Homebrewers Association | AHA Forum

General Category => Yeast and Fermentation => Topic started by: Lazy Ant Brewing on January 06, 2016, 10:04:45 am

Title: will freezing hurt liquid yeast?
Post by: Lazy Ant Brewing on January 06, 2016, 10:04:45 am

I have a recipe calling for Wyeast 1007 German Ale Yeast.  Neither of the LHBS has it in stock.  If I order it online and it freezes in transit will it work as well as if it had never been frozen?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Title: Re: will freezing hurt liquid yeast?
Post by: morticaixavier on January 06, 2016, 10:11:20 am

no. it will kill a lot of the cells and the ones that survive will be severely weakened. you could make a starter and step it up though.

Title: Re: will freezing hurt liquid yeast?
Post by: Pricelessbrewing on January 06, 2016, 11:40:09 am

Freezing definitely hurts liquid yeast. The freezing water solidifies and punctures cell wells, killing the yeast. If you order online and are worried about freezing, you'll want to do a small starter ( like .25L) then step it up.

Title: Re: will freezing hurt liquid yeast?
Post by: erockrph on January 06, 2016, 12:27:49 pm

I've received a few smackpacks in slushy condition. I always worry about them, but I've never had any fermentation issues from any of them, starter or not.

I would be concerned if it freezes hard, though. Supposedly K97 is the dry version of this yeast - maybe that's a better option for you?

Title: Re: will freezing hurt liquid yeast?
Post by: Pi on January 17, 2016, 07:11:59 am

While we are on the subject, I was wondering about when I should harvest yeast. Got an APA i dry hopped a few days ago and wanted to cold crash. Should i rack to a secondary first and harvest from the cake, or after I crash?

Title: will freezing hurt liquid yeast?
Post by: tommymorris on January 17, 2016, 08:02:52 am

Safale German Ale K97 (dry yeast) is supposedly the same as 1007. I have used twice and like the results. Clean and crisp.

I think it's safer to ship dry yeast.

Title: Re: will freezing hurt liquid yeast?
Post by: denny on January 17, 2016, 09:53:10 am

Quote from: Pi on January 17, 2016, 07:11:59 am

While we are on the subject, I was wondering about when I should harvest yeast. Got an APA i dry hopped a few days ago and wanted to cold crash. Should i rack to a secondary first and harvest from the cake, or after I crash?

I cold crash, package, the save the yeast.

Title: Re: will freezing hurt liquid yeast?
Post by: brewinhard on January 17, 2016, 12:21:36 pm

Quote from: denny on January 17, 2016, 09:53:10 am

Quote from: Pi on January 17, 2016, 07:11:59 am

While we are on the subject, I was wondering about when I should harvest yeast. Got an APA i dry hopped a few days ago and wanted to cold crash. Should i rack to a secondary first and harvest from the cake, or after I crash?

I cold crash, package, the save the yeast.

+1. 

And involving freezing yeast, as long as it does not freeze solid you will have enough yeast to make a starter with to properly ferment your wort.