I have some yeast that has been in the freezer for several years. I'm
starting to make bread again and would like to know if it's still good.

I tried 1/4c warm water, 1/4 tsp sugar, and sprinkled a small amount of
yeast over the water to cover it. Put it in a warm place. I see a little
bubbling and a meager layer of gray foam on the water after about 10-15
min. Is the yeast good? I suspect it's barely active. I've not done this
for years but seem to recall lots more bubbles and foam. Maybe I didn't
use enough yeast? Or sugar?

TIA

Ken


--
Untie the two knots to email me

"Madness is not a consequence of uncertainty, but of certainty."
Nietzche

>Ken Knecht writes:
>
>I have some yeast that has been in the freezer for several years. I'm
>starting to make bread again and would like to know if it's still good.
>
>I tried 1/4c warm water, 1/4 tsp sugar, and sprinkled a small amount of
>yeast over the water to cover it. Put it in a warm place. I see a little
>bubbling and a meager layer of gray foam on the water after about 10-15
>min. Is the yeast good? I suspect it's barely active. I've not done this
>for years but seem to recall lots more bubbles and foam. Maybe I didn't
>use enough yeast? Or sugar?

*Several years*, eh... maybe you ought to break down, open your miser purse and
buy fresh yeast.



---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
Sheldon
````````````

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 14:08:54 +0000, Ken Knecht wrote:

> I have some yeast that has been in the freezer for several years. I'm
> starting to make bread again and would like to know if it's still good.

Why don't you try it and let us know. I have kept yeast in the freezer
for at least that long and it still works
great. Yeast is pretty cheap, especially at Sams where you can get a
couple of lbs of Red Star for about 3.50$


Larry

>
>I have some yeast that has been in the freezer for several years. I'm
>starting to make bread again and would like to know if it's still good.
>
>I tried 1/4c warm water, 1/4 tsp sugar, and sprinkled a small amount of
>yeast over the water to cover it. Put it in a warm place. I see a little
>bubbling and a meager layer of gray foam on the water after about 10-15
>min. Is the yeast good? I suspect it's barely active. I've not done this
>for years but seem to recall lots more bubbles and foam. Maybe I didn't
>use enough yeast? Or sugar?
>
>TIA
>
>Ken
>
>
>--
>Untie the two knots to email me
>
>"Madness is not a consequence of uncertainty, but of certainty."
>Nietzche


I would buy some new yeast, wouldn't it frustrating to make a batch of
something or other and not have it rise properly ?

I have found that after 10 minutes or so, good yeast will be doing a lot more
than what you discribed, with or with out the sugar.

Rosie

"Ken Knecht" > wrote in message
...
> I have some yeast that has been in the freezer for several years. I'm
> starting to make bread again and would like to know if it's still good.
>
> I tried 1/4c warm water, 1/4 tsp sugar, and sprinkled a small amount of
> yeast over the water to cover it. Put it in a warm place. I see a little
> bubbling and a meager layer of gray foam on the water after about 10-15
> min. Is the yeast good? I suspect it's barely active. I've not done this
> for years but seem to recall lots more bubbles and foam. Maybe I didn't
> use enough yeast? Or sugar?
>
> TIA
>
> Ken

Yeast is dirt-cheap. Why take chances with old stuff?


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

In article >,
Ken Knecht > wrote:

> I have some yeast that has been in the freezer for several years. I'm
> starting to make bread again and would like to know if it's still good.
>
> I tried 1/4c warm water, 1/4 tsp sugar, and sprinkled a small amount of
> yeast over the water to cover it. Put it in a warm place. I see a little
> bubbling and a meager layer of gray foam on the water after about 10-15
> min. Is the yeast good? I suspect it's barely active. I've not done this
> for years but seem to recall lots more bubbles and foam. Maybe I didn't
> use enough yeast? Or sugar?

I had some yeast in the fridge for about a year that exhibited behavior
similar to what you describe. It didn't work when I used it in a recipe.

--
to respond (OT only), change "spamless.invalid" to "optonline.net"

<http://www.thecoffeefaq.com/>

"Peter Aitken" > wrote in news:7e4ld.51164
:

> Yeast is dirt-cheap.

Not around here. $1.69 for three 2-oz. envelopes. Almost $5 for a small
jar. I don't have a Sam's Club or whatever membership.

Ken



--
Untie the two knots to email me

"Madness is not a consequence of uncertainty, but of certainty." Nietzche

That should be two-teaspoon envelopes.

Ken

Ken Knecht > wrote in
:

> Not around here. $1.69 for three 2-oz. envelopes.



--
Untie the two knots to email me

"Madness is not a consequence of uncertainty, but of certainty." Nietzche

"Ken Knecht" > wrote in message
...
> "Peter Aitken" > wrote in news:7e4ld.51164
> :
>
> > Yeast is dirt-cheap.
>
> Not around here. $1.69 for three 2-oz. envelopes. Almost $5 for a small
> jar. I don't have a Sam's Club or whatever membership.
>
> Ken
>

I guess I consider $5 for a small jar, enough to do many loaves, to be
cheap! Considering the work and other ingredients you would put into a
failed loaf, fussing with your ancient yeast would be "penny wise and pound
foolish."


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 14:08:54 GMT, Ken Knecht >
wrote:

>I have some yeast that has been in the freezer for several years. I'm
>starting to make bread again and would like to know if it's still good.
>
>I tried 1/4c warm water, 1/4 tsp sugar, and sprinkled a small amount of
>yeast over the water to cover it. Put it in a warm place. I see a little
>bubbling and a meager layer of gray foam on the water after about 10-15
>min. Is the yeast good? I suspect it's barely active. I've not done this
>for years but seem to recall lots more bubbles and foam. Maybe I didn't
>use enough yeast? Or sugar?
>
>TIA
>
>Ken

Yes, try more sugar, but failing that, try fresh yeast.