shocking yeast ?

[sadie33]

I was doing a sweet feed whiskey mash last night. I sprinkled 2 T. yeast on top and I didn't have enough for another 2 T. I thought I had another jar in the fridge, but I couldn't find it so I took one out of the freezer. I was about to use it when I thought it might not be good to go from my freezer to my 90* mash. I stirred my mash, put it next to the wood stove to keep the temp and put about 6 T of yeast onto a plate and put in on my coffee table in the living room near the wood stove to warm (about 10 min). When it was warm, I sprinkled it on top of the mash, stirred and it was bubbling in 45 min.

Did I need to warm the yeast? Would it have been okay to use it right from the freezer? Hopefully this won't happen again, but just incase I was curious.

thanks

[Demy]

In general, the yeast do not do well the temperature changes ... a gradual situation is preferable. Not even the freezing does not do but it is preferable to keep it in the refrigerator. The heat certainly increases the activity of the yeast ... on the technical data sheet of many yeasts, for example, rehydration at a relatively higher temperature is recommended than the recommended temperature range for fermentation.

[Stags]

One of them tried and true recipes repeats every other line, “DO NOT STRESS THE YEAST” for a reason.

I have to date used bakers, DADY, and a handful of white labs liquid yeasts. They all do better when you handle them with a little bit of love.

When I started I’d yeet things into the ferment like manufacturers and a certain tv show recommended.

Now I start all liquid yeasts in a starter after a gentle warming. For dry yeast I let it gently come to temp and then rehydrate in water before adding to a starter solution. All to avoid “shocking” either thermally or with osmotic pressure from sugar.

You can argue the necessity of that, but I seem to get much happier ferments if I wake the yeasties with a little tlc

Like when your puppy wakes you licking your face gently vs dad throwing the door open, slamming the lights on, and belting “OHHH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING… OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY…”

All that said Sadie warming probably helped a little and only thing I’d do different is a starter

[Salt Must Flow]

I use yeast within a year so I never bothered to keep it refrigerated. It always worked just fine when kept at room temp. It seems reasonable to me to allow the yeast to come up to room temp, but I really don't know for sure how much of a difference it would make if you didn't.

Everything I've read recommends first hydrating the yeast for approx 30 min in warm water prior to pitching. I recall the ideal temp for bread yeast being 90F-110F. I read supposedly if you pitch dry yeast directly into a mash or a wash it could kill nearly half of the yeast. I don't know if that is a fact, but to me it makes sense to hydrate yeast before pitching.

[sadie33]

thanks guys. I go through a lot of yeast so I usually have 1 or 2 in the fridge and 4 or 5 in the freezer. I don't have room in my fridge for that many, but I didn't know you could keep them at room temp. I always thought it had to be refrigerated after opening. I don't know why I keep the unopened ones in the freezer now that I think of it I guess I read it kept it longer, but I use it so quick I don't think it would matter.

This is the first time I did NOT proof my yeast, thought I'd follow the directions and sprinkle. I didn't really notice a difference so from now on I will proof. I feel more comfortable knowing the yeast will work rather then just chucking it in there and hoping it will work.

[elbono]

I always thought it had to be refrigerated after opening.

You probably believed what you read on the label.

[Demy]

I'll tell you what I do: I bought some 500 gram bricks of yeast, I keep a small part in a small glass bottle (sanitised with alcohol and heat), I put the rest under vacuum (divided into several bags) and then in the fridge ...when the bottle is running out I take it from the fridge and put it in the bottle. I consume little yeast so I preferred it this way... dry yeast is stored at room temperature but for a long time it is better to keep it in the fridge.

[shadylane]

Much depends on what is being fermented and the yeast being used.
If I was using little packets of a special yeast, I would rehydrate the yeast and make a starter.

With bakers yeast, I would sprinkle 2X as much as needed on top and set the lid on loose.
The yeast will quickly multiply while setting on the surface where the environment is good for that.
Then falls down, dissolves and gets to work.
Next is the lava lamp effect, were little bits of yeast clump together.
And rise and fall while playing submarine.

Finally, the yeast will slow down and the C02 production will turn off and the yeast will flocculate.