Yeast Starter Shelf life in Fridge

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Grim_Ale

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A buddy of mine wanted to brew an IIPA with an OG of 1.082.

I made a 2L starter and after it finished ferming after 4 days I put it in the fridge then brewed next day and had quite the vigorous fermentation which set in in 7 hours.

My friend couldnt make it on brew day, and then the next brew day and the next...well you get the picture.

Ive had his in the fridge for almost 2 weeks.... his went in when mine did.

Is his yeast still viable?

He took off work sunday to come over and brew as I explained to him that hes basically throwing 20 bucks in yeast and ingredients for the starter down the drain.

I checked it out. It has about a 1 inch thick slurry as mine did. There is a few flake looking things floating around, but i figured it was just the DME i used when I made my starter.

Any thoughts?
 
The yeast will be viable still for sure. However, you're going to want to feed them again to make it a starter again. My recommendation:

- Take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temp gently (over a few hours or overnight).

- Boil and cool some (500ml to 1l)fresh wort to result in 1.040 or so (normal starter wort).

- Aerate the wort and pour it into the old starter.

This will get the yeast back into the growth stage again and will make that 2l of beer you currently have into a starter all over again.

I would definitely decant the beer off of the slurry before pitching because you'll have over 2 liters of oxygenated beer.
 
I do what Tedski suggest, except I'd decant that spent wort first. Then, make a starter with 1 quart water and 1 cup DME. Cool the wort, and add the yeast slurry (at room temperature). Do this on Saturday, for brewing on Sunday. You'll have a great starter! It'll be ok to pitch the whole thing on Sunday.
 
I do what Tedski suggest, except I'd decant that spent wort first. Then, make a starter with 1 quart water and 1 cup DME. Cool the wort, and add the yeast slurry (at room temperature). Do this on Saturday, for brewing on Sunday. You'll have a great starter! It'll be ok to pitch the whole thing on Sunday.

Well, well. Doesn't this make a whole lot more sense. I'll continue to drink my coffee until my brain wakes up.
 
decant= pour the liquid off the top of the starter. leave the trub and the nice white layer of yeast in the flask.

B
 
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