I'm afraid my starter didn't start

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I made a starter about 24 hours ago with WLP Kolsch Ale yeast (WLP029 I think) for a brew I was gonna make tonight or tomorrow night.

3 cups of water, boiled; 1 tsp. yeast nutrient, 1/2 cup light DME - chilled to ~75*F, shook for aeration, sponge stopper, and pitched the yeast that I took out of the fridge ~ 4 hours prior.

I'm afraid my yeast died in transport, as it's been pretty freaking warm lately, and although AHS is great about getting thier shipment's out and their ice pack thingy, I'm wondering if my yeast was DOA.

All of my previous starters had some type of activity (small krausen line; small bubbles, etc); this one has nothing.

What temp can liquid yeast take before they tap out? How can you tell if a starter doesn't acutally start?
 
my 029 took 3 days before i had visual signs of activity. Take a gravity reading if you know what you started with and if its lower than your getting some fermentation...i doubt the yeast completely died although its possible- you probably just had a lower cell count which is why it may be lagging. You can also try putting a condom or ballon over the top and if it inflates at all then you know you have some activity....gd luck
 
Try gently swirling it and see if any bubbles release from the bottom.

If the yeast have started but aren't showing visible activity, you might be able to tell by doing this.
 
well, it's been about 36 hours and still no sign of life....

I hate not having an LHBS and having to order liquid yeast during the summer....

oh well, how would Notty work in an Oktoberfest Ale fermented in the low 60s?
 
It's not the age I'm worried about. It's the face that it was UPS'ed from Austin, TX to Pinetop, AZ (likely sitting in Phoenix for awhile in 115* heat).
 
+1 on giving it more time.

I had a smack pack of California common yeast delivered when the temps were in the 90's here, and it felt at least that warm when it came into the AC. It took several days after smacking for the pack to distend, but there were enough surviving yeast for it to go eventually. The actual fermentation went fine.
 
still no activity, although the "trub" certainly looks like it's a lot more than what was in the original vial, so I pitched it last night.

I'll give it a couple of days, and if nothing happens, I'll pitch some notty (although, who knows with some of the recent notty woes).
 
well, outta frustration and a lack of patience, I just pitched the notty.....

I know, I know - I was trying for an Oktoberfest type ale, and notty won't be the same, but dammit I learned my lesson:

1) never start a land war in Asia
2) never order liquid yeast during the summer
 
Stock up in spring (brew a lot of beer) and wash, wash, wash.

I hear ya....

most of my brews are APA's or IPA's that can be great with Notty or US-05 - but, my browns and alt beers are gonna need some liquids yeasts and I just need to plan ahead since I don't have a LHBS within 3.5 hour drive
 
I hear ya....

most of my brews are APA's or IPA's that can be great with Notty or US-05 - but, my browns and alt beers are gonna need some liquids yeasts and I just need to plan ahead since I don't have a LHBS within 3.5 hour drive

I currently have in my fridge

WLP002 English
WLP005 British
WLP041 PNW
WLP320 American Wheat
WLP400 Wit
WLP810 Steam beer yeast
WLP830 German Lager

There may be more but I can't remember :drunk:
 
I currently have in my fridge

WLP002 English
WLP005 British
WLP041 PNW
WLP320 American Wheat
WLP400 Wit
WLP810 Steam beer yeast
WLP830 German Lager

There may be more but I can't remember :drunk:

I currently have in my fridge - 3 packs of notty :D

If you had any Kolsch yeast I'd come steal it from you, but I already pitched the notty -- I'll just ferment it low and get a clean profile I hope
 
My starter looks underwhelming (no krausen) so I would have liked to know how this turned out if you hadn't pitched the dry yeast. I'll take a reading of mine to see if it fermented out tonight or tomorrow before pitching.
 
I currently have in my fridge - 3 packs of notty :D

If you had any Kolsch yeast I'd come steal it from you, but I already pitched the notty -- I'll just ferment it low and get a clean profile I hope

By the way, how did that Moose drool clone come out? I still need to do one but am going to wait until it cools down a bit.
 
My starter looks underwhelming (no krausen) so I would have liked to know how this turned out if you hadn't pitched the dry yeast. I'll take a reading of mine to see if it fermented out tonight or tomorrow before pitching.

I didn't take an OG reading of the starter - but by the 3rd day, I took a sample with the hydrometer reading and calculated it to be ~1.038 (my starter was probably that - 3 cups water + 1/2 cup light DME); so I just figured it was dead.

The reasons I pitched the dry and didn't wait it out was:

1) the starter had been going since Sunday and likely never started
2) I'm leaving town next monday and I wanted to get the fermentation going so I can dial in my ghetto temp control device to keep the temps in the low 60s while I'm gone for a couple days
 
By the way, how did that Moose drool clone come out? I still need to do one but am going to wait until it cools down a bit.

It came out amazing. Scored well too...

a 36.5 (bronze) at the 2009 Great Arizona Homebrew Competition
a 39 (gold certificate) at the 2009 SW Regional for the AHA NHC (lost the mini-BOS for category 10, otherwise it would've moved on to Nationals)

I'll probably enter it in the HBT competition also
 
I dont know WHY there would be a difference, but when I use DME to make starters, I never get a krausen, when I use wort from an actual brew day, I get 1-5" of krausen in 24 hours.
 
My starter made with DME didn't make any krausen either so I hope it's the same for me. Trying to take enough of a sample this morning was a waste, threw it in the fridge and pitch tomorrow or Sunday (whatever day I brew) and hope it takes off!
 
I dont know WHY there would be a difference, but when I use DME to make starters, I never get a krausen, when I use wort from an actual brew day, I get 1-5" of krausen in 24 hours.

are you oxygenating your RWS any different that your DME starter?
 
are you oxygenating your RWS any different that your DME starter?

No, just shake them for a minute or so. I have a photo in my gallery here showing my Haus Ale starter that had about 7" of krausen. Not sure why, or if it has been a fluke on the past three RWS I did.
 
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