Technical Articles
Some of us (or perhaps only I) are attempting to culture our yeast starters in a respiratory state (with high oxygen and low glucose concentrations). In my experience, I cannot deliver very much air to the spinner culture using an aeration stone without creating too much foam. I have made several beers with poor head retention when I've included FermCap in the starter in sufficient quantity...
Over the past few years, I have practiced a crude form of yeast ranching. After stepping up a smack-pack (1/3 cup DME in one pint of water, boiled 10-15 minutes) in preparation for brewing, I would inoculate a second flask and allow it to grow to krausen and then place it in the refrigerator for the next brewing session. Sometimes, this brewing session would occur months later. Essentially, the...
I have always frozen my dried yeasts after purchase and before use. I have not noticed any detriment to the final product, but I seem to remember reading somewhere in that past year or so not to freeze dry yeast, perhaps even on a package. Is it acceptable to freeze dry yeast or is there some detriment to the practice?
Cheers,
Mike Dixon
RESPONSE:
Mike,
You are right; we had stated in our...
First of all, my thanks to you for taking part in this forum. Awhile back, your always helpful Sigrid Gertsen-Briand mentioned to me that preliminary trials at Lallemand had suggested that freezing dried yeast was not good for the yeast in some way. Anecdotally, some homebrewers and winemakers have mentioned that they have no problems using dry yeast that has been stored in the freezer.
Could...