Froze my starter.

[DamageCT]

I threw my 2000mL two poppack starter into the freezer in order to decant off some of the liquid and it froze.

Is there any point of throwing it back on the stirplate to try to save some yeast or is it game over?

 

[DamageCT]

I also happened to freeze the lager that was in the freezer (no clue how). Would this ruin the lager or will all be ok? I was going to keg it anyways.

 

[BrewerinBR]

Thaw it slowly in the fridge, the lager will be fine. The starter should be okay. You may want to decant and add more sterile wort to jump start it, that way you will know if the yeast survived the freeze.

 

[passedpawn]

Sure, give it a try. I've heard of guys with frozen smackpacks on their doorstep (thanks delivery guy) that still contained plenty of viable yeast.

 

[DamageCT]

Ok, the lager has thawed out...
and I threw the starter back onto the stir plate to hopefully kick start whatever is left alive, I might toss a bit more malt extract into it to help kickstart anything in there.

thanks!

 

[stubbornman]

I would personally start over. If it was frozen the yeast are likely dead and if any survived, they are probably less than optimal. YMMV

 

[DamageCT]

I would personally start over. If it was frozen the yeast are likely dead and if any survived, they are probably less than optimal. YMMV

Ok thanks, I was going to buy atleast a pop packs worth of yeast today and create a second starter incase

 

[flananuts]

I wouldn't say that their dead. I make a starter and freeze in glass vials the yeast slurry to make 10 1st gen starters. I've not had one go bad yet.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I would at least try and salvage the starter you froze before starting over. Good chance you build it back up with a couple steps if you killed some of the yeast.

 

[DamageCT]

I actually thawed out my starter, and let it warm up while on the stir plate and am seeing activity in the airlock along with a light froth (maybe a krausen?) around the top of the liquid.

Do you think this means my starter was saved?

 

[badmajon]

Sounds like you're fine. Freezing briefly will kill some of the yeast (ice crystals turn into little knives and stab the poor things) but some will have survived the freddy kruger-esque nightmare that you put them through.

They will reproduce and bring the population level up to where it used to be.

 

[DamageCT]

Sounds like you're fine. Freezing briefly will kill some of the yeast (ice crystals turn into little knives and stab the poor things) but some will have survived the freddy kruger-esque nightmare that you put them through.

They will reproduce and bring the population level up to where it used to be.

Guess I should be freezing ALL of my yeast around halloween! :fro:

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I actually thawed out my starter, and let it warm up while on the stir plate and am seeing activity in the airlock along with a light froth (maybe a krausen?) around the top of the liquid.

Do you think this means my starter was saved?

Sounds like everything will be fine. BTW though, if you're using a stir plate ditch the air lock and cover the top with foil. You want as much oxygen exposure as possible while making starters.

 

[DamageCT]

Sounds like everything will be fine. BTW though, if you're using a stir plate ditch the air lock and cover the top with foil. You want as much oxygen exposure as possible while making starters.

Just simple foil?
I knew you need oxygen, but I thought it was either an airlock or sanitary cotton?