Found some smack packs in the fridge with a 2015 date on them. They have been cold all this time but I am guessing it is time to let them go?
How old is too old for yeast?
#1
Posted 29 May 2018 - 06:22 AM
#2
Posted 29 May 2018 - 06:27 AM
If you felt like it, you could make a small wake-up starter. Worst-case scenario, you're out a little time and DME.
I'd be inclined to make a starter, especially if they're strains that aren't available any more (seasonals, discontinued, etc.).
#3
Posted 29 May 2018 - 06:49 AM
Agreed... if it's just typical yeast that I could buy new, I may throw it out. But at the very least I would take it out of the fridge and smack the pack to see what happens. If it swells, that's one good sign. Then I would make a small starter and the pivotal point would be when I cut open the pack... if the yeast is dark and has a funky smell, buh-bye. But if it seems okay, then I would continue with a starter and keep taking sniffs. This last pack of 1056 had a date of January 2018 and I just smacked it last week. The old timeline used to be one day for every month past its manufacture date... so 4 days. It swelled hard in about one hour which surprised the hell out of me. I pitched directly from the pack and had good fermentation activity within a couple hours.
#4
Posted 29 May 2018 - 09:01 AM
I've successfully revived a 3 1/2 year old smack pack. I started with a couple cups of 1.020 wort. After it got going in there, I stepped it up.
#5
Posted 29 May 2018 - 07:16 PM
I'd pitch it in the garbage unless, as B2000 noted, its a strain you cannot readily replace.
#6
Posted 30 May 2018 - 01:42 AM
I'd pitch it in the garbage unless, as B2000 noted, its a strain you cannot readily replace.
Kind of where I am too honestly. I have some packages of bugs and Brett that will go in an experiment but I think the rest will end up in the trash. Good lesson to not over buy!
#7
Posted 30 May 2018 - 06:20 AM
I think I would still try it even if it was old just to see if it was viable. I hate making starters but it's cheap and easy and I have been surprised before... both in good ways and bad.
#8
Posted 11 June 2018 - 05:12 AM
0 for 2 so far with this yeast. 1469 and 2124. 1469 did not swell after a week so I chucked it and the 2124 I made a 1l SnS starter and so far flat. Oh well, lesson learned, do not overbuy!
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