Yeast Used By Date?

[Crunched]

I just put down another brew this arvo, a kit and bits but used a US-56. After cleaning everything up, I noticed a date printed on the yeast packet - 01 2008. I'm guessing this is the used by date? I checked my last yeast packet (kept it for some reason) and it had a date of 12 2007 printed on it, but that brew fermented fine.

Is this latest yeast doomed? Should I pitch another? Or is that date a packaged on date or something?

 

[dr K]

Your yeast will be fine and your fermentation healthy, the fact it is labeled US56 shows its age, but all things considered ..no worries.

K

 

[matho]

just check a packet of us-05 i bought today and it's date on it is 03 2009 so it must be a best before date
cheers

 

[wambesi]

You will find that even past their "use by" dates most of the time they will be fine.

I used a liquid yeast just over 12months past it's recommended best time and it worked a treat. If you are in doubt or it is well past it use a starter and bring the yeast count up to more than what it has as you will find the amount of viable yeast cells may reduce but you can still use them!

And if further in doubt never throw them out either, you can boil them up in the wort to use as yeast nutrient - as I have done before with kit yeasts.

 

[Crunched]

Cheers, I was hoping I would get this advice.

What made me even more worried was that I had drained about 5 litres of the wort before pitching to use in a test batch. The test batch (which I added the kit's yeast to) is already fermenting like crazy, whereas the bigger brew is calm as. But not to worry, I'll wait and see!

Thanks. Also - when did US-56 get renamed US-05? And why?

 

[Tyred]

I'm not sure of the date that it occurred. I believe it was something to do with naming rights with a liquid yeast company US-56 was too close to 1056 which is what I think the liquid yeast was called.

 

[wambesi]

Cheers, I was hoping I would get this advice.

What made me even more worried was that I had drained about 5 litres of the wort before pitching to use in a test batch. The test batch (which I added the kit's yeast to) is already fermenting like crazy, whereas the bigger brew is calm as. But not to worry, I'll wait and see!

Thanks. Also - when did US-56 get renamed US-05? And why?

How are you gauging the level of fermentation?
Air bubble's from the airlock or other signs such as a nice krausen?

If it's the airlock then I would forget about that, over the last few years I could actually count on one hand the amount of batches where the airlock made bubbled, all this meant was that it was not %100 sealed - which did not hurt them. If there is a slow leak it can still be fine.

The best way to check for fermentation is a nice thick krausen on top and other signs such as condensation on the lid.

Date wise I think it was early last year, around Feb or March ?

 

[Crunched]

How are you gauging the level of fermentation?
Air bubble's from the airlock or other signs such as a nice krausen?

If it's the airlock then I would forget about that, over the last few years I could actually count on one hand the amount of batches where the airlock made bubbled, all this meant was that it was not %100 sealed - which did not hurt them. If there is a slow leak it can still be fine.

The best way to check for fermentation is a nice thick krausen on top and other signs such as condensation on the lid.

Date wise I think it was early last year, around Feb or March ?

Gauging by the krausen, of which there is none at all at this stage (after about 18 hours). I too haven't had much airlock activity in my brews, but know that this is nothing to worry about.

 

[wambesi]

Gauging by the krausen, of which there is none at all at this stage (after about 18 hours). I too haven't had much airlock activity in my brews, but know that this is nothing to worry about.

It may be lagging because it was a bit older, I have had some that have not started for a couple of days

 

[Crunched]

Got home this arvo and the beginning of a krausen has started to form. Love the smell of a new brew...

 

[wambesi]

There ya go, all's good!

 

[buttersd70]

Got home this arvo and the beginning of a krausen has started to form. Love the smell of a new brew...

Patience is a virtue

 

[Crunched]

I know, I know, I broke the first rule and worried a little bit... It was only because the test batch was doing so well so soon...and then I noticed the used by date...and then.... :lol:

 

[drtomc]

Patience is a virtue

And perhaps the watched airlock never blurps.

Except of course that it does frequently. Actually mine just gave me concern - a 48hour lag time after my first attempt at cold pitching a wyeast (1028). I'm convinced - from today on, I'm a stater man for good. ;-)

T.

 

[Crunched]

And perhaps the watched airlock never blurps.

I've never been an airlock watcher - it's simple to understand really. Without a completely airtight fermenter (which none of them really are), there is no way (according to physics) that an airlock can be any indication of fermentation.

From my limited experience, signs of fermentation are usually visible (in the form of krausen building up) in the first 12 hours. Now when these signs didn't eventuate, I started to worry that the date on the yeast really meant something... But now things are looking good, with a nice krausen on it's way!