So for batch #5 I figured I'd try using liquid yeast for the first time. I got a Wyeast smack pack 1272 American Ale II for my latest light ale. I read about creating a starter here and figured it was a good idea even though the batch was only estimated around 1.052 OG.
First off I wasn't sure if I could brew Saturday (today) or if I had to wait until Sunday. I wanted to pitch the starter directly while it was active. I found out Friday that Saturday was the brew day so when I got home from work I took the pack out of the fridge and smacked it around a bit. A few hours later I cooked up the starter. I went for 2 quarts since that's around what Mr. Malty recommended, and also I had that much extra-light extract laying around. I got it down 70 degrees, put it in my container, and aerated it with a whisk for 5 minutes.
Then went to pitch the yeast when I found that I hadn't smacked it hard enough and the nutrient pouch was still intact. No problem, I thought, that's why you do a starter. So I just poured it directly into the starter, mixed well, shook it a few times and went to sleep.
This morning I went to check on it first thing and I found no activity and all the yeast sitting on the bottom of the container. Ack! It's dead, Jim, I thought. Wait, RDWHAHB. Okay, after the beer (mmmm, 7am beer), I thought maybe it was too cold overnight and it's not dead, just asleep. So I stirred it back up, put in somewhere warmer (Wake up, little beer-making soldiers!), and proceeded with the brewing and the pitching. There was a bit of foam on top when I pitched so maybe they were okay. As a contingency plan, I ran over to the LHBS and got a packet of dry yeast since they're closed on Sundays. I figured if there was no activity by Monday morning, I'd fall back to the dry yeast.
Of course about 6 hours after pitching the yeast is eating and foaming and farting like me on taco night. The airlock is bubbling non-stop and the krausen is getting dangerously close to the airlock (time for blowoff tube, stat!). So the moral of this story is, no worries, HAHB. Best Advice Ever.
Mike
First off I wasn't sure if I could brew Saturday (today) or if I had to wait until Sunday. I wanted to pitch the starter directly while it was active. I found out Friday that Saturday was the brew day so when I got home from work I took the pack out of the fridge and smacked it around a bit. A few hours later I cooked up the starter. I went for 2 quarts since that's around what Mr. Malty recommended, and also I had that much extra-light extract laying around. I got it down 70 degrees, put it in my container, and aerated it with a whisk for 5 minutes.
Then went to pitch the yeast when I found that I hadn't smacked it hard enough and the nutrient pouch was still intact. No problem, I thought, that's why you do a starter. So I just poured it directly into the starter, mixed well, shook it a few times and went to sleep.
This morning I went to check on it first thing and I found no activity and all the yeast sitting on the bottom of the container. Ack! It's dead, Jim, I thought. Wait, RDWHAHB. Okay, after the beer (mmmm, 7am beer), I thought maybe it was too cold overnight and it's not dead, just asleep. So I stirred it back up, put in somewhere warmer (Wake up, little beer-making soldiers!), and proceeded with the brewing and the pitching. There was a bit of foam on top when I pitched so maybe they were okay. As a contingency plan, I ran over to the LHBS and got a packet of dry yeast since they're closed on Sundays. I figured if there was no activity by Monday morning, I'd fall back to the dry yeast.
Of course about 6 hours after pitching the yeast is eating and foaming and farting like me on taco night. The airlock is bubbling non-stop and the krausen is getting dangerously close to the airlock (time for blowoff tube, stat!). So the moral of this story is, no worries, HAHB. Best Advice Ever.
Mike
