RJ Spagnols Bad yeast in kit?

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LoneStarLori

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I bought a Orchard Breezin Watermelon white Merlot kit last week. Stupidly, I didn't look a the date till I started it yesterday and it was May 2012. Yikes!

The starting SG was 1.065 so I bumped it up to 1.074 with a can of frozen white grape juice and 1/2 of the fpac. (I didn't want it too sweet in the end.) It came with EC-118. The must temp was 72º when I sprinkled the yeast on top.
32 hours later, it is just sitting pretty much where I left it with the yeast still on top. I know it can take up to 48 hours, but it never has in my house.
So my thought is possibly the yeast was bad from being old and not refrigerated.

I stirred up to wake it up, but f it doesn't start by tomorrow, should I add a new packet of EC-118 or yeast nutrient?

Thanks, Lori
 
Lori,
First and foremost, I would contact the reseller, they should be ashamed to have sold you an old kit. At the very least, you should be refunded.
That said, I would pitch a fresh packet of yeast.
 
Lori:

In addition to looking at the kit date, always look at the date on the yeast package. To kinda force myself to do this, I write both dates down on my batch log. In my experience, the yeast is good long after I don't want to make the kit.

Steve
 
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Good suggestions.
I'll give them a call. Unfortunately the shop is 2 1/2 hours away so I can't go in and just get another.
 
No worries, as long as they agree to compensate you for it, that's half the battle.
Steve, good advice!
 
Anyone ever Proof the Yeast like bakers do? Dissolve the yeast in warm sugar water, and it should start foaming in 10-15 minutes.
 
I rehydrate my yeast for 30 minutes or so in plain, warm water. I do not add any sugar though to avoid osmotic shock:
 
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richmke,
I hydrate my yeast with Go-Ferm, a natural yeast rehydration nutrient containing a balance of micronutrients.
The yeast soak up the valuable bio-available micronu*trients as they rehydrate. Infusing yeast with these essential nutrients arms them against ethanol toxicity and optimizes nutrient availability to the rehydrating yeast culture. The result is fermentations that finish stronger.
Once you start to see activity, usually in the form of the yeast starting to produce foam, you need to "feed" them, the yeast will soon completely use up whatever stored energy they previously had in them.

Very important:
If they do not get nutrition, they will starve and begin to deteriorate and begin to lose viability.
I usually add must, an amount equal to the amount of water I used to rehydrate the yeast, it is important that the temperature between the yeast and the must doesn't exceed 18°, you can shock it, by using the must, you are adding nutrients for the yeast and you can acclimate the yeast to the temp of the must.

It is important that you never let the hydration process extend beyond 30 minutes without giving them food.
 
I called the retailer and they first tired to tell me the date code was the 'sell by' date. I thought to myself, that's even worse.
Anyway, they agreed to send me a new kit. It is a different one but at least it's a 2013 date. They also were willing to ship it to me at no additional charge which I though was decent since it's not their problem I live so far away.

I never thought of proofing the yeast. I should have known better since I'm a bread maker. :slp I sure will from now on.
 
I started "proofing" my yeast a while ago. I add a pinch of two of sugar to my warmish water. I don't accurately measure either. The last batch I did, I added a bit of yeast nutrient, since it is somewhat cold in my basement where the magic happens. It is about 63 f down there now, but it took off like gang busters. I'll probably be doing it that way from here on out. Oh and before I pitch, I add about the same amount of juice to the yeast. Then pitch the whole thing into the must. Just a bit more insurance.
 
You mean what we winemakers encourage; that thing called a 'Yeast Starter'?

:)
 
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