my LHBS raised prices on liquid yeast.
now $8 a pack/tube.
not cool man.
Look into yeast ranching. Then you only need ever buy a particular strain once.
This is just more work than I’m willing to do. Homebrewing is supposed to be joyful! Unless you’re way into microbiology, why would a person do that? Make your yeast count, start harvesting, rinsing or washing, and reusing it. Makes your money count.
Buy a couple of your favorite strains and learn to reuse-IMHO. It’s really not that hard and you don’t have to get in to a microscope or counting cells.
It IS a lot of work to keep cultures. IMO, unless you’re willing to be extremely diligent and committed, $8 is pretty good insurance to take out against poor yeast health and infection on step-ups.
I also like to play with a lot of strains - that’s part of the fun!
If you’re displeased with the price increase, talk to your LHBS owner. Its probably because the supplier raised prices, but they are always looking for feedback. Better they know your thoughts and try to help than simply lose out to an online shop.
$8?!?! That is a steal, IMHO. Here in Nebraska the liquid yeast is $10 or greater at several LHBS. Does it stink that the price changed? Yes. But, if you look at the online places like northernbrewer, more beer, or midwest supplies. The liquid cultures are just a shade under $7. When you factor in shipping, that easily pushes it over $8 whether it is your LHBS, or you buy online. Is it inconvienent and a disappointment for you? Yes, but it is all matter of perspective I guess. It is a business after all, and your LHBS has to make a profit to stay in business. Costs on all home brew raw materials and gas has gone up in the last few years. It all gets passed onto the consumer. Commericialism at it’s finest. But, I don’t think $8 is that bad.
More Beer its 5.75$ for white labs, wyeast.
8$ seems pretty average for LHBS, sucks it went up.
Harvest some yeast it is not hard to do,keep or reuse. Make that vial go for 4-5 beers and it won’t seem so expensive.
Buy the yeast. Then make up a big starter with it. A big low gravity starter. Then divide the yeast between however many little 8oz PET water bottles you feel is right. Then you’ll have multiple vials so to speak and you won’t be repitching.
You can choose to build a starter with them or pitch directly if they are still fairly young.
Yeast ranching can definitely be done in a “Cheap 'n Easy” way. I don’t do any of that microbiology stuff.
My yeast ranching consist of a mason jar in the back of the fridge.
I have about 80 strains frozen in a -80C freezer at work. I mostly buy yeast to brew anyway.
Growing a strain up from freezer stock is kind of a pain and takes advanced planning, which means being able to schedule your brew days out in advance. My brewing is too spur of the moment.
This is why I almost exclusively use dry yeast:
[From Rebel]
S-04 $2.95
US-05 $2.95
T-58 $1.75
S-33 $1.75
WB-06 $2.95
W34/70 - $4.35
Those packs all provide about 200b cells if properly rehydrated, and cover pretty much every style I could want to brew. I still buy a few Belgian strains every once in a while, but it’s not often I need a strain that Fermentis doesn’t make.
I am stationed in England and I either pay for white labs or wyeast in pounds locally or dollars with shipping charges. Either way, it gets expensive. I say suck it up or expand your process. I am looking several local strains from the bottle to harvest.
Or you can go the low tech way and just keep dumping a new batch onto an old yeastcake. It may not be perfect enough for everyone here, but it works for me.
This is exactly what I used to do, and still will do for some big beers.
However, taking a little knowledge from this site, I now pour that yeast cake into two separate sanitized tupperware containers (I think they might be half-liter bottles) and stick them in the fridge.
Just one of those can be pitched direct for most beers, or used to make a starter if necessary.
And it’s an incredibly easy way to keep a few different strains available.
How long do they last in the fridge?
Not sure. I’ve read where others here have said they keep them for up to six months or so.
I’ve used them after a couple weeks and they go without a starter, no problems.
Longer than that, I’ve built up a starter.
But I haven’t yet tried long term storage, or more accurately I haven’t yet tried the yeast I’ve had in the fridge for several months.
I built up a smack pack that was nearly two years old last month. Took a week. Not much of the yeasties left. Old and dry is no problem but liquid yeast need more TLC especially after a few months.
I had a year-old smack pack I tried to bring back to life. 1.020 starter, 1L. No movement at all. Gravity didn’t budge a tick after three days. Dumped it and bought a new pack.
I’m always shocked when I calculate viability by mfg date with Mr. Malty, but it holds true.
Use it or lose it.