Let's Freeze Some Yeast

[geneabovill]

Interesting stuff.. Seems I'm gonna need lab supplies added somewhere in my signature. I figure it'll pay for itself what with the money I save from not buying three smack packs to pitch because I can't be arsed making a starter.

Along with more fridges, freezers and other assorted paraphernalia.

Subscribed - and I'll be giving this a crack in the near future.

 

[Yob]

mate, if you are freezing yeast.. starters you will need

Stir plate highly recommended.. look up the Digital Stirplate, cheap and the most quality piece of kit for this sort of thing.. cant praise their goods high enough :super:

In fact HERE is the link.. no affiliation just a happy customer, they even have a cheap DIY kit available, but if I had my time again Id go the plug and play again... a thousand times h34r:

 

[geneabovill]

Oh, I've got all the gear, I just haven't really had a reason to.

Now that bub #4 is almost due, I need to save some cash, so now it's a viable option.

The digi stirplate is next on my list, because I'm not heaps happy with my ghetto stirrer.

 

[Yob]

so with a bit if further research and testing ive decided to go with a simplified approach.

%50 Glycerine solution means that the actual tube doesnt freeze at all hopefully meaning its a bit better on the yeast in the samples and it's a lot easier to manage the whole process.

was wondering if I now NEED on of these... I assume that it'd help separate the yeast in the tube allowing to pour off the glycerine/water?

not sure need is the right word but damn it'd make the shed look a lot funkier B)

 

[Mardoo]

Why do you need a milking machine in your shed Yob? :huh: Hey, that could be fun for the swap day by the look of it!

Everything I've found in the last two days indicates it's fine to make the starter with the glycerine included.

Oh, and Auroma sell bulk glycerine for $19.25/litre or $66.00 for 5 litres.

 

[Eagleburger]

I tried 1:1:1 glycerol:water :wyeast slurry and it is working so far after a week .I thawed a sample this morning and put it in dme solution and they are going great.I am sure I can see them smiling. I have about 100 1.5ml samples in the freezer.

 

[Eagleburger]

phone didnt add pic of the happy little yeasties

 

[Yob]

I was creating a new bunch of Greenbelt %50 solutions as I only have 2 of the original freeze, most given away with good feedback,

it was some months ago so Im going to thaw one of them and give it a run, the initial step will be just decanting the Glycerine / Water off the top of the tube and topping up with wort, then on to a 500ml starter then the 2000ml starter over the next few days.

These have been frozen fro approx 4.5 months.

 

[Midnight Brew]

With your 50% solution then added to the yeast, would that would give a final solution of 25%? (50% yeast then 25% water and 25% glycerine)

If I remember this right (dont have my notes in front of me) frozen vial thawed in fridge, then 50ml, then 400ml then a 1.5L starter and it worked a charm. I think it was a 5 day ferment too.

My freezer is full of yeast and hops. I clearly dont brew IPA's.

 

[Yob]

With your 50% solution then added to the yeast, would that would give a final solution of 25%? (50% yeast then 25% water and 25% glycerine

actually MBrew I think it's more %50 Glycerine, %25 Yeast and %25 Water, as can be seen in the pictures the Yeast slurry is filled to the 25ml mark, Glycerine then to the 50ml mark

 

[MartinOC]

Yob, just how "thick" is the slurry you have in those tubes above? It seems you're assuming that it's 50/50 water/yeast up to the 25ml mark, then you add 25ml of "straight" glycerine to the tube?

 

[Yob]

Roughly speaking, yep

 

[tateg]

Hey Yob
How's it going with the 50% Glycerine mix?, I have read somewhere else that raising the Glycerine % is the best option when using a frost free freezer.
Does the yeast have a chance to settle out before freezing ?
cheers

 

[Yob]

The solution doesn't freeze at %50 but yes will still settle slowly.

I haven't had to revive any ay the higher concentration yet but I fired up one of the %15 ones this week after being frozen for 4 months.. Fired without issue

My freezer isn't frost free

 

[lael]

Sydney:
http://www.seoc.com.au/product.asp?pID=4017&cID=429 cheap food grade glycerine. These guys are cheapest by far.

Noosaville, Qld:
https://www.escentialsofaustralia.com/php/product_listing.php?gid=5
Vegetable pharmaceutical grade is cheaper than above, actually...but have $8 surcharge under 100



Melbourne:
There's also n essentials
https://www.n-essentials.com.au/mobile/product.aspx?ProductCode=RSGLYC&CartID=1

And http://www.melbournefooddepot.com/?rf=kw&kw=glycerine

 

[Yob]

Hay, good searching, that last link is a corker,

Comparison is 200ml = $8 at Coles

 

[lael]

Yeah, although the seoc is $8/kg 15 delivery in Sydney, and maybe for Melbourne too. I tried 2kg and it was still 15. So.. 31 for 2kg. Pretty awesome.

 

[idzy]

Or $29 for 5kg, sounds like a bulk buy opportunity.

 

[Yob]

Just to add to this thread, I stepped up some WY1217 last week and I pitched it on Sunday, brew is now sitting at 1010 so Im really happy with the continued results.

For a low cost, low effort method of capturing yeast, Im stoked with how this is turning out.

:super:

(ed I should add, been frozen solid in a %15 solution for 4 or 5 months)

 

[kcurnow]

Hi Yob, a quick question on sterilizing your syringe for transferring the right amounts of yeast and glycerine to the storage tubes. How do you sterilize them? Is it done in your pressure cooker or just with starsan?