My Yeast Froze

[BulldawgBrew]

So I went outa town today and picked up some brewing supplies. An unexpected stop came up so I grabbed so ice for the cooler. Got home and the chunk of yeast appeared to be frozen. It's a hour and half each way to the closest brew supply. I was planning on brewing Friday. Is it safe to try? If li try and have no luck can I add another packet?

 

[ong]

Dry or liquid yeast? Assuming liquid, I'd try to make your starter now, so you can see how the yeast are doing. If it's dry, freezing should be fine.

 

[sanguine]

Freezing yeast culture is a fairly common method of long-term storage - assuming the packet wasn't damaged or anything, you'll probably be fine.

 

[BulldawgBrew]

Yeah it's a liquid yeast. It is WLP0001. Vial is in good shape. How hard is it to make a starter?

 

[cpa4ny]

Freezing yeast culture is a fairly common method of long-term storage - assuming the packet wasn't damaged or anything, you'll probably be fine.

Freezing yeast in GLYCERINE may work. Freezing yeast outright will result in ruptured cell walls, effectively killing the yeast cells. Bacteria can feed on that and quickly multiply.

I personally wouldn't use that vial or smackpack.

 

[ong]

If you have some DME or LME, it's very easy. It's generally recommended to make a starter if you're using liquid yeast (or pitch multiple batches). I use either a 2 qt Mason jar or a 1 gallon glass jar, depending what size starter I'm making. Cook up some 1.030 wort, cool to pitching temp, pitch, and cover loosely with tinfoil.

 

[flars]

It was Wyeast or White Labs that said, one freeze/thaw cycle may cause a 10% loss in viability. I like to use this pitch rate/starter calculator. I use it almost exclusively for consistency, making some adjustments using notes from previous starters and brews.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/

 

[BulldawgBrew]

I should add that the whole contents of the vial were not froze. It was the "klump" of yeast. And it moth not have been frozen. I took a look at it today and it was still klumped together. It was in a cooler with a cup of ice so i don't know if that would cause it to freeze.

 

[BulldawgBrew]

Bump. Really need to brew this weekend so it's ready for my family Christmas. If I brew it Friday and try the yeast and get nothing could I pitch another vial Sunday?

 

[flars]

Have you made the starter yet? The vial of yeast will not give you a decent fermentation, even for a low gravity beer, without making a starter for the yeast.

 

[IslandLizard]

You're yeast is fine. +1 on the starters, though. Start tonight, and you'll have a decent amount to pitch on Friday. You need to swirl it every couple hours or so.

 

[MrKrinkle151]

So the liquid didn't freeze? Are you sure the yeast wasn't just tightly compacted at the bottom of the vial?

 

[dk21]

I had a vial freeze once. It was no big deal. My starter fermented as well as it always does. I did make the starter a little bigger to account for the assumed 10% reduction in viability.

 

[BulldawgBrew]

I did not make a starter because I do not have any DME and am a hour away from any sources.

 

[brewkinger]

I hope that hopping on board this thread isn't frowned upon, but I did not want to start a new thread for a similar problem.
I made a starter on Wednesday for brewing this weekend.
I put the flask out on my unheated porch instead of the fridge to crash.
Woke up this morning to a refreshing 14 below zero outside temperature.
The flask of starter is slushy. I put it in the fridge to "thaw".
Are my yeasty friends gonna be ok??

 

[PoppinCaps]

I would make a new starter with some of the slurry to make sure, but if it wasn't frozen solid you're probably ok.

 

[brewkinger]

I would make a new starter with some of the slurry to make sure, but if it wasn't frozen solid you're probably ok.

That is what I was thinking. I took it out of the fridge and will let it come back to room temps. This evening I will make a small starter in hopes of reviving the little guys (and girls?)

I figured that since yeast can sometimes be frozen (yes, i understand that this process is done with glycerine), that a partial / close to freezing temps might not be too destructive to them.

 

[max384]

Yeah it's a liquid yeast. It is WLP0001. Vial is in good shape. How hard is it to make a starter?

You should ALWAYS be making a starter if you're using liquid yeast. Even in low gravity beers, the cell count is too low in liquid yeasts. They're easy to make though.

Here's a good tutorial: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-5.html



EDIT: Crap, just realized this was a necro thread...