Changes

Major yeast labs will often freeze store yeast in liquid nitrogen using cryopreservationa -80°C laboratory freezer in a media/glycerol solution, however this option is generally not practical for brewers <(ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=gcJQAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA181&lpg=PA181&dq=Yeast+supply%E2%80%94the+challenge+of+zero+defects&source=bl&ots=u-9uoIvsFo&sig=XnqR3179u4mC9LqWotMX3Fu7MbU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiX-bKyvM_JAhVH4WMKHQr9C1cQ6AEIHTAA#v=onepage&q=liquid%20nitrogen&f=false Brewing: New Technologies. Charlie Bamforth. 2006. Pg 170.]</ref>needed). The next best option for long term storage of ''Brettanomyces'' is freezing with 10% glycerol. If glycerol usage is not an Another option for long term storage of ''Brettanomyces'' is freezing with 10% glycerol in a home freezer, however the brewer, then effects of storing yeast at such a high and often variable temperature have not been evaluated scientifically. Traditionally ''Saccharomyces'' yeast has been stored on slants held in a refrigerator and can provide storage for a few months up to 2+ years, depending on the type of slant used (using mineral oil in slants has been shown to extend the life of stored yeast''Saccharomyces''). Homebrewers however have reported poor survival of ''Brettanomyces'' on slants. A study underway by a MTF member is showing promising results by buffering the slant media. In this study, Brettanomyces has stored well for up to100 days on the buffered media. Another evaluation will be done after 6 months in storage. For instructions on how to make slants at home capable of storing any microbe for potentially 2+ years, [http://suigenerisbrewing.blogspot.com/2015/11/easy-home-yeast-banking-and-video.html see Bryan's video on Sui Generis Brewing (requires a pressure cooker)]. Agar plates are the least best solution and have been observed anecdotally to reduce viability of ''Brettanomyces'' over a few months <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1083075848387295/?comment_id=1083272091701004&offset=0&total_comments=13&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R0%22%7D Conversation with Matt Humbard, Ritchie Preiss, and Jeff Melo on MTF. 6/4/2015.]</ref><ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1115768398451373/?comment_id=1115817201779826&offset=0&total_comments=34&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D Conversation with Nick Impellitteri on MTF regarding storing Brett on agar plates. 7/24/2015.]</ref>.

Another Perhaps the best method for storing ''Brettanomyces'' long term is in sterilized (autoclaved or pressure cooked) wort or MYPG. Although not as ideal as freezing with glycerol or slantsat -80°C, this is the most practical way to store ''Brettanomyces'' for brewers without a labfreezer. Regarding temperature, it has been shown that cold storage for as long as a month is better than room temperature. However, after one month ''Brettanomyces'' appears to be more viable when stored at room temperature. More data is required before assuming this is the case with all strains of ''Brettanomyces''. Chad Yakobson noted that after storing ''Brettanomyces'' in a refrigerated environment (we don't know how Chad was storing the ''Brettanomyces'' cultures when he observed this, for example on agar plates or slants or something else.), after 6 months the ''Brettanomyces'' would die. If ''Brettanomyces'' is stored cold, it will be very sluggish and slow to start fermentation. Making a starter is highly recommended if the ''Brettanomyces'' culture has been stored cold <ref>[http://youtu.be/AjVOzBtE27Y?t=43m Yakobson, Chad. Presentation at 2012 Music City Brew Off. At 43:00.]</ref>.

Occasional feeding has been shown to keep ''Brettanomyces'' alive in beer for brewers who do not have a lab, however many variables may come into play as far as how effective this will be for individual strains and in different environments. Although no research has been done to indicate what the best practices are for feeding ''Brettanomyces'' to keep it alive in beer, we recommend trying this method: every 3-6 months swirl the vessel so as to suspend all of the yeast and then decant 70-90% of the beerand suspended yeast slurry, and replace it with a 1.040 starter wort with yeast nutrients . This method will discard a lot of the old yeast cells, while retaining enough living cells for replication <ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1345924532102424/?comment_id=1345979272096950&reply_comment_id=1346020438759500&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R3%22%7D Conversation with Mark Trent and Richard Preiss on MTF regarding occasional feeding of ''Brettanomyces'' to keep it alive. 07/07/2016.]</ref>. Some strains may survive extended periods of aging in beer, however their viability and vitality will be greatly reduced over time.