Failed starter?

About a month or so back I went to my LHBS and picked up a vial of 001. The expiration date was 4/15/11 and since it looked pretty healthy I ended up not using the yeast until last week, on a starter.

Well I made a 2 pint starter (1 cup DME and a pinch of nutrient), cooled and pitched. I never saw any visible sign of fermentation. Maybe some bubbles here or there but no foaming or krausen. This is a first for me. Usually I'm wiping krausen up off the counter top when I make starters this way.

I called the LHBS back to see if this was a bad batch of yeast and the guy said to try making another starter because maybe the yeast "did their thing" differently this time. Either way he said not to toss it because it's probably still ok.

From my vantage point, since I saw no activity, I think this was bad yeast. He seems to think otherwise. Does this sound right to you guys?

I have rarely seen a lot of activity in my starters and they have all turned out good. Do you have a good yeast cake on the bottom of the flask that looks like a lot more than what you pitched? That's probably the best way to tell...

sjbeerman said:

I have rarely seen a lot of activity in my starters and they have all turned out good. Do you have a good yeast cake on the bottom of the flask that looks like a lot more than what you pitched? That's probably the best way to tell...

Click to expand...

Yea, mine are the same way. Little to no signs of fermentations, maybe a small ring of bubbles around the glass at the top, but a nice cake on the bottom.

sjbeerman said:

I have rarely seen a lot of activity in my starters and they have all turned out good. Do you have a good yeast cake on the bottom of the flask that looks like a lot more than what you pitched? That's probably the best way to tell...

Click to expand...

Well in fairness I can't see since it's a white PET container that my extract came in. It's a good vessel since it's big enough to contain the yeast and white enough to to see stray dirt and particles.

I certainly don't mind assuming the cake is good, decanting, and creating a new starter to step it up.

(Oh and I should add it still smells good too. 001 has a distinctively fruity smell to it so it's not like it went bad on me...)

I was alarmed because usually I see real, significant activity. This is a first for me.

If it tastes like beer, and smells like beer, it is yeast in there.

theredben said:

If it tastes like beer, and smells like beer, it is yeast in there.

Click to expand...

I should update that you guys (and the LHBS guy) we're right.

I brewed up a small DME starter last night and within hours the yeast were chugging away. This morning I awoke to a krausen head 3" tall.


It's odd since this is what usually happens the first time out, but with yeast I'm always reminded (usually by you guys), that they work on their own schedule. Keep expectations to a minimum.

Thanks for the input!

When in doubt take a hydro sample since you can't see the yeast band. I've only had two krausen on me, both stir plate starters. The others didn't do anything and left no krausen ring.

SwampassJ said:

When in doubt take a hydro sample since you can't see the yeast band. I've only had two krausen on me, both stir plate starters. The others didn't do anything and left no krausen ring.

Click to expand...

That is so interesting to me because I make starters often and they krausen more often than not. I can only recall one or two that appeared to "do nothing". I don't even have a stir plate...

I guess I'm lucky or I'm adding too much yeast to the starter. I try to use alot to get the population up fast.

duskb said:

That is so interesting to me because I make starters often and they krausen more often than not. I can only recall one or two that appeared to "do nothing". I don't even have a stir plate...

I guess I'm lucky or I'm adding too much yeast to the starter. I try to use alot to get the population up fast.

Click to expand...

It just proves how different and alive beer is. We can do the exact same thing and come up with different results. But a properly working Hydrometer is always right.

I have never seen any krausen more than 1/8" on any of my starters made and I make a lot. The only action I usually see is bubbles and I can hear C02 leaving through the foil.