Kveik Ale Yeast Expired

[Geoff82]

Hi, I got some Kveik Yeast in the mail today only to find out it is 2 months past the expiry date. Does anyone know if its still good to use or throw the thing?

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Geoff82

[Journeyman]

1. Are you sure that's expiry and not the pkg date? (my bad - didn't see the 'exp' first time  )

Name and shame - if it was a LHBS site, let us know who is sending out old product.

2. Use it but maybe do a starter first to make sure it's viable and to increase the cell count?

Edited December 9, 2021 by Journeyman

[RDT2]

I reckon it would be fine but I would be contacting whoever sent it. I had some dry lager yeast that was well out of date but I made a starter and it was fine. I also had some white labs Belgium yeast I bought for half price and by the time I used it, it would of been three months out of date again made a starter and is one of the best beers I have made.

[Geoff82]

Waiting to see if he gives me a refund.

 

[jamiek86]

Thats a fairly hardy yeast anyway and most likely kept in fridge before sent to you I would chuck it in as is and have a backup yeast just in case. Also yes would be sourcing a free replacement in date. 

In the past I've had unrefrigerated coopers yeast 6 months past date take off and ferment fully but it's a numbers game.

Edited December 9, 2021 by jamiek86

[Pints]

38 minutes ago, jamiek86 said:

 

In the past I've had unrefrigerated coopers yeast 6 months past date take off and ferment fully but it's a numbers game.

Those coopers yeast packets are hardy little buggers. Prob work 10 years past sell by date

[jamiek86]

18 minutes ago, PintsAtMeLocal said:

Those coopers yeast packets are hardy little buggers. Prob work 10 years past sell by date

I've had ones just over year past date not fire up not stored in fridge. If buy tin early and store in fridge I reckon.they could do a year but would lose viability. Can always mix with fresh pack too but all this is last resort if have nothing else for me. Fresh is best chuck the rest but 2 months is nothing IMO

[Classic Brewing Co]

53 minutes ago, PintsAtMeLocal said:

Those coopers yeast packets are hardy little buggers. Prob work 10 years past sell by date

I used the wrong yeast by mistake a couple of years ago, I had some on the kitchen bench to chuck & accidently picked one up & pitched. 

After a couple of weeks stressing about it, the krausen was as good as I have ever had & the beer turned out very nice, so I guess it is the luck of the draw.

I wouldn't deliberately use out of date yeast but as have stated there are ways around it.

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 hours ago, Geoff82 said:

Waiting to see if he gives me a refund.

 

I reckon they should, as a consumer you have the right to purchase goods within a best before date, unless it was stipulated - discount stock, past bb date, otherwise tell them you will investigate your rights & get back to him. That should encourage a refund or a suitable replacement.

All the best, Cheers.

Edited December 9, 2021 by Classic Brewing Co

[mrchino73]

Here in Argentina they sell Coopers kits with the BB erased at the bottom of the can ... and the  date on the yeast was almost march 2019!!!!! According to Coopers assistance, that's why my 2 first brewings failed......

I claimed to the importer, and they do recognized their fault, they sent me 2 All Grain kits in order to compensate my inconvenient!!!! 

But they are still selling this stuff......

So,I wouldn't advise anybody to use past date yeast!!! It's really frustrating to do everything right and then discover that what failed wasn't your fault ...and that could be avoided.....

Good idea to make an starter to check if the yeast is viable!!!

But always have another yeast package in the fridge......just in case!!!!!

Regards

[Tone boy]

Hey @Geoff82 some really good advice about not using out of date yeast. And also storing yeast correctly….however….your original question relates to kveik and it is a completely different game. 
I think in this instance you will be fine. Kveik is a tough yeast, it’s not far out of date and if the pack is firm it’s probably fine. 
I have heard of people storing kveik for years. Traditionally is was dried on wooden sticks :

Most of the time these yeasts were harvested at the end of the fermentation with a specific tool called “kveikstokk” in Norwegian or simply a yeast log. It is a wooden ring that offers a huge surface to the yeast to grasp on it and be stored in that way…

Try doing that with us05. 

Good article on kveik here if you’re interested:

https://www.brewer-world.com/lalbrew-voss-kveik-a-deep-dive-into-the-history-of-the-ancient-kveik-yeast-strain/

just my 2c worth
cheers tone 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Tone boy

[Popo the Reprobate]

I'd use it. You'll know soon enough to be able to salvage it with another yeast pitch. Unless it's been stored poorly, that yeast should be good to go.

 

I'd also insist on a refund.

Edited December 9, 2021 by Popo

[Journeyman]

11 hours ago, mrchino73 said:

Here in Argentina they sell Coopers kits with the BB erased at the bottom of the can ... and the  date on the yeast was almost march 2019!!!!! According to Coopers assistance, that's why my 2 first brewings failed......

I claimed to the importer, and they do recognized their fault, they sent me 2 All Grain kits in order to compensate my inconvenient!!!! 

But they are still selling this stuff......

What that old yeast is good ofr, is yeast nutrients. Put some sugar or LDME in some water, and bring it to a boil and add the old yeast in for a couple of minutes. Or you could even just pour boiling water over the yeast. cover it and let it cool or just add it as is as you are filling the FV.

DON'T pour boiling liquid or even very hot liquid in on your wort once you have added the yeast!

The boil kills the yeast and your live yeast in the brew will grab the parts of it and make a really healthy brew.

Because I mainly use Nott I almost always have a can yeast to use this way and if I don't, there's a tin of baker's yeast in the fridge and a spoonful of that goes in the boil.