Accidentally froze liquid yeast...

[darlacat]

I have a packet of WYeast 1469 West Yorkshire in my garage fridge. The fridge isn't the best for the garage, as the ambient temperature affects the fridge temperature. With a drop in temperature the past few nights, I thought I'd better check the fridge. Lo and behold, it had frozen the contents - including the liquid yeast and a few bottles of homebrew...

Will the yeast be dead after being frozen? Might the packet be salvageable?

 

[MickDundee]

It’ll be fine I would think, but you should maybe get a backup dry option in just in case.

I did similar with a sachet of London Ale III a couple of weeks ago and started a similar thread. I put a starter in last weekend, brewed with it yesterday and I had a pretty good looking krausen by 9AM today.

 

[Brewnaldo]

I like these threads because as a relatively new brewer, my own carelessness has furnished me with experience in this field, and I can gladly tell you it will be fine

 

[darlacat]

It’ll be fine I would think, but you should maybe get a backup fry option in just in case.

I did similar with a sachet of London Ale III a couple of weeks ago and started a similar thread. I put a starter in last weekend, brewed with it yesterday and I had a pretty good looking krausen by 9AM today.

Have ordered another packet of wy1469 (my favourite ale yeast for British styles) and have plenty of dry yeast on hand...

Yeah, I was thinking of making a starter with it and just seeing how it goes.

 

[darlacat]

I like these threads because as a relatively new brewer, my own carelessness has furnished me with experience in this field, and I can gladly tell you it will be fine

This is good to hear. Was devastated to find my favourite yeast frozen this morning!

 

[Brewnaldo]

This is good to hear. Was devastated to find my favourite yeast frozen this morning!

I only have a sample size of 1 tbf, I froze a Wyeast Belgian one. Lobbed it in a 1 litre starter and off it went. I was convinced it would be dead, but ended up making probably my best beer so far (Dubbel)

 

[MickDundee]

I only have a sample size of 1 tbf, I froze a Wyeast Belgian one. Lobbed it in a 1 litre starter and off it went. I was convinced it would be dead, but ended up making probably my best beer so far (Dubbel)

Between us we have a sample size of 2 - that’s probably good enough for Brulosophy to come to a conclusion!

 

[Scrattajack]

wy1469 (my favourite ale yeast for British styles)

is this difficult to use, i.e. stalls out, needs rousing, etc?

 

[darlacat]

is this difficult to use, i.e. stalls out, needs rousing, etc?

No, I've not had any fermentation issues with it, no need for rousing.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I have a packet of WYeast 1469 West Yorkshire in my garage fridge. The fridge isn't the best for the garage, as the ambient temperature affects the fridge temperature. With a drop in temperature the past few nights, I thought I'd better check the fridge. Lo and behold, it had frozen the contents - including the liquid yeast and a few bottles of homebrew...

Will the yeast be dead after being frozen? Might the packet be salvageable?

I'm afraid to say that freezing will have greatly reduced the viability (number of live cells) because of the effect of ice crystals rupturing the cell walls. However the good news is that there are likely to be enough viable cells to re-build it - but get it into a starter (boiled, cooled solution of DME 'spraymalt') as soon as possible after thawing.

 

[johncrobinson]

Yeast kind of produce there own "antifreeze" in nature as the weather grows colder.
Naturally this ability varies according to the yeast strain`s point of origen
They then shut down allmost totally.

The biggest problem is waking them up from this stupor.

Which expalins some folks apparent easy ride when others struggle.