Torchiest

Recipes 

Halloween night I got out a couple vials of yeast to warm up while I was out, with the foolish plan of making starters after I got home from a party. Not surprisingly, I was in no mood for that when I got home, and decided to put them back in the fridge over night. They are WLP013 English Ale and WLP400 Belgian Wit.

I made starters Saturday afternoon, and Sunday brewed. The 013 had some activity, but the 400 was totally flat. Pitched them both that evening. Yesterday morning, the 013 was cruising along nicely, but the 400 was still zero activity. Same thing this morning.

Now, I've used WLP400 Belgian Wit quite a few times, and I know it's a slow starter, but I'm a tad concerned. It has now been almost three full days with absolutely no activity at all. I suppose I can wait another day or so, but I don't want to leave that carboy full of delicious sugar water unprotected for too long. I was afraid the temp changes hurt the yeast, but I figured they just went dormant again before being pitched in the starters. Still, the contrast between a good fermentation and nothing is always upsetting.

__________________
WORLD DOMINATION BEER
Bottled:
#35 Gold Standard Ale
#42 The Answer
Kegged:
#44 Donner & Blitzkrieg 2011
Up Next:
#46 Genocider
#47 Evil Weevil Wheat
#48 Nuclear Summer Stout

WBC

Recipes 

If your wort for a starter is just DME I would use a yeast nutrient such as Saccharomyces because you need some other nutrients to give the yeast what they need to propagate. Oxygen is good too. Shaking often or stirring constantly helps too. If you do not have Saccharomyces then some wort from grain is better than DME as it has a lot of the nutrients that whole malted grain provides.

Ref: http://www.maltosefalcons.com/tech/MB_Raines_Guide_to_Yeast_Culturing.php

__________________
Cheers,
WBC

Fermentor 1: Bill's House Ale II, Fermentor 2: German Helles, Fermentor 3: Bill's Schworzbier (Black Bier)
Tap 1: Bill's House Ale II, Tap 2: German Hefewizen, Tap 3: Nut Brown Ale
Future Brews: Stone IPA Clone, Blonde Ale, Budvar Clone, Newcastle Clone
New toy: Blichmann 27 gallon fermentor

“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging”

“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment”

Torchiest

Recipes 

Well, here I am at about T+46hrs, and nothing still. I'm going to let it go overnight, and if it's still lifeless in the morning, I'm going to go pick up another vial of yeast.

__________________
WORLD DOMINATION BEER
Bottled:
#35 Gold Standard Ale
#42 The Answer
Kegged:
#44 Donner & Blitzkrieg 2011
Up Next:
#46 Genocider
#47 Evil Weevil Wheat
#48 Nuclear Summer Stout

WBC

Recipes 

Get some yeast nutrient (vitamin type) or Saccharomyces too. This gives you the best results when making starters.

__________________
Cheers,
WBC

Fermentor 1: Bill's House Ale II, Fermentor 2: German Helles, Fermentor 3: Bill's Schworzbier (Black Bier)
Tap 1: Bill's House Ale II, Tap 2: German Hefewizen, Tap 3: Nut Brown Ale
Future Brews: Stone IPA Clone, Blonde Ale, Budvar Clone, Newcastle Clone
New toy: Blichmann 27 gallon fermentor

“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging”

“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment”

Torchiest

Recipes 

Classic. The thing was going like gangbusters by this afternoon. They should rename WLP400 The Creeper.

__________________
WORLD DOMINATION BEER
Bottled:
#35 Gold Standard Ale
#42 The Answer
Kegged:
#44 Donner & Blitzkrieg 2011
Up Next:
#46 Genocider
#47 Evil Weevil Wheat
#48 Nuclear Summer Stout