Have I waited too long?

[time2brew]

Last May I tried my hand at harvesting yeast from a six-pack of Bell's Amber Ale. I build the yeast colony up twice with low gravity wort and the culture has been stored in my keggerator since that time.

Yadda yadda yadda... I'm just now(!) getting around to brewing a batch of Two Hearted and I wonder if the yeast I harvested is still viable or not.

Should I use the yeast I harvested or should I just buy a pack of 1272?

Thanks for your input!

 

[TyTanium]

May of 2012 or May of 2013? Make a starter, see what happens. May have to step it up a couple of times, but I bet it works.

 

[time2brew]

May 2013

 

[progmac]

i'd throw it away or use it in a one gallon experimental batch. i think the risk of contamination is too high to commit 5 gallons to it.

 

[eastoak]

if it's in a jar and kept cold i bet it's fine. if it's infected you will know by the jar top swelling (mason type jar) and the smell. i've used yeast that old and older without making a starter and it took off like normal. your experience may be different but there are lots of precedents for using old yeast.

 

[time2brew]

There's no apparent swelling of the mason jar lid and it's been stored at 45 degrees the entire time.

There is some stratification that's visible in the attached photo and I'm not sure if the yeast needs to be washed before I pitch it into a 1.040 starter.

 

[eastoak]

There's no apparent swelling of the mason jar lid and it's been stored at 45 degrees the entire time.

There is some stratification that's visible in the attached photo and I'm not sure if the yeast needs to be washed before I pitch it into a 1.040 starter.

don't wash it. if it's clean yeast why introduce the chance for infection from water, air, or some other source? put it right in a starter or fermentor of wort.

 

[time2brew]

Thanks for the guidance everyone.

It's going into a starter tonight!