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Can you freeze Active Dry Yeast?

 
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Jim Cooley



Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Posts: 377
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 6:20 pm    Post subject: Can you freeze Active Dry Yeast? Reply with quote

I've been playing around with a bread machine and my loaves always seem depressed.

My yeast was (is) a big bag of very fresh stuff, so I keep in it a jar in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the back of the fridge sometimes freezes.

Is this killing the little yeastie cells? Could this be why my loaves are depressed? Or do they just need a little Prozac?
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Dilbert



Joined: 19 Oct 2007
Posts: 1304
Location: central PA

PostPosted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jeesh I hope not.

I've been keeping bulk bought yeast in the freezer for decades.

stuff in the freezer 3-4-5 years "past it's date" still does fine.

a usual&customary cause for deflating / sinking is over-proofing.
shouldn't be an issue in an "automatic" bread machine especially in the cooler weather. don't add more yeast than recommended; too much, it eats itself out of house and home too quick and....collapses.....
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Jim Cooley



Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Posts: 377
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 2:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah, that makes sense, thanks. The handbook says to use less yeast, too.

Thought I'd ask here before making another brick.
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Jim Cooley



Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Posts: 377
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 1:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dilbert,

You're a genius!

Both loaves made exactly the same way, using the same packet of yeast.

One has 1½ tsp yeast
Other has 1 tsp yeast.

Can you spot the difference?




Need to work on the size of the loaves a bit, but you're right about the yeasties beasties eating up all the sugar.

Less yeast in a warm environment is the way to go.
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Jim Cooley



Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Posts: 377
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dilbert,

Found the answer to my depressed loaves and it's not one that I'd expect, or have even heard of.

I think it was the "pre-heat" cycle. Once I disabled that, the loaves came out as they should have.

I suspect the "pre-heat" cycle either killed the yeastie-beasties or made them so hungry they ate up all the sugar before baking.

All my ingredients were/are at 70° F, but the "pre-heat" cycle takes them up to a supposed 85° F.
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Dilbert



Joined: 19 Oct 2007
Posts: 1304
Location: central PA

PostPosted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 5:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeast will be killed at temps much above 110'F - there's no single number everyone seems to agree on. however, scalding hot for the human skin is around 115'F - so if you can touch it, should be okay.

>>pre-heat cycle
ah, the joys of bread machines. had several, tossed them all.

I wonder if the bottom heat of the pre-heat was so hot that it 'overheated / over-shot' the 85'F mark enough to affect the yeast.
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Jim Cooley



Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Posts: 377
Location: Seattle

PostPosted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I suspect I'll eventually toss mine too, but it's been a great way to learn about the mysteries of flour, water and yeast without getting my hands dirty.

Getting dough to the proper consistency, i.e. just the right amount of water, is a bit of an art and not science because so many variables are involved.

Same can be said for rising times.

I think you are probably right about the heating element overshooting the mark. Even when I select "light crust" I get a med/dark one. Lord only knows how to adjust the thermostat!
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