How long is the compost tea base good for? I made some about a month ago and have not been able to use it all. It smells a little strong but not bad.

The beneficial microbes in compost tea begin to die off the minute there is no food or oxygen for them. When you turn off the pump, they continue to consume the oxygen in the tea. Once that is gone, or they consume all the food, then they are dying. How long they can last is anyone's guess but all the professional tea folks seem to recommend using it immediately. I know a lady north of Austin who makes 200 gallons per day and uses it all, every day.

I cannot argue for compost tea, which gains much of its value from microorganisms, but I do know that comfrey tea will keep almost forever if frozen in plastic milk bottles. No doubt, its main value is in its high phosphate and nitrogen content not its microorganisms. I suspect that compost or manure tea would lose some of its value after being frozen, although its nitrogen content should not be affected.

BTW: it's very important to label comfrey tea, if you put it in the freezer. My wife once poured a jar of it into a casserole, thinking it was stock.

need to revive this conversation. Is it possible to revive the dead microbes if you let the batch go anaerobic?
I don't understand why it is that the timing and freshness is so important- is it because you've boosted the population so high? by this logic, if you know you don't need it right away, is it better to let a bucket of worm tea sit (to keep the population stable) then oxygenate it just before using it?
I should mention that my worm tea comes out already smelling a little bad- maybe because I don't stir/tumble it enough? (I follow all the usual rules, good ratio, no meat/dairy, etc.)

edit-More background info- i have been composting for about 10 years, vermicomposting for about 4, just learning about/trying aerated compost tea now. I'VE JUST REALIZED OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS that i've been doing it wrong all these years- have not been draining well enough, and letting the bottom of my bin get anaerobic.
So back to my original question, my juice is mildly smelly, obviously a little anaerobic. I keep reading that this can be harmful to plants- does this mean it's garbage? Can I mix it in with the good stuff, can I aerate the runoff enough to turn bad into good?

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