refrigerating yeast and preparing to pitch

[chrishart7]

I read that storing dry yeast in the refrigerator is a good idea. However, I'm concerned that when I make my yeast starter prior to pitching, I will be "shocking" the yeast because of the change in temperature? I've already put the packets in the frig and then thought about this so I took them back out, did I kill the yeast?

One more question, my English Brown Ale recipe kit that I purchased at my local brewing store calls for one 7 gram Muntons yeast packet. Should I use two of the same yeast packets to guarantee sufficient fermentation? What are the ramifications of doing this?

 

[Yooper]

I read that storing dry yeast in the refrigerator is a good idea. However, I'm concerned that when I make my yeast starter prior to pitching, I will be "shocking" the yeast because of the change in temperature? I've already put the packets in the frig and then thought about this so I took them back out, did I kill the yeast?

One more question, my English Brown Ale recipe kit that I purchased at my local brewing store calls for one 7 gram Muntons yeast packet. Should I use two of the same yeast packets to guarantee sufficient fermentation? What are the ramifications of doing this?

I take my yeast out of the fridge about an hour or so before making my starter, so it has time to come to room temperature. You definitely don't want to take yeast out of the fridge and pitch it directly into wort or a starter. Yeasts can handle temperature variations, of course, but sudden changes do tend to shock it. I guess just like us- to go from super cold to hot would shock us a bit, too, and yeasts are living organisms after all.

You don't make a starter with dry yeast, just rehydrate it according to package directions. Liquid yeasts usually do best with a starter, though. One package of dry yeast is sufficient for 5 gallons of wort, assuming it's not a super high gravity beer.

 

[Revvy]

I usually take my yeast out when I start brewing, that way it has several hours to warm up to room temp before pitching.

 

[Piotr]

One more question, my English Brown Ale recipe kit that I purchased at my local brewing store calls for one 7 gram Muntons yeast packet. Should I use two of the same yeast packets to guarantee sufficient fermentation? What are the ramifications of doing this?

7 grams for ale should be sufficient, but remember to rehydrate them properly.

 

[BADS197]

I dumped mine in last saturday fresh out of the fridge...

didnt think about allowing them to warm up.

oops...

they are fermenting away right now and going strong..

guess i got lucky.

 

[Revvy]

I dumped mine in last saturday fresh out of the fridge...

didnt think about allowing them to warm up.

oops...

they are fermenting away right now and going strong..

guess i got lucky.

It's really not a matter of luck...it won't hurt the yeast to cold pitch too much, unless there's a huge gap to cause thermal shock. But if you bring your wort down to the low 70's/hig 60's to pitch that is not too huge of a shock, it's what 10-20 degrees? A few may not make it, but if you are piching with a high enough rate then the rest will take over. If you are a High Temp Pitcher, and pitch in the 80's-90's then that may be a different story.

All that usually happens is that there will be a bit of a lag time, because the yeast are pretty dormant from being in the fridge, so it MAY take them a bit longer for them to get up to speed...

 

[ryanstewart]

This isn't *quite* the same question, but I didn't want to start a new thread and this was the closest one I could find in a search for "preparing yeast".

I'm getting ready to brew tomorrow and I have one of the Wyeast packets that you smash to activate. I was told by my local brew shop that it's a good idea to activate it as much as a day before you want to brew.

What I'm not sure about is whether or not I'm supposed to keep it in the refrigerator after I activate it or not? It sounds like you want to take it out a few hours anyway to let the Yeast get to room temperature, but if I activate it a day before, should I leave it in the refrigerator until a few hours before brewing or take it out when I activate it?

Thanks!