Stepping Up Old Yeast

[ChairmanWow]

So I picked up all the ingredients for a northern English brown ale yesterday, and while rummaging through the yeast cooler found a tube of White Labs East Midlands in the back. It sounded interesting so I grabbed it, unfortunately without reading the best-by date, which was January 2nd 2014.

First, I'll have to have a conversation with my LHBS about rotating their stock, but that still leaves me with a bit of a problem. I've had a 1.25 liter starter on my stir plate for a little less than a day, and it's definitely alive, but pretty slack as far as activity goes. My last starter of WL001 was so energetic after 16 hours that it blew the foil off my flask.

Based on a bottling date of September 2013, my yeast calculator suggests a viability of about 9%, with this starter ending at about 130 billion cells. I'm thinking the best thing to do would be to let this ferment out, chill it and decant the starter beer, add another two liters of fresh wort, and put it back on the plate until I get a decent krausen.

Does anyone have a better suggestion? Other than paying more attention to the dates on the vial, of course.


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[flars]

Your current plan is the best plan.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Just do your step and it will be fine. I've stepped yeast up that was 2 years old. I usually start with a lower OG with my first step and a smaller volume. I bet when you hit it on this step, it will be active like a fresh tube/pack.

 

[RonPopeil]

Same. I save my yeast in the fridge all the time. When it's time to use them I do a 2L starter to wake it up and we're usually in good shape.