Is my yeast dead???

[Bootlegger]

I did my stripping run today and then something came up(nosey people showed up at my house and overstayed their welcome). Now that it's so late I don't have time to start my 2nd gen SF sour mash. I racked off my wash to just above my grain and yeast bed. I haven't added any water to the wash that is left in my grain bed yet. Will it be ok to leave in my outbuilding without adding water to it?? It's supposed to be just below freezing tonight? I guess I'm asking will my yeast survive????

[cranky]

It should be fine, yeast can survive freezing just fine.

[Truckinbutch]

It should be fine, yeast can survive freezing just fine.

Yep . And , nosey people can sure fuck up a feller's stillin plans .
If you don't get a restart you can always repitch yeast .

[Desvio]

Yeasties are resilient little buggers, and with a little alcohol left in the bed and good nutrients in your next batch they'll be good to go.

[NZChris]

I'd add some water and a hand full of sugar and keep it well wrapped up.

[Bootlegger]

Well my little yeasties survived the night!! I got up on Sunday and started my 2nd gen and the airlock was bubbling within an hour Thanks for the fast response everyone!!

[contrahead]

This is an answer to a question you didn't ask but; it used to be common practice among cooks and the like to proof or “prove” their yeasts before they used it. That meant warming up some water, adding a little sugar, starch or molasses before adding some yeast to be tested. If little bubbles of CO2 eventually appeared then it was proved that the yeasts were still working and alive.

http://www.thekitchn.com/baking-lessons ... f-ye-94555" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Yeasts are pretty hardy little organisms. Low temperatures don't phase them but hot elevated ones do. Under harsh or unfavorable conditions yeasts like S. cerevisiae can become dormant and reproduce sexually by producing spores. Spores can survive for hundreds of years, perhaps indefinitely, and like many other infinitesimal items can remain airborne for years before coming back into contact with the surface of the earth. I've easily proved and used active dry yeasts from packages that were 3 or 4 years older than their printed on “past due date”.

Using a yeast “starter” also proves the yeast. Since yeasts happily double themselves (under favorable conditions – every 3 hours or so) using a pint of 6 hour old starter is a superior way to inoculate your wash.

[Bootlegger]

Thanks contra I will definitely check out the link you posted. I haven't just pitched my yeast in my fermenter yet I have always started them in a 2nd container about 30 min before adding them to my wash!!