Yeast is one crucial ingredient that is vital for the brewing of beer or any alcoholic beverages. There are majorly two types of yeast–dry and liquid yeast. Liquid yeast is a liquid slurry of yeast cells that are gathered in a sterile pouch or vial. If you love to consume funky or sour beer, liquid yeast is your best choice.
Many homebrewers prefer using dry yeast instead of liquid yeast because it has a longer shelf life. But that does not mean that liquid yeast does not last long. Liquid yeast can last for up to six months if you store it properly in the refrigerator. It is usual for you to store your yeast, whether dry or liquid, in a fridge until the day you are ready to use it. It would help if you always kept your liquid yeast in a refrigerator.
White Labs is a type of liquid yeast that some homebrewers use. It can remain viable in the fridge for up to four months after production. Wyeast, which also a kind of liquid yeast, can be stored for up to 6 months. You must always remove your liquid yeast from the refrigerator about three to four days before using it.
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If you want to use yeast that has gone past its expiry date, you must make a starter several days ahead of time so that the yeast can still work effectively. If you make a starter, it will make your yeast have plenty of yeast cells for you to make your beer.
How long will liquid yeast last unrefrigerated? [Does it Go Bad]
Your liquid yeast can last for up to five days if left unrefrigerated. But we recommend that you make a starter before using it.
A yeast starter is a solution or liquid that aids yeast cells to propagate (or reproduce). It is pretty similar to a mini-batch of beer, but it is not meant for consumption. But you can add it to your wort to ferment a great final beer.
You must be wondering why you should make a yeast starter or why it is essential for brewing. The fewer yeast cells available for fermentation, the more likely you are to end up with stressed yeast. Stressed yeast happens when a small number of yeast cells are made to do too much work. If you use a stressed yeast, your beer will ferment, but the quality will be low. So, it would help if you had more yeast cells for better fermentation to take place. And yeast starters help increase attenuation or the efficiency with which yeast ferments the sugar in your wort.
Making a yeast starter is very easy. You will need to boil a small amount of water and malt extract before cooling the mixture down, and then combine with the liquid yeast in a small container with an airlock or foam stopper.
If you find it challenging to make a yeast starter, you can pitch more packs of yeast, but it will not be as effective as making a starter.
If you intend to brew a large quantity of beer, you should prepare your yeast starter 24 to 48 hours before your brew day.
How long can you store liquid yeast?
If you get your liquid yeast fresh from a reliable source, then you should find the shelf life stamped on the package. You can store liquid yeast for up to 6 months after the package date.
How viable your liquid yeast stays depends on the storage conditions you keep in after being shipped to you. That is why you must always keep it in your refrigerator. You should only remove it from there a few days before your brew day.
Is liquid yeast better than dry yeast?
Dry yeast is a type of yeast that many brewers use when brewing beer. It is sterile, strain-pure, and highly capable of producing fantastic beer. Many brewers use it because it has a shelf life of up to 3 years and is more tolerant than liquid yeast of warm storage or shipping conditions. Dry yeast usually comes with nutrient reserves, and you don’t need to pitch without a yeast starter; unlike liquid yeast that you will have to pitch with a starter most times.
It is not all yeast strains that can be dried, so there are lesser options you can choose from. That is one significant advantage that liquid yeast has over dry yeast. The number of available strains found in liquid yeast is why some brewers for liquid yeast. Any strain can be gathered and cultured for use by homebrewers. But it is most viable immediately after culturing because the viability keeps reducing as time goes on. So, as a brewer, you need to be aware of the temperature.
Since liquid yeast is a live culture, it is usually more expensive, and it is not as durable as dry yeast. A liquid yeast that is shipped by mail order usually has a shelf life of three to six months, and it can be adversely affected or destroyed by temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you want to brew with liquid yeast, you must always keep cell count in mind because every yeast supplier uses a different cell count, so ensure you do your research before pool purchasing your liquid yeast.
Liquid yeast is the best for variety, which you can find in vials and pouches. Certain beer styles cannot be brewed without using liquid yeast. Liquid yeast is usually more expensive than dry yeast. And mishandling liquid yeast can reduce its viability. If your liquid yeast has a low cell count, it usually requires you to use a starter to boost its effectiveness.
Dry yeast was once known for being unreliable and filled with impurities. But technological improvements have made dry yeast products very reliable and a fantastic alternative to liquid yeast.
Dry yeast is more affordable than liquid yeast. It has a higher cell count per package than liquid yeast. It also has a longer shelf life than liquid yeast, even at room temperature. The need for wort oxygenation is lesser when using dry yeast.
Dry yeast is indeed more user-friendly and convenient for usage, but it has fewer strains in it.
Both liquid yeast and dry yeast have their advantages and disadvantages, and whichever one you decide to use depends on your preference.
As a homebrewer, you should not be scared of trying out new things; it will be significant to experiment with each yeast and know which suits your brewing needs the most.
Conclusion
Liquid yeast can last for up to six months if you store it correctly in your refrigerator. It would help if you did not allow your liquid yeast to remain unrefrigerated after five days. It may go bad. If you leave your liquid yeast to remain outside the refrigerator for more than three days, you should use a starter with it so it can work effectively when you pour it in your wort.