Hopin-Josh

Recipes 

How long should it take to begin seeing activity with a starter? It's been 12 hours and I'm starting to get nervous. The last vial I used from WL, after 2 two days and not seeing any activity in my starter I pitched I dry yeast pack anyways. I am really starting to lose faith in WL products...

I have reclaimed yeast and started seeing activity in a couple hours.

Torchiest

Recipes 

The thing about starters is that sometimes, it's very difficult to actually see any activity, even though the starter is performing as desired. I've had a few that never seemed to look like anything happened, but were actually fine. You may never see a krausen, but if you notice the starter get cloudy, then later see it settle with all the material at the bottom, that means it worked fine. Also check to see if there is a little ring above the fluid line in the container. That would mean some bubbling occurred and left a little residue when you weren't looking. Also, maybe post a photo of what it looks like right now. The main this to remember is that starters don't act like full batches.

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TipsyDragon

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what do you consider "no activity"?

Revvy

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Just like in the fermenter, fermentation isn't always dynamic...It doesn't matter one blip in your fermenter or your starter flask if the airlock bubbles or not (if you are using an airlock and not tinfoil,) or if you see a krauzen.In fact starter fermentation are some of the fastest or slowest but most importantly, the most boring fermentations out there. Usually it's done withing a few hours of yeast pitch...usually overnight when we are sleeping, and the starter looks like nothing ever happened...except for the little band at the bottom. Or it can take awhile...but either way there's often no "activity" whatsoever....


All that really matters is that creamy band o yeast at the bottom.

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Hopin-Josh

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In the second photo I was trying to show the yeast in the starter. It kinda looks stringy I guess is the best way to describe it.

Torchiest

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Based on that, it looks cloudy enough to think there is some yeast in suspension, hence, it's doing its job right now. I wouldn't be worried if I were you. Use it without fear!

__________________
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

Hopin-Josh

Recipes 

Ok, looks like I now have yeast flocculated on the bottom. Maybe a watched kettle never boils? LOL Although it looks really dark to me. Is this a characteristic of Kolsch yeast?

BigB

Recipes 

Yes, that is pretty typical of the Kolsch Yeast I have used in the past. The WLP 029 seems to be a bit more like other ales, but boring. Also, although WL says the 029 is a medium floccuating strain, my experience is that it is a low flocculating strain. The WY 2565 is some odd stuff. It doesn't really seem to do much right away and seems to be kind of orange right out the package, but it ferments nicely in the low 60's to high 50's. You should be fine.

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I love the sound of an airlock bubbling in the morning. It sounds like.....VICTORY.

Hopin-Josh

Recipes 

OK, I guess I will stop worrying and start brewing. Thanks to all for you expertise!

Virant518

Recipes 

I was freaking out last week with a WLP011 starter.

I pitched it anyways, and it did fine.