Pitched month old wyeast no fermentation. Okay to repitch?

[beerengineers]

Last night I brewed an extract recipe kit that had been sitting in my closet (Caribou Slobber from Northern Brewer, if anyone was wondering).

The liquid wyeast, that comes in a plastic sealed “pouch”, had been in my fridge since I first got the order but was just 1 month outside of its use by date. It has been 24hours and it appears as if active fermentation has not yet started. I am beginning to assume that I pitched an expired and inactive yeast culture. Would it be unwise to order a brand new wyeast of the same type and re-pitch it into the same wort?

I am assuming that the unfermented wort is still preservable since everything has been santatized and sealed in the primary fermenter. I was more unsure of the effects of having an extra batch worth of dead yeast in the brew.

Thank you my fellow home brewers.

Also - I noticed that when I activated it by breaking the internal pouch and taking it out of the fridge, it barely inflated. However this has happened to me in the past with wyeast and the beer still fermented feverishly.

[denny]

I think you’re just impatient. Give it another day or so. I take it you didn’t make a starter?

[shadetree]

Does “one month outside” mean that it was one month older than the use by date? If so, you really under-pitched and I would consider pitching a packet of US-05 to get it going.

[brwrboy69]

I don’t remember ever seeing a use by date on Wyeast, only a package date. How long did you wait for it to inflate? If you gave it a few hours and had nothing, there’s probably not many living yeast left. I’d give it another day and then pitch a US-05. If you have good sanitation, you’d probably good for another day.

[denny]

@brwrboy69

I don’t remember ever seeing a use by date on Wyeast, only a package date.

This is correct.

[nighthawk]

Wait 72 hours.

[beerengineers]

Friends, thank you for the help so far. Just to clarify, this was my 5th batch, all have been extract so far. I’ve tried googling and searching norhtern brewer for US-50 that several of you have recommended but have not found anything, I am unfamiliar with what this is.

Answers to your questions below:

@Denny

I think you’re just impatient. Give it another day or so. I take it you didn’t make a starter?

No I did not make a starter. Up until now I’ve only used wyeast directly into my batches or dry yeast, both straight from the packet into the chilled wort.

@Shadetree

Does “one month outside” mean that it was one month older than the use by date? If so, you really under-pitched and I would consider pitching a packet of US-05 to get it going.

Yes you are correct. The date on the wyeast was the manufactured date, and states for best results use within 6 months. The current date puts it just at one month outside of this.

@brwrboy69

I don’t remember ever seeing a use by date on Wyeast, only a package date. How long did you wait for it to inflate? If you gave it a few hours and had nothing, there’s probably not many living yeast left. I’d give it another day and then pitch a US-05. If you have good sanitation, you’d probably good for another day.

I waited approx 4 hours. It has been refrigerated since I received it, until yesterday when I removed it from the fridge and smacked it to open the inner pouch, and let it sit at room temp on my kitchen counter.

[denny]

Without a starter you likely underpitched and it’s taking a while to get started. Be patient.

[twdjr1]

The yeast that comes with the Caribou Slobber kit takes a while to get started, and then it takes its time to ferment. As others have noted, if you are a month past the date on the pack you actually have pretty fresh yeast as that is the packaging date.

[beerengineers]

Update for anyone that is remotely interested, I woke up today to the batch fermenting. It is not as active as my past batches but it is steady and consistent.

Can someone educate me on what US-50 is? As my searches have not turned up anything.

@twdjr1

The yeast that comes with the Caribou Slobber kit takes a while to get started, and then it takes its time to ferment. As others have noted, if you are a month past the date on the pack you actually have pretty fresh yeast as that is the packaging date.

This is pretty accurate as it is fermenting now but it is taking it’s time. Also the date the wyeast was pitched was 7 months past the packaging date, 6 months being the recommended window as noted.

[denny]

US05 is a pretty neutral dry yeast. Akin to WY1056 or WLP001 in character.

[shawn2974]

I have to put my two since in on this one guys. Everything these pro’s are telling u is correct. I just came out of a situation like this a month ago. I brewed a nut brown ale and pitch an outdated wl004 vail and 24 hours later NOTHING. I was told these same things and im glad i waited to repitch. 68 hours later the airlock was rolling. I pitched wl001 into a red ale i did a couple months ago with this same problem . I waited 72 hour for this one and i pitched us05 and saved the day. What im telling is patience first then us05 next. 1 of the 2 will get u going

[mvsawyer]

@shawn2974

I have to put my two since in on this one guys. Everything these pro’s are telling u is correct. I just came out of a situation like this a month ago. I brewed a nut brown ale and pitch an outdated wl004 vail and 24 hours later NOTHING. I was told these same things and im glad i waited to repitch. 68 hours later the airlock was rolling. I pitched wl001 into a red ale i did a couple months ago with this same problem . I waited 72 hour for this one and i pitched us05 and saved the day. What im telling is patience first then us05 next. 1 of the 2 will get u going

Better yet, make a starter for anything over 1.045 OG. You can tell if the yeast is viable and your lag time will dramatically decrease…to a few hours.