I got a little scared. But it has started fermenting now, probably 20 hours in. I probably pitch liquid yeast at a much higher rate.

 

[ChillWill]

Go for 05, I've used 04 is an arrogant bastard clone kind of beer and it's no where near as good as when using a neutral yeast (like Nottingham or 05). It made it a bit malty and fruity, not what I wanted