yeast trouble

I started a 2L yeast starter yesterday. Im using a stir plate. The yeast im using is wyeasts oktober fest blend. I dont have a local homebrew shop so yeast was shipped. When I got the yeast it was a little warm but not hot. I cooled the starter to room temp before I pitched. Today I was going to cool the starter in the fridge and decant it then make another starter and double the yeast count. Before I put the starter in the fridge I wanted to make sure that the yeast ate all of the sugars. I used a refractometer to check the brixs and it hasnt changed. It was 10 when I pitched and its still 10. I put it back on the stir plate. I can smell the yeast and it seems active. Its been going for18 hrs. Is the yeast died or what?

I believe you need to take a reading with a hydrometer, not refractometer to get an accurate gravity because of the alcohol present. This is true for normal brews, so I would assume the same principal applies to starters. Refractometers are good for checking gravity while mashing or boiling. Hydrometers are for checking final gravity.

periwinkle1239 said:

I believe you need to take a reading with a hydrometer, not refractometer to get an accurate gravity because of the alcohol present. This is true for normal brews, so I would assume the same principal applies to starters. Refractometers are good for checking gravity while mashing or boiling. Hydrometers are for checking final gravity.

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True. But to use a hydrometer might not work. Not enough liquid.
Just let the thing run 24 hours, cool, decant, step up with more new starter wort.

So I decided to follow kapbrew. I turned off my stir plate and let the starter sit for a bit at room temp and there was no activatie. I put it in the fridge for a couple of hours and now its going crazy. I checked my fridge temp where the starter was, it was around 48*. I checked the thermostat for my house and my wife had turned it up to 76* which I thought was 72*-74*. Appartently the yeast didnt like it that warm. I put the stirplate in the fridge but I cant get it to stir with out foaming up. Thanks for the comments.

I don't thing the problem was your house temperature. Yeast actually prefer to grow at temperatures in the 80-90F range (it is just that the beer tastes terrible). I think you just had a lag of 1 to 2 days before fermentation began, probably due to stress from shipping. I seriously doubt that the yeast will ferement at any reasonable speed in the fridge.

Agree, it is probably long lag phase caused by stressed yeast.

diS said:

Agree, it is probably long lag phase caused by stressed yeast.

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A stressed out yeastie walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Why the long phase?"