First starter question/panic

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flyingfinbar

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Hello everyone!

I made my first starter last night, approximately 2.5 liters following the standard 100 grams DME per liter of water using light DME. I am swirling intermittently.

Into this starter, I pitched Wyeast 1388, belgian strong ale. The date on the yeast is October 17 2011, so we're looking at about 4 months old. I pitched this last night around 8pm eastern, and it's 1pm today and I've noticed very little activity in the starter. I know it's a little premature, but I'm a little worried about the viability of this yeast, given the date and the relative lack of movement. There is definitely some fermentation going on, as I get a small whiff of it when I shake it up...still lots of malty body to the aroma though.

The yeast will be going into a ~1.080 Belgian Tripel this saturday afternoon/evening. Mr. Malty is giving me doomsday prophecies for this yeast, stating that at this production date I need an absurd amount of packets or a tremendous starter. I'm worried that this yeast will not perform when it counts!

My question is, do I have enough time to chill, decant, and step up the starter before a projected Saturday afternoon brew time? A LHBS carries whitelabs, should I try to see if they have the WL equivalent and pitch that in with my starter? Am I freaking out prematurely? Thanks in advance for the help, you guys/gals always come through:mug:

Edit-I just called the LHBS...no luck on the WL equivalent, so that option is flushed!
 
My thought.....Let it ferment overnight, and swirl often if you don't have a stir plate. Chill tomorrow afternoon,decant, and get it in another starter by Fri night. Let it ferment till your ready to pitch. Mr Malty probably has you making a 2 gallon starter( J/K I use Mr Malty also), but sometimes the starter size does seem excessive. Since the LHBS is a bust, Just make the best of it.

BTW......was that a "use by" date? The actual manufacture date is 4 months before that, so your looking at 8 months since packaging.
:mug:
 
My thought.....Let it ferment overnight, and swirl often if you don't have a stir plate. Chill tomorrow afternoon,decant, and get it in another starter by Fri night. Let it ferment till your ready to pitch. Mr Malty probably has you making a 2 gallon starter( J/K I use Mr Malty also), but sometimes the starter size does seem excessive. Since the LHBS is a bust, Just make the best of it.

BTW......was that a "use by" date? The actual manufacture date is 4 months before that, so your looking at 8 months since packaging.
:mug:

The date is the MFG date, and the packaging says the yeast should be good for six months after the packaging date. There's been some more activity, still not blowing up like I would have expected a strong belgian ale yeast would have, but it's something. Thanks for the advice, I'll check it tomorrow and see how it looks, greatly appreciated!

Will pitching a whole fermenting starter mess with a light, dry beer such as a tripel? My recipe is simple; 12.5lbs pils, .5 flaked barley, 1.5-2lbs candi sugar, and Styrian and Saaz hops.
 
Most of my starters do not show activity for about 24hrs, but then ferment out very quickly. I think you'll be fine for Saturday. You can let it ferment through Friday evening, stick it in the fridge overnight, decant & pitch the next day.
 
Yep...I did the same thing when I got into it. Started with BIAB and dry yeast (notty mostly) Once I got my efficiencies up with BIaB, I began using liquid yeast and starters. I still use BIAB, and until I go 10Gal, I don't see that I'll change. Got 79% eff.on my Hefe last week and didn't have to worry about a stuck sparge.:D
For some reason I thought you made a .5L starter...I see it's 2.5L, so like exe said, when they get going, they'll finish quick. If your seeing activity, let it ride and you should be in good shape by Sat. Just keep swirling!:rockin:
 
Yep...I did the same thing when I got into it. Started with BIAB and dry yeast (notty mostly) Once I got my efficiencies up with BIaB, I began using liquid yeast and starters. I still use BIAB, and until I go 10Gal, I don't see that I'll change. Got 79% eff.on my Hefe last week and didn't have to worry about a stuck sparge.:D
For some reason I thought you made a .5L starter...I see it's 2.5L, so like exe said, when they get going, they'll finish quick. If your seeing activity, let it ride and you should be in good shape by Sat. Just keep swirling!:rockin:

Yeah, she's a biggie, haha. I've seen some activity, but again, it's nothing big and crazy like I've heard. Mostly some small bubbles floating up the sides of the vessel and a little sedimentation on the bottom (which I then shake up). It's been smelling boozy, but still no major visible activity.
 
So I ended up brewing this beer the day before I expected, on Friday (2 weeks ago). I cold crashed the starter and pitched it...had insane activity by the next morning. Just check the gravity today, and she's down to ~1.010! The sample tasted awesome, too. Looks like the starter worked, thanks for the advice and encouragement, everyone:)
 
I had a belgian strong yeast smack pack that was 11 months old. Made a starter and stepped it up once. Probably my most violent fermentation to date. There are plenty of viable cells in a 4 month old pack. Just give them sometime and grub and they will do what they do!
 
even though you dont see any activity doesnt mean new cells havent formed, the sole purpose of a starter is not typically to ferment but to create a larger population of cells but im sure you are aware of this, usually 24-48 hrs are perfect for 1.060+ brews. it also helps to add fermax to the wort, but if you dont have that include a bit more trub than usual from the boil, this will give the yeast enough nutrients to get off on the right foot, you should be fine otherwise, try to decant 85% of the wort off the top of the starter
 
even though you dont see any activity doesnt mean new cells havent formed, the sole purpose of a starter is not typically to ferment but to create a larger population of cells but im sure you are aware of this, usually 24-48 hrs are perfect for 1.060+ brews. it also helps to add fermax to the wort, but if you dont have that include a bit more trub than usual from the boil, this will give the yeast enough nutrients to get off on the right foot, you should be fine otherwise, try to decant 85% of the wort off the top of the starter

I did use Fermax, and I think that helped the attenuation. It was a violent fermentation, once pitched. I guess I just got scared off by Mr.Malty's doomsday predictions for the viability of my yeast, haha!
 
even though you dont see any activity doesnt mean new cells havent formed, the sole purpose of a starter is not typically to ferment but to create a larger population of cells but im sure you are aware of this, usually 24-48 hrs are perfect for 1.060+ brews. it also helps to add fermax to the wort, but if you dont have that include a bit more trub than usual from the boil, this will give the yeast enough nutrients to get off on the right foot, you should be fine otherwise, try to decant 85% of the wort off the top of the starter
 
sorry double post!!!!, I never use mr. malty it is very incorrect, and i say this cause i have brewed professionally and on a homebrew level, there is no need for such a vast or precise cell pitching on a homebrew level, this is not to say who does use mr malty is wrong, cause its not.
 
If nothing else, it led to me making a big-ass starter that worked hard and fast...which is a good thing, I was a little worried about this yeast and its reputation for being a little slow/finicky at times.

Now the hard part; waiting a few months for it to bottle age:(
 
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