Liquid yeast at room temp for 3 months

[JPrather]

A friend of mine bought a beer kit (kolsch extract kit) a few months ago, today I noticed it was still sitting on his fridge. He hadn't brewed it because they "forgot to include sugar". After explaining to him that priming sugar is just table sugar, I took a look at the kit and found a pack of Wyeast 2565.

It was dated mid-Jan 2014, and has been sitting on at room temperature on his fridge since at least mid February.

Mr malty gives a viability of 32%, but that's assuming it was kept refrigerated I think.

What are the chances it is salvageable? Is the correct play here to make a starter and hope it takes off? I'm thinking he may want to just pitch some us-05, and maybe I'll try to salvage the liquid yeast to use in a kolsch and/or an alt.

Any thoughts are appreciated!




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[ph0ngwh0ng]

I would make a starter out of it, step it up, then store the yeast as per this if you're not using it right away.

Hope this helps!

 

[funkadelicturkey]

Table sugar/sucrose is not the same as corn sugar/dextrose used for priming. They ferment differently, in my experience sucrose not fermenting nearly as well.
As to the question about whether or not to use the yeast, for me it would depend on the beer I am making. I would not want to waste $60 of ingredients because I wanted to experiment with the yeast. If it is a low gravity beer then I'd go with ph0ngwh0ng's advice and make a starter out of the Wyeast. If it were a higher gravity beer, i'd still make a starter out of properly stored yeast or pitch two packs.

 

[JPrather]

Thanks for the replies. I definitely confused dextrose with table sugar.

I've never made a starter before, maybe this is a good excuse to get some experience making one while trying to salvage this pack.


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[Nuggethead]

Just my 2 cents worth, but rather than starting with 3 month old room temp liquid yeast, making a starter, after 48 hours decant and make another starter, wait another 48 hours, and still you don't really know what you have in the way of cells. Just spend $6 bucks and start with some fresh yeast.

 

[MindenMan]

There are few things worse than regret. Buy fresh yeast and pitch at the proper temperature, and keep the fermenter temp under control. Under pitching and/or high temps, will produce beer with an "off" flavor or two.

 

[kh54s10]

I am not sure about sitting at room temperature. But people make starters from the dregs of beers... I assume most beers sit at room temperature for some period of time.

I make starters from just 5 milliliters of frozen yeast that has been stored for up to two years so far.

I say make the starter. If it goes well use it, if not get new yeast in time to make a starter, if it is liquid yeast.

 

[FATC1TY]

Table sugar/sucrose is not the same as corn sugar/dextrose used for priming. They ferment differently, in my experience sucrose not fermenting nearly as well.
As to the question about whether or not to use the yeast, for me it would depend on the beer I am making. I would not want to waste $60 of ingredients because I wanted to experiment with the yeast. If it is a low gravity beer then I'd go with ph0ngwh0ng's advice and make a starter out of the Wyeast. If it were a higher gravity beer, i'd still make a starter out of properly stored yeast or pitch two packs.

If he's using it to prime, he's correct that the corn sugar, or table(beet) sugar is all the same for the purpose. No need to buy any other alternative.

 

[pvault98]

Just my 2 cents worth, but rather than starting with 3 month old room temp liquid yeast, making a starter, after 48 hours decant and make another starter, wait another 48 hours, and still you don't really know what you have in the way of cells. Just spend $6 bucks and start with some fresh yeast.

This.

Not worth all the time and effort only to find out the yeast is a no go, or worse for it to look good enough to use and beer turn out flawed, under-attenuated, etc from using that yeast. 3 months isn't too longer for yeast to sit around, but at room temp, very little will be viable and what is prob is not very desirable.

 

[ph0ngwh0ng]

Just my 2 cents worth, but rather than starting with 3 month old room temp liquid yeast, making a starter, after 48 hours decant and make another starter, wait another 48 hours, and still you don't really know what you have in the way of cells. Just spend $6 bucks and start with some fresh yeast.

Holy s***s yes this ^^

AND propagate the yeast by boosting the starter and splitting into the yeast needed for a batch and a starter for the future. Yeast is THE place where you can save on every batch easily.

 

[butterpants]

I wouldn't use it.

 

[winvarin]

+1 to buying fresh yeast. If you want to salvage some use out if the old vial, dump it in during the last 15 min of your boil instead of nutrient. Yeasts are cannibals. They love feeding off the dead bodies of fallen comrades.


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[JPrather]

Thanks again for the replies. I guess it's not worth trying to make a starter, though I might still do it just for practice, without intending to use the yeast.

Great tip re: using the bad yeast as yeast nutrient!


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