really old yeast

[DeadWrong]

I started a rum wash ( I hope this is the correct term) I found some yeast laying around that was labeled use by 07/31/93. I threw it in thinking it probably wouldn't take off, but it would be nutrients anyway. The fermentation actually started.

I'm wondering if its impossible for yeast to last this long? Did I get a wild yeast into my wash?

The package is of Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast. The sleeve of yeast was just like you would buy off the store shelf except it was an individual packet that was inside of plastic. Like a baseball card you'd get out of a cereal box or something. Bad description I'm sorry, hope you guys can make out what I'm trying to describe.

[frozenthunderbolt]

Sniff it and see - if it smells like yeasty mollasses you're probably ok. IF in doubt pitch with some more bakers yeast. Personally i wouldnt worry. If the packet had been kept cool some of the yeast cells could have survived - it only takes a few to get going - i would immagine you would have had a little bit of lag time though - took a few days to realy kick off?

[olddog]

Just try and make a starter before you put it into the wash, if it takes off use it.


OD

[DeadWrong]

FrozenThunderBolt: It definately smells like yeasty mollasses and its giving off a yeast smell. This is my first wash so I'm not sure how much its supposed to be going. I don't have an airlock I just put a piece of clingwrap over the container. I didn't put a hole in it at first to see if it would balloon up. It ballooned up a little a few times but it wasn't so much I was completely sure, so I burped the clingwrap and let it keep going. About 4 hours after pitching the yeast it was obvious to me that it was working. Now 11 hours or so later I've poked a hole in the top and can see the wash churning/fizzing away. If I put my ear down close to it I can hear it...

Thanks a lot for your advice guys!

[Dnderhead]

they recover yeast from 100 year old wine and beer.

[DeadWrong]

Thats really amazing Dnder, I had no idea that was possible. I thought I had read somewhere that yeast would only last a couple of years.

[LWTCS]

Yeast, cock roaches and empty plastic containers gonna be the only thing remaining day after judgement.

[Dnderhead]

I was reading about someone finding a shipwreck 200years old? and the yeast producers was fighting over
a bottle of beer. they were saying the yeast still mite be good but if not then they will have the dna.