Feb. 18 I purchased a partial grain Belgian Saison from my LHBS with intent to Brew Sun. the 19. On Sat I fell off a ladder and have a nasty sprain on my ankle. So this put the Brew on hold. Just starting to get around now, My question is the wyeast smack pack with a production date of 1-3-2012 has been in the fridge since i bought it according to the Mr. Malty calc. this put it at a 38% viability , should I dump it and buy new Yeast? Also the Grains have been in plastic bags and in my Basement at 62* and had been run through the mill the day I purchased it, but they look fine after recently examining them. I Should be able to brew this weekend. Looking for any input. THANKS all.
Make a big starter and make sure it gets as much aeration as possible. Or, just buy more yeast. If you are going the starter route, better start now for a weekend brew.
+1 A starter is always a good idea - but is especially important if your yeast is dropping in viability. There really isn’t a substitute for a healthy, active yeast pitched in the right quantity and at the right temperature. If you don’t have the equipment or ingredients for a starter you will be best to buy new yeast - assuming the stock at the LHBS is fresh. Some LHBS are more careful about this than others - just sayin’.
With a starter you can use yeast way older than that.
