White Labs Liquid Yest How Long Is Too Old?

[ohmic]

Hi,

I am looking for some advice on how long a liquid yeast will last in the fridge.

I have a White labs WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale Yeast sitting in the fridge, took a culture the first time I used it. The problem is that the yeast has been sitting in the fridge for well over a year, wife thinks it's closer to 3 years.

What are the odds that this yeast is going to be ok? I know I can add some sugar to it had see if it is still alive etc. But I am wondering if over that time if anything bad could have happened? As I understand if the bottle is airtight (coke bottle) and kept at low enough temperature the yeast should lie dormant ?

Regards,
Ben

 

[Aaron]

Hi,

I am looking for some advice on how long a liquid yeast will last in the fridge.

I have a White labs WLP300 Hefeweizen Ale Yeast sitting in the fridge, took a culture the first time I used it. The problem is that the yeast has been sitting in the fridge for well over a year, wife thinks it's closer to 3 years.

What are the odds that this yeast is going to be ok? I know I can add some sugar to it had see if it is still alive etc. But I am wondering if over that time if anything bad could have happened? As I understand if the bottle is airtight (coke bottle) and kept at low enough temperature the yeast should lie dormant ?

Regards,
Ben

I have had cultures at around two years old that are fine. You have to take your time building them up. Use malt and not sugar too as the sugar lacks a lot of nutrients your yeast is going to need. Provided you can be patient and you have stored well in very sanitary conditions you should be ok. I would taste your starter before pitching it but you should do that every time anyway.

 

[Stuster]

Totally agree with Aaron. DJR recently got given an altbier yeast (WLP036) by an HBS which must have forgotten it was there. The tube was five years old and it fired up fine. He's brewed with it and I took a starter off him which has brewed out a beer with no noticeable infection and true to type IMO. Patience and a bit of testing with nose and tongue should see you through. Have a look at Batz's thread at the top of the Common Ground forum for how to make a starter with it.

 

[tonydav]

I'd agree with these comments. Ordered a WLP300 from LHBS last week. Didn't turn up on time but the guy gave me a culture that he'd had in the fridge for 18months - no guarantees (or charge) though. Well after 5 days I'd given up on it, then had a look 2 days later and it had fired up fine. Worked fine in the wort when I put it in so just goes to show need some patience.

tony

 

[homebrewworld.com]

I love bringing a yest back from the dead , but apaprt from getting into dry yeasts again (after a 10yr break) i still love the fact that i can dump a liquid yeast at a cost of $15 and have no worries with my next ferment.
The 'big boys' cant do this as cost effective (unless they are using dry) so this is one we all have over them.
ie If in doubt DUMP IT ! :beerbang:

 

[Lindsay Dive]

1. I would make a starter using malt and HOPS at the ratio you want to use when making your beer.
2. Pitch your WLP300 and wait.
3. If it starter smells okay and tastes okay your in business for a brew.

Some of the Whitelabs yeasts can last a bloody long time and some of them can fall over in very short time.
It's the luck of the draw, however, WLP300 is known to hang around for a long time.

Regards,
Lindsay.

 

[DJR]

Totally agree with Aaron. DJR recently got given an altbier yeast (WLP036) by an HBS which must have forgotten it was there. The tube was five years old and it fired up fine. He's brewed with it and I took a starter off him which has brewed out a beer with no noticeable infection and true to type IMO.

They sent me a free hat as well for using a 5 yr old vial! :lol:

 

[lucas]

while not exactly the same question, i thought it was similar enough to put here rather than starting a new thread. I've made a 2L starter for a tube of WLP550, my first attempt using a whitelabs yeast, and my first attempt with this particular strain. anyhow, I pitched it yesterday into 700ml and topped it up another 700ml every 8 hours or so. I would have expected that pitching enough yeast to ferment a 23L batch into such a small amount would show at least some hint of fermentation but I've got nothing. obviously I'm going to give it some more time, but does this sound normal? I've always seen visible signs using wyeast, did I get a dodgy tube?

 

[razz]

It may be dodgy Lucas, but most likely you did not wait long enough between pitchings. You didn't mention temp or how old the tube was.

 

[lucas]

tube says 24th november 06, so it's still in date

 

[razz]

You will probably need to step it up again so that you can pitch at high krausen, try a pinch of yeast enegiser when you boil the malt and water.

 

[DJR]

Did you aerate the wort at each pitching? Did you pitch the whole amount or decant and pour in the slurry? Was the starter at high krausen when you pitched?

 

[lucas]

You will probably need to step it up again so that you can pitch at high krausen, try a pinch of yeast enegiser when you boil the malt and water.

well, the plan for this starter was to get to 2L then split into 2 x 1L. build up one of the halves back to 2L to pitch in my beer and wash the other half to store for future use. I'll give it another day or two before i go any further

 

[lucas]

Did you aerate the wort at each pitching? Did you pitch the whole amount or decant and pour in the slurry? Was the starter at high krausen when you pitched?

the 3L bottle it's in has had the **** shaken out of it each time I've walked past. so far ive only stepped it up, so obviously it's the whole amount. the starter has shown bugger all activity so far and hasnt been pitched in any beer yet. (plans for the starter stated above)

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Lucas,
I've found with experience that the only starters that will fire up almost immediately are made from yeast that has been taken directly off a streaked plate that exhibits good strong colonies.
If you have a very good Whitelabs vial it will nearly always show signs of activity within 24 -36 hours. If you have a vial that may not have been treated as Dr. Chris White would prefer, you may have to wait 48 - 72 hours. But trust me, those little yeasties are quite hardy and I'd be betting that your starter will probably be showing signs of activity real soon.
Don't worry about stepping your starter up by 700 mls to a max of 2 litres. I begin with 2 litres every time....laziness I guess!

Regards,
Lindsay.

 

[lucas]

Don't worry about stepping your starter up by 700 mls to a max of 2 litres. I begin with 2 litres every time....laziness I guess!

funny you should mention that. the 700ml thing is a throwback from that fact that glass bottles i cool the starter wort in are 700ml. i throw one in the fridge to get it down from boiling temps first and let the other two cool passively. but yeah, if the vial of yeast claims "ready to pitch" it shouldnt have the slightest problem with such small quantities (2L), at least in my mind

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Lucas,
Have a read of the following,
http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/homebrew_information.html
The only time I would pitch directly from a vial into a 23 litre brew would be if I were making a common type Ale.
With the WLP550 and assuming you are going to make a Strong Belgian Ale, I would let the 2 litre starter nearly ferment all the way out and then charge the vessel with another 2 litres of fresh wort having poured off the beer from the yeast cake of the initial starter.
Make sure your starter gravities are somewhere near what the intended brew is going to be so our little friends don't go into shock when pitched!

Regards,
Lindsay.

edit...removing doubled up words

 

[lucas]

it's actually going to ferment an ESB Belgian raspberry fruit ale for the misses. If it turns out anything like the ones you get with the corks she'll be happy as larry.

thanks for the link, i will read it now