Is my yeast dead?

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Shwagger

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Joined
May 18, 2009
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Location
Gulfport, Fl
I made a starter using WL300 yeast last night. I didn't order a ice pack with the yeast because I didnt know they sold them. I live in Florida so between Monday and Wednesday, I am positive it reached high temps. It also spent all day in the back of a FedEx van. Well the starter isnt doing anything. I've shaken, stirred, let it sit, and nothing. The yeast is sitting on the bottom of the bottle and there is no bubbles or anything.

Is it dead?
 
Sometimes with starters you miss out on the action.....all you can tell by is if the "squidge" of yeast on the bottom of the flask appears larger than the amount you poured in...

starter5.jpg


More than likely if you can see sedimentation, then you had activity.....

If you are not sure now, then "feed" your starter with some more wort and look again tomorrow, after noting how much you had on the bottom already...if the amount is larger, than all was well......
 
I'm looking at the bottom of the bottle and the yeast looks like it did in the flask. It surely has not doubled and it doesnt look anything like that.
 
Whatever you do, don't just toss the starter yet. It can take some time to start up and your probably only at about 12-14 hours right now. I would do what Revvy suggested and "feed" your yeast a little bit more to see if that wakes those guys up. Although high temps are no necessarily good for yeast, I don't think they will immediately die, even in 100+ temps. I have seen numbers thrown around anywhere from 120-140F as the range in temps where yeast cells simply die.
 
i am maiing another starter now as I am brewing saturday, and I will add some of that wort to it. And see what happens. If it wakes up, great, I'll save it. If not, aww well
 
it has to be dead. the new starter I made was active in a few hours, the old isnt doing anything. It is close to 100 in Florida and the back of the truck was probably 100+

no worries, lesson learned for not ordering an ice pack
 
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