Always have a backup!!

Brewed on Sunday..pitched yeast (liquid White Labs) No action after 24 hours...stirred it up and waited another 12 hours--nothing. Decided to pitch the dry yeast I had as a backup and had action within 20 minutes. Goes to show Always Have A Backup. I got the kit from Austin Homebrew and got the cold pack with the yeast but by the time it arrived the cold pack was hot as was the yeast. Not Austin Homebrews fault..just too damn hot outside. Think if I decide to brew in Western Kansas when it is 110 degrees outside I will order dry yeast.

24 hours is too soon to decide that your yeast isn't working. 72 hours is usually the point most people decide they need to re-pitch. In the future when you use yeast that arrives hot you should definitely make a starter to see if it's viable. Actually IMHO you should always make a starter with new liquid yeast.

Stauffbier said:

Actually IMHO you should always make a starter with new liquid yeast.

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+1

or just start with dry yeast, unless it is a specialty beer that needs a special yeast that does not have a dry yeast equivalent.

I was told Never make a starter with liquid..just with dry.

I think it's the other way around. Starters with liquid. No need with dry, because it's cheaper to buy another pack of dry yeast than to make a starter.

OK...learn something new...This was just a simple wheat beer and with the other 30 some beers I've done in the past I always have action within 24 hours... I let this go 36 with nothing happening so if I overpitched...it wont be as tasty but still beer!!

snickers104 said:

I was told Never make a starter with liquid..just with dry.

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I think you're confusing re-hydrating dry yeast with the term "starter"..

With dry yeast you re-hydrate which just makes the yeast in to a liquid form (for the most part)..
With liquid yeast you make a weak batch of starter wort so you can grow more yeast.

There is no way to get action from a dry yeast package within 20 minutes. That just doesn't happen.

snickers104 said:

I was told Never make a starter with liquid..just with dry.

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I always make a yeast starter with wet yeast nowadays no matter the OG. I always use White Labs too, with the only exception of Wyeast when I order a GreenBelt recipe from AHS.

I have made starters before but with dry yeast...didnt seem to ferment faster or better than any other method..liquid or dry...so I quit making starters.

snickers104 said:

I was told Never make a starter with liquid..just with dry.

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You got it backwards.

And like others have said, 24 hours is too soon to panick and re-pitch. We even have a sticky at the top of the forum that states Fermentation can take 24 to 72 hrs to show visible signs.

snickers104 said:

I have made starters before but with dry yeast...didnt seem to ferment faster or better than any other method..liquid or dry...so I quit making starters.

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You must be doing something incorrect, b/c I have to use blowoff valves due to getting too much activity and foaming up in the airlock and eventually blowing it off. I thought I could get away with using an airlock on the batch I just brewed which had an OG of 1.054. Yet after pitching with my starter it was coming up through the airlock less than 24 hours later. How do you make your starter?

I put 1/2 cup pf DME with 1 quart of water...boil about 30 minutes... cool to 75 degrees and then pitch yeast...put an airlock on it and use it a couple days later.

snickers104 said:

I put 1/2 cup pf DME with 1 quart of water...boil about 30 minutes... cool to 75 degrees and then pitch yeast...put an airlock on it and use it a couple days later.

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Do not use an airlock! You need the oxygen to allow the yeast to thrive. I use a foam cap on my flask. Also 24 hours is sufficient.

Ok.. will try that next time...thanks for the info.

No problem! I know there is a lot of information out there and not all of it is correct, but using a yeast starter is a great habit to get into. Just be careful of the extra vigorous fermentation you'll get. You'll need to either use a blowoff valve or some defoaming solution.

And I get my yeast from AHS as well (white labs). And it comes warm during this heat wave, yet I was still able to get it to ferment. You shouldn't have any problems! Good luck!