freezing Renaissance yeast

[wood1954]

I've been storing my Renaissance yeast in the freezer for a couple years and just read their literature that says: do not freeze. Anyone else freeze their yeast? It was viable last year, I was hoping to share some with my winemaking club. I guess i better test it before I share and before this years harvest.

 

[winemaker81]

I follow the vendor's advice (refrigeration) and the yeast has been good for 3 years so far.

 

[RylanJacobs]

I’d like to revive this thread and ask:

I used Renaissance last fall and loved it. I want to make it my exclusive yeast, but sourcing it is inconsistent and expensive. If I take the plunge and buy a 500g brick, what is the life expectancy?

Anything I should do besides keep it in the fridge? I bought 10 grams of Fresco recently that had an “expiration date” of 6 months.

 

[Jim Welch]

I buy the 500g bricks. I use old sanitized prescription bottles to “decant” some so to speak and vacuum pack the remainder and store in a deep freezer. Have bricks that are 4-5 years old and still viable.
The prescription bottles go into a zip lock bag with several desiccant packs and get stored in the deep freeze too. I take them out the day before I need yeast and let them come to room temperature before opening the bag. I believe water condensation is the real enemy of long term storage.

 

[winemaker81]

I’d like to revive this thread and ask:

I used Renaissance last fall and loved it. I want to make it my exclusive yeast, but sourcing it is inconsistent and expensive. If I take the plunge and buy a 500g brick, what is the life expectancy?

Anything I should do besides keep it in the fridge? I bought 10 grams of Fresco recently that had an “expiration date” of 6 months.

Expiration dates may be real, they may be liability protection, or they may be marketing tactics. With yeast, if it's stored properly, it has a long refrigerator life.

Last year I organized a group buy for Renaissance Bravo and TR-313 where I re-packaged the yeast in 50 g packets which I vacuum sealed. I did this at cost -- I figured up the cost of the yeast, packaging, and postage. Note -- if accepting payment via PayPal or other services, check for service fees.

If you are interested in doing this I'm interested in Allegro and Vivace. I'm fully stocked on Avante and Bravo.

 

[wood1954]

Bosagrape sells smaller packages, they are in Canada so it takes a little longer to get it mailed to you. The manufacturer says to not freeze the yeast.

 

[RylanJacobs]

Expiration dates may be real, they may be liability protection, or they may be marketing tactics. With yeast, if it's stored properly, it has a long refrigerator life.

Last year I organized a group buy for Renaissance Bravo and TR-313 where I re-packaged the yeast in 50 g packets which I vacuum sealed. I did this at cost -- I figured up the cost of the yeast, packaging, and postage. Note -- if accepting payment via PayPal or other services, check for service fees.

If you are interested in doing this I'm interested in Allegro and Vivace. I'm fully stocked on Avante and Bravo.

I would be interested in both Allegro and Vivace, Bryan. If you do put this together, let me know. I'll be first in line.

 

[RylanJacobs]

I buy the 500g bricks. I use old sanitized prescription bottles to “decant” some so to speak and vacuum pack the remainder and store in a deep freezer. Have bricks that are 4-5 years old and still viable.
The prescription bottles go into a zip lock bag with several desiccant packs and get stored in the deep freeze too. I take them out the day before I need yeast and let them come to room temperature before opening the bag. I believe water condensation is the real enemy of long term storage.

Renaissance says "cool and dry" for storage. So your method likely works just as well as vacuum sealing. THANKS!!!

 

[winemaker81]

I would be interested in both Allegro and Vivace, Bryan. If you do put this together, let me know. I'll be first in line.

It's not currently on my agenda. This fall I'm probably using QA23, 71B, and/or D47 for the Vidal.

If I needed more red yeast, I'd consider it, but since I'm stocked with Avante and Bravo? Maybe next year.

 

[Bmd2k1]

Expiration dates may be real, they may be liability protection, or they may be marketing tactics. With yeast, if it's stored properly, it has a long refrigerator life.

Last year I organized a group buy for Renaissance Bravo and TR-313 where I re-packaged the yeast in 50 g packets which I vacuum sealed. I did this at cost -- I figured up the cost of the yeast, packaging, and postage. Note -- if accepting payment via PayPal or other services, check for service fees.

If you are interested in doing this I'm interested in Allegro and Vivace. I'm fully stocked on Avante and Bravo.

any TR313 and/or Bravo 50g paks left...you're looking to get rid of?

Cheers!

 

[winemaker81]

any TR313 and/or Bravo 50g paks left...you're looking to get rid of?

I don't know if I have 50 g TR-313 left, it's not much. I'll have to look

I've probably got at least 150 g Bravo, and I sell you 50 g.

 

[Bmd2k1]

I don't know if I have 50 g TR-313 left, it's not much. I'll have to look

I've probably got at least 150 g Bravo, and I sell you 50 g.

ok...keep me posted. The TR313 was my priority -- but trying Bravo vs Avante would be fun ;-)

 

[wineview]

I’d like to revive this thread and ask:

I used Renaissance last fall and loved it. I want to make it my exclusive yeast, but sourcing it is inconsistent and expensive. If I take the plunge and buy a 500g brick, what is the life expectancy?

Anything I should do besides keep it in the fridge? I bought 10 grams of Fresco recently that had an “expiration date” of 6 months.

I’ve used yeast two years past the expiration date and it took off like a rocket in my starter

 

[wineview]

Expiration dates may be real, they may be liability protection, or they may be marketing tactics. With yeast, if it's stored properly, it has a long refrigerator life.

Last year I organized a group buy for Renaissance Bravo and TR-313 where I re-packaged the yeast in 50 g packets which I vacuum sealed. I did this at cost -- I figured up the cost of the yeast, packaging, and postage. Note -- if accepting payment via PayPal or other services, check for service fees.

If you are interested in doing this I'm interested in Allegro and Vivace. I'm fully stocked on Avante and Bravo.

What is special about these yeasts. Always willing to try something new. Having said that I might be interested in Avante and Bravo.

 

[sour_grapes]

What is special about these yeasts. Always willing to try something new. Having said that I might be interested in Avante and Bravo.

The most notable difference is that they do not produce H2S, even under adverse conditions.

 

[winemaker81]

What is special about these yeasts. Always willing to try something new. Having said that I might be interested in Avante and Bravo.

In addition to no H2S, the Avante eats 25-30% of the malic acid. I used both Avante and Bravo in last fall's Chambourcin, and the batches were distinctly different. I'll use both n separate batches for my CA grapes, but the Chambourcin will be all Avante (also called Adante on their site).

I'm also interested in Brio and Maestoso, but I can only make so much wine so those are for future years, unless I can find a reasonably priced package in bricks less than 500 g.

I have a Metheglin/Cyser in production now, a Metheglin (mead with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice) that I backsweetened with undiluted apple juice concentrate. My next one will use apple juice instead of water to dilute the honey but will otherwise be the same. I'm thinking of using their cider yeast Fresco.

From time-to-time I will use strains such as RC-212, which does produce H2S when stressed, but I will also bump the nutrient up by 50% when I do so.

 

[wineview]

The most notable difference is that they do not produce H2S, even under adverse conditions.

The less H2S the better.

 

[Bmd2k1]

The less H2S the better.

Amen!

 

[RylanJacobs]

In addition to no H2S, the Avante eats 25-30% of the malic acid. I used both in last fall's Chambourcin, and the batches were distinctly different. I'll use both n separate batches for my CA grapes, but the Chambourcin will be all Avante (also called Adante on their site).

I'm also interested in Brio and Maestoso, but I can only make so much wine so those are for future years, unless I can find a reasonably priced package in bricks less than 500 g.

I have a Metheglin/Cyser in production now, a Metheglin (mead with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice) that I backsweetened with undiluted apple juice concentrate. My next one will use apple juice instead of water to dilute the honey but will otherwise be the same. I'm thinking of using their cider yeast Fresco.

From time-to-time I will use strains such as RC-212, which does produce H2S when stressed, but I will also bump the nutrient up by 50% when I do so.

I have a mead in production right now using Fresco. Pitched last night. Will post updates on how it comes out