Frozen Yeast

[loikar]

Lads, Ladies.

Made a US-05 yeast starter last Saturday just for kicks as I had an extra pack (hadn't made one before), chucked into the chiller section of my fridge.
Problem is was pushed to the back and its now frozen. So, as Adam suggested in chat, I was going to defrost it and feed it some dex to see if I can bring it back.

Am I wasting my time here?

Am I correct in thinking that with the starter crystallizing (freezing), it'll destroy the yeast cells on defrost?

 

[razz]

Thaw it out and try to step it up again BF. It may be buggered, but if if it wasn't frozen to long you may have achance. Keep your Beerfingers crossed !

 

[newguy]

I know two people who lost a wyeast smack pack in their cars over the Canadian winter and found them the next summer. They both swelled up and made good beer. The packs endured temps as low as -40C, sometimes colder. About 6 months worth of freezing temps. Your yeast is likely just fine. Revive it in a starter; it's probably fine.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I know two people who lost a wyeast smack pack in their cars over the Canadian winter and found them the next summer. They both swelled up and made good beer. The packs endured temps as low as -40C, sometimes colder. About 6 months worth of freezing temps. Your yeast is likely just fine. Revive it in a starter; it's probably fine.

It may come back to life but it is not recommended that you freeze Wyeast.Just to make that clear.
GB

 

[newguy]

It may come back to life but it is not recommended that you freeze Wyeast.Just to make that clear.
GB

I acknowledge that it's not recommended, but I do know for a fact that you can freeze one and still make good beer from it. Will the beer be different because the yeast froze? Probably. But I've never heard anyone who did freeze a pack and use it declare that the beer it produced was crap. And the circumstances I'm familiar with (under a vehicle's seat for the entire winter) are way more harsh than accidentally letting one freeze for a day or two. One thing I think we can agree on is that yeast are way more resilient than people think.

 

[Supra-Jim]

Lads, Ladies.

Made a US-05 yeast starter last Saturday just for kicks as I had an extra pack (hadn't made one before), chucked into the chiller section of my fridge.
Problem is was pushed to the back and its now frozen. So, as Adam suggested in chat, I was going to defrost it and feed it some dex to see if I can bring it back.

Am I wasting my time here?

Am I correct in thinking that with the starter crystallizing (freezing), it'll destroy the yeast cells on defrost?

Bring it back to life with a zap of electricty, if it works you have your own Frankenyeast!!!!

:icon_cheers: SJ