Brewferm Kit Out of Date

[Slid]

Hi All

Secret Santa brought me a Brewferm Christmas Ale Kit dated Dec 2015. It is a 1.5kg kit that is brewed to 7 (yes, seven) Liters. If I put it on in the next day or so, I reckon I can put into another present - 12 x 0.5L swing-top bottles for Christmas 2016.

My question is around yeast starters, as I don't fancy pitching an out of date kit yeast, especially as I know that the kit spent some time (up to 2 years, I guess) in a HB shop. Also, the Mr Malty calculator tells me one pack is not enough at ~2 years from manufacture, as I would need something like 10g, or two packs.

I have re-used slurry a number of times, using 250ml bottles plus the slurry mixed with green beer. I have never done a starter for a dry yeast before. Can I use a PET bottle as small as 0.5L to do an overnight yeast starter for this? Or is a 2L bottle a better bet? I would use a rate of 100g per litre of liquid, so was thinking 40g in 400ml for the 05L bottle, if suitable, or 100g in 1 litre for a 2L bottle.

Any thoughts?

 

[Speccy]

If it was me I'd just chuck in the supplied yeast as normal. I've had no problems with the yeast in kits 6 to 12 months out of date, and never bother with yeast starters. If you're worried you could have a spare packet on standby in case there's no activity after 36 hours or so.

Coincidentally, last night I opened a Brewferm Christmas Ale bottled in July 2014. It really does mature beautifully...

 

[brumbrew]

I would personally use a fresh yeast. The cans of extract have a 10 year life span.

There just not allowed by some EU EEC directive to put a 10 year date on it ;-)

 

[Graz]

Conversely I've also made kits that were 6-12 months past their best before date and the yeast has been dead. Having pitched the original yeast and not have anything happen I've then had to rescue it with a new packet of yeast.

As yours only expired a month ago it may be fine, if it were me I'd hydrate the yeast in a little warm water (30-35C), use cooled boiled water from a kettle for sterility and add say a teaspoon or two of sugar. Add when the water is hot to get it to dissolve. Leave the yeast in the warm water for 15-20 mins, if it's good a frothy after this time lob it in the fermenter, if it doesn't froth up then it's duff.

 

[Slid]

Thanks, guys, for this advice.

I am planning to pitch tomorrow and made a 1L starter anyway :lol:

 

[terrym]

Thanks, guys, for this advice.

I am planning to pitch tomorrow and made a 1L starter anyway :lol:

Slid
You don't really need to use a 1 litre starter for dried yeast in my experience.
What I have started to do is hydrate a packet of dried yeast in about 100ml cooled boiled water at about 25*C in a sanitised jug, cover and leave for half an hour, then stir in until it dissolves one tsp sugar and leave another hour or so before pitching. The Coopers yeast I did on Sunday like this was frothing vigorously when I pitched, and bubbling though the lock after 5 hours.

 

[Gaspode]

I started a Slaters Top Totty kit on Saturday which was dated April 15 and reduced to £8 in my LHBS. The guy in the shop recommended buying a new yeast, the cynic in me thought it might be just to get another sale but for 2 quid it seemed the best thing to do.

Anyway, its bubbling away like a goodun' so fingers crossed it will taste okay.

 

[brumbrew]

I have to admit my local HB shop had every gervin type. 1-13 I belive for 25p each. OOD of course.

I bought several and haven't had a problem. But I'm only risking a demi of WOW or something similar .

For 20 odd litres of beer I wouldn't risk it personally.

If your a cheapskate like me, have a few packs of wilko ale yeast to hand.

It's only Nottingham yeast anyways, and about a quid if memory serves me correctly.

 

[brumbrew]

I bought several......of each type 1-13 ;-)

 

[Slid]

I have to admit my local HB shop had every gervin type. 1-13 I belive for 25p each. OOD of course.

I bought several and haven't had a problem. But I'm only risking a demi of WOW or something similar .

For 20 odd litres of beer I wouldn't risk it personally.

If your a cheapskate like me, have a few packs of wilko ale yeast to hand.

It's only Nottingham yeast anyways, and about a quid if memory serves me correctly.

I have not thrown away a single sachet of yeast that came with a kit since I re-started buying kits in September 2013. Because I was working in the centre of Manchester, near a Wilko, and lost faith in Muntons yeast quite early, I have an embarrasing number of these little silver packets in the fridge.

Maybe I should reduce these to a number I might concievably use.

 

[Slid]

Slid
You don't really need to use a 1 litre starter for dried yeast in my experience.
What I have started to do is hydrate a packet of dried yeast in about 100ml cooled boiled water at about 25*C in a sanitised jug, cover and leave for half an hour, then stir in until it dissolves one tsp sugar and leave another hour or so before pitching. The Coopers yeast I did on Sunday like this was frothing vigorously when I pitched, and bubbling though the lock after 5 hours.

The "starter" started to show vey small bubbles, so I chucked the lot in yesterday and today there is a noticable layer of bubbles in the FV , so all is well :)

 

[LarryF]

I have not thrown away a single sachet of yeast that came with a kit since I re-started buying kits in September 2013. Because I was working in the centre of Manchester, near a Wilko, and lost faith in Muntons yeast quite early, I have an embarrasing number of these little silver packets in the fridge.

Maybe I should reduce these to a number I might concievably use.

Same as Slid I've kept all my kit yeasts, when I do use them I double them up and they've been just fine.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Hi All

Secret Santa brought me a Brewferm Christmas Ale Kit dated Dec 2015. It is a 1.5kg kit that is brewed to 7 (yes, seven) Liters. If I put it on in the next day or so, I reckon I can put into another present - 12 x 0.5L swing-top bottles for Christmas 2016.

My question is around yeast starters, as I don't fancy pitching an out of date kit yeast, especially as I know that the kit spent some time (up to 2 years, I guess) in a HB shop. Also, the Mr Malty calculator tells me one pack is not enough at ~2 years from manufacture, as I would need something like 10g, or two packs.

I have re-used slurry a number of times, using 250ml bottles plus the slurry mixed with green beer. I have never done a starter for a dry yeast before. Can I use a PET bottle as small as 0.5L to do an overnight yeast starter for this? Or is a 2L bottle a better bet? I would use a rate of 100g per litre of liquid, so was thinking 40g in 400ml for the 05L bottle, if suitable, or 100g in 1 litre for a 2L bottle.

Any thoughts?

I found my brewfferm abdij yeast was very lazy. little if any krauzen.
turned out delicious the MJ belgian ale yeast I used recently gave very similar results so i'd suggest using that if you are worried about the yeast you had in the tin.