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Author Topic: Expiration Date Dry Yeast  (Read 6656 times)

Offline dls5492

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Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« on: December 17, 2016, 09:43:48 am »
I have about a dozen Lallemand Windsor and Munich dry yeast. The expiration date on the packages are either 12/2013 (3 years past) or 01/2015 (about 2 years past). Are these yeast still usable? For your information, I did not plan to use them in the near future. Thank you in advance for your input.
David S.
Cedar Falls, IA
Club: Cedar River Association of Zymurgy Enthusiasts (CRAZE)

And the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. II Cor. 3:17

Offline dls5492

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2016, 09:45:35 am »
BTW, I did have them stored in a refrigerator.
David S.
Cedar Falls, IA
Club: Cedar River Association of Zymurgy Enthusiasts (CRAZE)

And the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. II Cor. 3:17

Offline Steve Ruch

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2016, 09:24:19 am »
I have about a dozen Lallemand Windsor and Munich dry yeast. The expiration date on the packages are either 12/2013 (3 years past) or 01/2015 (about 2 years past). Are these yeast still usable? For your information, I did not plan to use them in the near future. Thank you in advance for your input.

I read somewhere (not sure where) that dry yeast loses about 4% viability a year. I can't confirm it of course, but I'd give them a go by pitching plenty and having a fresh pack or two on hand to pitch if the lag time went very long.
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2016, 05:55:05 pm »
For my money, they're usable for sure.  Especially if you have a second one or two to pitch.
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Offline bierview

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2016, 09:04:06 am »
I've used 3 year old Nottingham with no problems.

Big Monk

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2016, 09:30:58 am »
I've always used 2% decay rate per month.


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Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2016, 09:38:29 am »
They last way longer than anyone will tell you.  4% per year might be about right.  Any loss "per month" is bull in my experience, unless perhaps measured in tenths of a percent.
Dave

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Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2016, 09:45:25 am »
I just use it as a benchmark for calculations in my spreadsheet. Even 2% is not much loss.

You'd still be at > 50% viability after 2 years.

Offline swampale

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #8 on: December 21, 2016, 05:16:37 am »
I have an un-opened 500 g brick of Maruibrew 514, best before says June 2014. I plan on doing some higher gravity one gallon brews after Christmas. Kind of nervous about using it, I got it for free though. I am thinking on using double the amount I would normally use for a 1.080 triple. Should I rehydrate it first?

Offline tommymorris

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2016, 07:22:22 am »
I have an un-opened 500 g brick of Maruibrew 514, best before says June 2014. I plan on doing some higher gravity one gallon brews after Christmas. Kind of nervous about using it, I got it for free though. I am thinking on using double the amount I would normally use for a 1.080 triple. Should I rehydrate it first?
I would rehydrate and do a test batch. If the test batch works then the whole brick likely has the same viability.

Offline Indy574

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #10 on: December 25, 2016, 06:02:40 am »
Yeah I would defiantly rehydrate.

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #11 on: December 25, 2016, 06:16:47 am »
I have about a dozen Lallemand Windsor and Munich dry yeast. The expiration date on the packages are either 12/2013 (3 years past) or 01/2015 (about 2 years past). Are these yeast still usable? For your information, I did not plan to use them in the near future. Thank you in advance for your input.

I read somewhere (not sure where) that dry yeast loses about 4% viability a year. I can't confirm it of course, but I'd give them a go by pitching plenty and having a fresh pack or two on hand to pitch if the lag time went very long.
If that's true, which it probably is, then keeping dry yeast for 12 years is no worse for them than pitching without rehydration. Or so they say... 50% mortality by not rehydrating.

Offline Steve Ruch

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #12 on: December 25, 2016, 09:58:16 am »
If that's true, which it probably is, then keeping dry yeast for 12 years is no worse for them than pitching without rehydration. Or so they say... 50% mortality by not rehydrating.

For me to have a yeast pack last 12 years I'd have to be in a coma for 10 1/2 to 11 years.  :)
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Offline kramerog

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Re: Expiration Date Dry Yeast
« Reply #13 on: December 25, 2016, 10:16:09 am »
Plan on using two packages when 1 would do normally.

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