RMohan13

Recipes 

Twice i've ordered some Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity yeast. I've made a starter both times, and both times the yeast has smelled not like yeast coming out of the packet and was almost lightly brown. Figuring the first time it had died during shipping due to a lack of an ice pack, i ordered another one with an ice pack that came today, naturally during a heat wave. I've made a starter again, but the yeast smelled the same, and I'm not sure what to do. It's getting to be expensive to keep shipping these for naught. We'll see what happens with the starter, the last one showed few signs of fermentation and had a not very beery smell, a layer of yeast did seem to settle at the bottom. Is this strain particularly stinky? Is there anything i can do?

Evan!

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Well, what does it smell like? You really shouldn't be evaluating the health of your yeast based on smell. They can get funky, especially during the growth stage in a starter.

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bradsul

Recipes 

Most of the Belgian and Trappist yeasts seem to have a pretty funky smell, +1 to what Evan! said.

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RMohan13

Recipes 

It smelled almost like vegetable soupish or mushroomy and was light brownish, and this was coming right out of the smack pack. As of now, there is a layer of light yeast on the bottom of the starter but no signs of fermentation, although it is early. I plan to wait and see and hope for the best. I imagine it might take longer to get going due to the heat. What is a reasonable time to wait? I really hope it's just funky belgian character, especially since this is the second time and my only experience with a trappist yeast, but i'm wondering where the line from funky to spoiled is (incidentally, the first time i tried, i ordered the 3942 in the same shipment and it worked great)

ohiobrewtus

Recipes 

I'm with Evan and brasdul, I don't think it's anything to be worried about. I haven't found a yeast strain that smells what I'd call 'good'. Belgian strains can smell pretty funky.

I can see maybe something being wrong with one pack, but if this is your second one and it smells the same way, I'm guessing that's how it's supposed to smell and it's just fine.

BREW ON!

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