best way to store yeast?

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SpiffyStump
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best way to store yeast?

Post by SpiffyStump »

I use Red Star yeast with everything, I buy 32ox bags at a time, I order them online and the last one showed up hot and moist on the outside from shipping, its really humid were I am at right now. Has anyone had issues ordering yeast by mail and had issues with heat? Thats not the main reason why I made this post, I wanna know what the best way to store yeast is. I see alot of people keep theres in a mason jar in the fridge but after a while the jar will have a lot of air space in it after using up the yeast, is that an issue? I used to keep my yeast in its bag inside of a zip lock bag in the fridge, but the bag would always get knocked over and there would be yeast all over in the bag (not that its that big of a deal) but I was thinking about moving to a mason jar to store yeast in fridge. looking forward to thoughts and opinions!
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zed255
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Re: best way to store yeast?

Post by zed255 »

I keep mine in a refrigerator. Once I open a brick I put my normal pitch amount in glass jars just the right size and also keep those in the refrigerator. Never had any issues with yeast going bad / lack of viability. Dry active yeast is surprisingly hardy and tolerant. The best before date is usually considered as the product being on the shelf with no special care taken, so using refrigeration only extends it useful storage life.

For the record, I use Fleishmann's ADY bought in 2lb vacuum packed bricks for most things that will be distilled, save for whiskey mashes and fruit musts where I use either brewer's or wine yeasts appropriate to my goals.
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Re: best way to store yeast?

Post by greggn »

SpiffyStump wrote: Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:47 am I used to keep my yeast in its bag inside of a zip lock bag in the fridge, but the bag would always get knocked over and there would be yeast all over in the bag
Once I open the 1 lb bags, the tops are folded over and rubber-banded closed. That then goes into a ziplock bag which is also folded over and rubber-banded. That package is then stored in the refrigerator and no amount of handling/moving/bumping by my wife has ever dislodged the yeast.

... and I've never had active dry baker's yeast, stored that way, not re-hydrate successfully.
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Re: best way to store yeast?

Post by Expat »

Red star bricks from Costco. Once open I put them in an airtight container which sits on the shelf in my brew room. No appreciable loss in effectiveness I've ever seen. Note, my brew room has no direct sunlight and maintains 64-68f year round.

I once got a gift of brew items containing a similar open bag of yeast which had been kept in a hot garage. 100% dead.

I take from this that cool is required, perhaps not cold so long as yeast is still dormant, and is kept away from any moisture.
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Saltbush Bill
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Re: best way to store yeast?

Post by Saltbush Bill »

Air tight container in the fridge.......it will last for long after its use by date like that.
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Re: best way to store yeast?

Post by Jstroke »

In a cupboard in the house, jar but not super airtight. No issues.
If in doubt leave it out.
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Re: best way to store yeast?

Post by howie »

opened a angel yeast recently, used what i needed, then vacuum packed the rest in 100gm batches.
in the fridge now, might freeze a couple of batches because i don't use it a lot.
bakers yeast i just put in an air tight container in the fridge, there is no chance of this going off, used too regularly. :esmile:
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Demy
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Re: best way to store yeast?

Post by Demy »

In general, if the packages are large for use, I separo vacuumed in smaller packages and I keep them in Frizer inside a bowl so that it is very cold but does not freeze.
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Re: best way to store yeast?

Post by still_stirrin »

Yeast is a single cell organism, but is not “alive” like an animal or insect. It does not have respiration. It is similar to a grain seed (plant), with a DNA and food energy, or even like a mold, where it can grow when feeding on a “host”.

When dehydrated, the cells become brittle and fragile. So, their viability depends on how protected the cells are from fracture. And shelf life represents the potential durability of the cells to sustain. Long term storage in an arid environment can draw out moisture from the cell wall structure accelerating brittle fracture.

Storing in a mason jar will protect dehydrated cells from fracturing. But vacuum sealing seems excessive.

However, for hydrated yeast (cake) or activated yeast which has had the cells filled with water will benefit from refrigeration (not freezing). If frozen, the fluid inside the cell structure will expand and cause the cell walls to break. So, freezing is not recommended for yeast cakes.

Obviously, extreme conditions (heat/cold or humidity) can cause yeast to lose viability. So, a cool, dry environment is best for keeping your dehydrated yeast. A mason jar is a good way to protect it from crushing the fragile cell walls.

Storage of activate/hydrated yeast is best protected from extremes in a refrigerated environment. Since the cells are fluid filled, they are less susceptible to fracture. And protecting the yeast cake from external contaminants, such as bacteria or mold, is better managed in a sealed container.

Now, how do you store your grains? The same question of viability applies. But, a new thread for follow-on discussion is probably recommended to avoid derailing this thread.
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