yeast cake any good (6weeks in 2liter bottle)no signs of ferm

[AlphaKing11]

So from my second batch of beer I saved some or all yeast cake of a batch fermed with WLP001. It has been in the fridge since december 12th. Roughly 2 or 3 cups of yeast. I made a strong stout, 1.090 and was able to get 4 gallons of a lighter batch at 1.048. I pitched 3/4 of the slurry on big beer and the remaining 1/4 on the smaller one. This was at 430 and 530 am this morning, ( what a night). I really expected something to be going by now it is going on 12hrs, thought that big beer would be starting to swirl or build krauzen. nothing, flat. I do have a pale ale almost finished that I could rack to secondary and pitch its fresh yeast it was made with WLP pacific ale, it attenuates less so I took a risk and went with the older wlp001. How long would you guys wait, this was a pretty expensive beer and a lot of work, I was sterile so it should be fine if I have to wait a bit to pitch again. I have pitched starters that were doing something by now...... I mean I don't want to overpitch, but I will add that pacific ale yeast to save this beer you know?

 

[AlphaKing11]

Whats the longest lag times you have had pitching yeast cake slurry?

 

[breez7]

Dont do anything for 72 hrs and read this...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/

 

[cheezydemon3]

Yeah, dormant yeast, cold wort, they will take time to wake up.

 

[AlphaKing11]

For another, harvested slurry - unwashed yeast - loses viability rapidly. Tests have shown that approximately 25% viability is lost per every seven days spent in cold storage. If you must store the slurry longer than seven days, wash the yeast. I just found this posted by "Bob"...... I didn't wash my yeast and it was at room temp when I pitched, now I,m worried

 

[breez7]

I've pitched way too old yeast slurry that I never should have and the beer turned out fine. It's just not something you want to make a habit of doing. RDWHAHB

 

[breez7]

Just read that thread again....Was the yeast at room temps for all that time? or was it in the fridge and warmed up to room temp? If it was at room temps for that long you may have reason to be concerned, not only with viable yeast but also contamination.

 

[AlphaKing11]

I was in the fridge and then warmed in some leukwarm water and then just sat on counter until I needed it. how long did it take your old slurry to start goin?

 

[AlphaKing11]

a friend of mine who brews in NC just wrote back an email and thought it should be going by now, said he would pitch the yeast from my other fermenting beer. gonna do this soon unless some people have experienced same or longer lag times, since i didn't wash it I don't feel it may be viable......I didn't know not washing hurt the lifespan of the yeasties.!

 

[breez7]

ok thats better, mine took about 24-36hrs

 

[cheezydemon3]

4 month old yeast cake stored at room temp. FINE.

Bob waaaaaay overblew that old thread.