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Yeast Viability at Purchase

Yeast & Fermentation
#1

I haven’t mail ordered yeast in a while as I usually get it from my LHBS but he couldn’t get it until next Friday. So, I ordered a smack pack of WY2001 urquell yeast from amazon.com.

It was fulfilled by a company called grape & granary. The smack pack is dated 13sep2016. That seems kind of old to me. Since I haven’t ordered online lately I wanted to get some feedback before I provide feedback on the order. Am I being too harsh? I only paid 7.59 and I’m prime so I get free 2 day shipping but brewer’s friend gives it 24% viability. I figure it’s closer to 50 but I’ll do a two step starter anyway.

#2

Not too bad of a price for $7.59 total. Two to three months older than I get get from NB. Only cost you a little more DME to build the yeast cells up.

#3

What’s the pitch calculator you use @flars? It’s not as harsh on viability as Brewer’s Friend right?

BF is saying I need to do a 3L then a 6L step to get enough yeast for 5 gals!

#4

I think Sept 2016 is old. I just received a smack pack of 2007 from a very reputable online vendor and it too was dated Sept 2016. Took forever to start and I question how it’s going to ferment 10gal.

#5

I just got a pack it was dated late Sept it expanded within an hour. The starter started quick and it’s happily working on 3L. So you should be alright

#6

I use Brew United. Is the 3 liter and second step of 6 liters for an ale or lager?

#7

Lager. Smacked it about an hour ago, 3L starter is chilling in the kitchen sink, smack pack is expanding.

#8

With those required steps brew a 3gsl beer and use the cake.

1 Like
#9

If I could do 5gals for the second step I would but doesn’t look like it will work out so the 6L second step will get me to 11 gals quicker.

#10

Your doing a ten gallon batch and only bought one smack pack ? And I thought I was thrifty.:thinking:

#11

If they’re fresh enough I can do a 2 step starter and it works fine. Had I known it wouldn’t be so fresh I’d have sprung for 2!

#12

I just ordered and received a wyeast pack from farmhouse… dated sept 2016 when it arrived. I pulled off some wort from a brown ale a few days ago, and it started right up. I’m sure the yeast variety matters, but it’ll probably be fine with a starter.

#13

Brew United gives it 44% viability for that date. Much better than brewer’s friend but still not enough to get me to 11 gals in 2 steps. without pushing the limits of my 2 gal starter jugs. Looks like I’ll be brewing 5 gals of pils next week.

#14

I’m wondering about those viability stats. Probably worse case scenario. I got mine from a brew shop who probably has stored the yeast in optimum conditions as opposed to the warming and cooling of shipping. I’m thinking I’m better than 34% that brewers friend says.

#15

Me gonna make the last starter. Got yeast in like october. Did make one. Few days ago as well took forever to get a krausen. Now at 4 awake do the second for next week session. Did order yesterday new yeast.

#16

I wonder how long will a vender offer past date yeast? I have some older yeast that I cultured, and they work fine. Sneezles61

#17

I kind of asked this question not to long ago but did not really understand the answer. From my start a year ago I have only used WYeast with fastpitch starters. I have ordered yeast 2-3 month a head of time. I have never had a problem. In fact I am getting activing every time in less then 8 hours and always need a blow off tube. I generally even add to the gravity by a couple of points with DME and brown sugar. My question is how do you know if yeast is viable or not. I kind of go through the motions and do what I am suppose to do. However I am still pitching the starter yeast hoping for the best. Not really knowing if I still have good yeast or not. How can a person look at the starter and tell. I have one going in the stil plat now and can’t really tell any difference.

#18

That’s the problem with stir plates, you don’t get a krausen. However, if you let it settle after awhile you can gently shake it and see bubbles rising to the top.

FWIW I stopped using my stir plate unless I’m propagating dregs from a bottle or old yeast. I’ve since moved to the Shaken, Not Stirred method and it works great. There is evidence that using stir plates can cause off flavors as the yeast is stressed from the shearing action of the plate. Often, people attribute these off flavors to process or other ingredients. Plus, SWMBO likes the fact that she no longer has to hear the stir bar rattle anymore!

#19

Loopie, did you have it on her night stand? I agree, the shake the living who-who into yer wort, then pitch yeast… Simple. Shawn1, ditch the stir plate and utilize this method. If nothing happens or action in 8 hours, then you MAY have expired yeast, pray for their souls please… Thats an easy and proven method for me. Also, learn the smell of yer yeast fermenting, especially helpful when you’ve repitched yeast many times. You git an awful whiff, its time to dump. Sneezles61

#20

Thank you that helped :beers:

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