AZ_IPA

Recipes 

I made a starter about 24 hours ago with WLP Kolsch Ale yeast (WLP029 I think) for a brew I was gonna make tonight or tomorrow night.

3 cups of water, boiled; 1 tsp. yeast nutrient, 1/2 cup light DME - chilled to ~75*F, shook for aeration, sponge stopper, and pitched the yeast that I took out of the fridge ~ 4 hours prior.

I'm afraid my yeast died in transport, as it's been pretty freaking warm lately, and although AHS is great about getting thier shipment's out and their ice pack thingy, I'm wondering if my yeast was DOA.

All of my previous starters had some type of activity (small krausen line; small bubbles, etc); this one has nothing.

What temp can liquid yeast take before they tap out? How can you tell if a starter doesn't acutally start?

scinerd3000

Recipes 

my 029 took 3 days before i had visual signs of activity. Take a gravity reading if you know what you started with and if its lower than your getting some fermentation...i doubt the yeast completely died although its possible- you probably just had a lower cell count which is why it may be lagging. You can also try putting a condom or ballon over the top and if it inflates at all then you know you have some activity....gd luck

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On Hiatus: Brewing at work....

JMSetzler

Recipes 

My 029 took a while to show visible signs as well... It's probalby fine...

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coryforsenate

Recipes 

Try gently swirling it and see if any bubbles release from the bottom.

If the yeast have started but aren't showing visible activity, you might be able to tell by doing this.

bull8042

Recipes 

Yeah, always practice "safe starters"!
Sorry, I just had to say it since no one else did.....

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"I brew with a water cooler and some part from the toilet." - JohnnyO

"I do gravity feed the last gallon or two through my Therminator, but I expect you could suck start a Volkswagen before you could suck start one of these. - GilaMinumBeer

"..... Bull was right." - TXCurtis

AZ_IPA

Recipes 

well, it's been about 36 hours and still no sign of life....

I hate not having an LHBS and having to order liquid yeast during the summer....

oh well, how would Notty work in an Oktoberfest Ale fermented in the low 60s?

humann_brewing

Recipes 

Give it some more time, it sounds like this yeast is either quiet or a slow starter.

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On tap: Batch 1 Flanders Red, experimental sour 1.072 > 1.000, #70 Simple, gone complex pale 1.063 4/5/13, #71 French IPA, American IPA with spanish cedar and fermented with 3711 1.059>1.008
Fermenting: #72 Flower power saison 1.053>1.004 with lavender and jasmine
Aging: #67 Bareleywine 1.116 11/07/2012, Flanders 2 batches 1.056 and 1.060 12/12/11 and 3/26/12, Smoked Porter 1.063 10/11, pepper RIS 1.088 7/11, Kriek, 1.052 12/11, RYE IPA sour experiment 8/12, Berliner Weisse 1.030 9/20/12

passedpawn

Recipes 

I had a 6 month old pack take 48 hours to show ANY signs of life. However, I also recommend always having a bunch of packs of various dry yeast on hand; in case of emergency, rip and pour into fermenter.

petep1980

Recipes 

I find older yeasts can really take a while to get going.

AZ_IPA

Recipes 

It's not the age I'm worried about. It's the face that it was UPS'ed from Austin, TX to Pinetop, AZ (likely sitting in Phoenix for awhile in 115* heat).