Storage of yeast-freeze - refrigerate ???

[The Baron]

I have obviously been a CMl customer for years and with the imminent retirement of the owner I like many other brewers am thinking of buying enough yeast to last hopefully years.
So is it ok to freeze dried yeast to extend its life longer then the use by date and hence I can buy a larger then normal amount to store for future.
Many different opinions on the net

 

[Agentgonzo]

I have obviously been a CMl customer for years and with the imminent retirement of the owner I like many other brewers am thinking of buying enough yeast to last hopefully years.
So is it ok to freeze dried yeast to extend its life longer then the use by date and hence I can buy a larger then normal amount to store for future.
Many different opinions on the net

You could try it.
If there is going to be damage done, it'll likely be on the first 1 day/week. You could chuck a sacrificial sachet in the freezer and open it again in a week's time and see how viable it is. If you want to be even cheaper, you could try with bread yeast. Easy to do and verify it for yourself rather than relying on heresay on the internet

 

[The Baron]

Think I may try that with bread yeast of course(Yorkshireman)

 

[Agentgonzo]

My microbiologist wife can't think of much of a benefit in freezing dried yeast. Bring dried it's already put into a dormant state. Cooling it helps a bit, but she can't see that you'll get much benefit freezing it instead of keeping it in the back of the fridge.

And if there is a bit of moisture in the dried yeast, then freezing it will lyce the cells.

But again, I'm all for experimenting and learning by doing! Let us know how you get on

 

[starseeker]

I have been keeping my packets of yeast in the freezer alongside my hops for the past 18 months and it does it no harm at all ,performs as intended .