Is my starter good? (Pics included.)

Hello all,
Getting ready to do my first brew, I made a starter yesterday using a Wyeast Propagator 1214 smack pack.

After smacking the proverbial pack and leaving it sit for four hours, it had swelled a very little, maybe to an inch. I figure this is just a slow starting yeast, here is what it looked like:



So I make the starter about 1 liter of it, and go check on it this morning, about 18 hours later, this is what I have:



I saw no real signs of krausen, however there is sediment.

Does the sediment indicate that the yeast took, and is OK?

If it is OK I am going to do my first brew this evening, I plan on pitching the whole starter. I also have a dry yeast pack as a backup if needed. Any input would be apprecaited.

--jake

Looks fine to me.

You won't always notice signs of active fermentation in a starter.

yup, looks good.

I give my starters a swirl now and then to get things aerated. Are you using an airlock on your jug? If so, you might see some activity or at least a small amount of pressure differential in the tube.

Aside from that, it looks good.

Salute!

Thanks guys, (and gals, if there are any. )I just wanted confirmation until I learn all the signs myself.

I am using an airlock, didn't think to check for a pressure difference.

Can't wait to do my first brew!

I would lose the airlock next time and use a sanitized piece of aluminum foil instead. The starter needs oxygen.

Rick500 said:

I would lose the airlock next time and use a sanitized piece of aluminum foil instead. The starter needs oxygen.

Click to expand...

Oh, good to know. Somehow I thought I was "going above and beyond" or something trying to be uber sanitary and use an airlock. I will have to use foil next time.

Should I aerate or do anything to the yeast prior to pitching then? I will be pitching about eight hours from now, don't know if that makes a difference.

While the starter is fermenting, pick it up and give it a good, vigorous swirl whenever possible (even 2 or 3 times total will help).

Aerate your wort by shaking/swirling the fermenter for a few minutes (after the wort is down to near pitching temperature) before you pitch the starter.

Be careful if you're using a glass carboy, don't want it to break on you.

What's the best way to sanitize the aluminum foil, if i use idophor as my sanitizer?

Do you put a rubberband on the foil, or just wrap it around the top? How does the aluminum foil behave any differently than an airlock?

Thanks

jigidyjim said:

What's the best way to sanitize the aluminum foil, if i use idophor as my sanitizer?

Do you put a rubberband on the foil, or just wrap it around the top? How does the aluminum foil behave any differently than an airlock?

Thanks

Click to expand...

I use star-san, iodophor will work fine. If you just lightly wrap the foil over the top and crimp down a little that is all you need, it allows the CO2 to escape while letting some air get in. Bacteria only fall, they don't fly or crawl, so as long as you don't have fruit flies, nothing can get past the foil.

jigidyjim said:

What's the best way to sanitize the aluminum foil, if i use idophor as my sanitizer?

Do you put a rubberband on the foil, or just wrap it around the top? How does the aluminum foil behave any differently than an airlock?

Thanks

Click to expand...

whatever sanitizer you use will be fine. Just cover the opening and fold it down the edges. It alows for air exchange which is what you want. Stir plates will also up your cell count considerably.

Retarded tip of the day:- If you do not have a stir plate, Try to keep your starter in a place that you walk past very often. That way you will become sufficiently OCD to give it a shake every time you see it.

It looks like a good start, but try stepping it up one more time. Decant the liquid off the top, and pour some fresh wort onto the sediment.