Let's Freeze Some Yeast

[Coldspace]

I'll keep mine at approx 30% glycerine then. 20% sterile water, 50% thick yeast slurry.

I use 30 ml vials I got from my local chemist for 40 cents each. After I fill em up and lid em, I wrap the lid around with white electrical tape. This seals the lid tight and gives me something to wright on instead of the lid, then I can re- use them.

I found also after filling these up half way with boiling glycerine/water mix, I lid em and drop them straight into a dish of water to cool quickly , otherwise I have noticed the plastic vials can warp slightly and also cools it quicker to then get the slurry ontop faster.

Many diff ways to skin a cat.....

My 1084 struck up good at the 40% mark but it was only 4 months old, as this is when I first put them in. Got some nice British ale yeasts coming in, will propagate them up, then freeze em at 30% mix.

Awesome......

 

[Moad]

OK 25-30% it is then.

I also just took delivery of 5KG of glycerine. Anyone need some? Can ship 1KG for $25 (glycerine + shipping).

Or pickup for $10 a KG in Newcastle

 

[MastersBrewery]

Finally got me a pressure cooker now just need to track down some vials and give this a red hot go.
Do any of you guys wash yeast from a 1st gen ferment and split? Or is it safer to just split from fresh packs?

 

[Yob]

Both.. Depends on my timing and the ferment

 

[MastersBrewery]

Both.. Depends on my timing and the ferment

Ahhuh clear as RIS.

 

[SBOB]

Or pickup for $10 a KG in Newcastle

I'll grab 1 L/kg off you.. Im local (Wallsend) but away for work this coming week but can organise to pickup at some stage?



Anyone got a recommendation/source for cheap vials that are pressure cooker/microwave safe?

 

[Yob]

Check the bulk buys, Martin oc ran one a while back and I've only got praise for the vials, they rock

 

[dr K]

Is it really worth the effort?
Last millennium when I started brewing liquid yeast was hard to get, often old and bloody expensive.
These days there are many local suppliers who stock fresh liquid yeasts, some at $9 or less a pack.
80 billion or so viable cells fresh from the lab....mmmmmm

K

 

[Yob]

Not as fresh as right off the plate, I find having a library invaluable, I don't have to order in advance (sure, I've gotta stir it up though) and I've got an eternal supply of my favourites,many of which are PC strains and aren't available all year round, some aren't even available in Australia..

So yes... Totes

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Is it really worth the effort?
Last millennium when I started brewing liquid yeast was hard to get, often old and bloody expensive.
These days there are many local suppliers who stock fresh liquid yeasts, some at $9 or less a pack.
80 billion or so viable cells fresh from the lab....mmmmmm

K

I remember those days...

And 10yrs ago a wYeast smack pack was about $16....if they had them

But in saying that, this whole freezing yeast thread has been very interesting

And the idea of having a library in the freezer does have some merits, especially if you only want to use a specific yeast say once a year for a seasonal brew

 

[MastersBrewery]

Is it really worth the effort?
Last millennium when I started brewing liquid yeast was hard to get, often old and bloody expensive.
These days there are many local suppliers who stock fresh liquid yeasts, some at $9 or less a pack.
80 billion or so viable cells fresh from the lab....mmmmmm

K

when you live more than 100km out side a capital city the only choices in yeast are dried and very limited in range. I do go into the city every few months so when I do I'll be grabing a few strains to put away. Most everything else I get in bulk and therefore have on hand. Which reminds me I need some 3068 before spring.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

100km...fark...that is a bit close for my liking

 

[SBOB]

just grabbed a bunch of vials from china (1/2 the price of proscitech), so in a month or so I'll be joining the yeast freezing bandwagon (after I hit up Moad for some glycerine)

 

[gezzanet]

Got a link for those vials sbob?

 

[Mardoo]

Been thinking its time for a ProSciTech bulk buy…let me look into it.

 

[SBOB]

Got a link for those vials sbob?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/351748453646

All the others are similar price to proscitech, but this seller charged no extra shipping on top of the first 10...
so $20 for 60x50mL vials

 

[SBOB]

so, how are people storing their bulk glycerine supplies (assuming you have it not in the container it was shipped in)?

Good enough to just store in sterilised containers, or would go through some kind of pressure cooker/autoclave process to sterilise the glycerine also?

 

[Yob]

I've got it in a keg king growler

Just a PET bottle would do

 

[MartinOC]

Keep it in the container it arrived-in.

Mix-up your 50/50 in a pyrex jug & microwave it, then divvie it up into your pre-sanitised vials.

Once cool, add your yeasties & freeze.

 

[Moad]

It gets sanitised if you pressure cook it in the vials with your mix so what it came in should be fine sbob