Pitching harvested yeast w/starter question

From the last pale batch I did, I harvested the yeast, and refrigerated in baby food jars. Today I brewed a pale that ended up around 1.051. My problem was that I thought a starter could be made during the ~2h needed to steep/boil. I must be mistaken after reading other posts here where starters can take up to 36 hours. So I ended up with 1/4cup of boiled water/1 teaspoon sugar starter with my pitched yeast. After the two hours it was doing nothing. I pitched it anyway, but now I'm worried that my brew may never ferment, or definitely won't be done fermenting in a week (it's suggested to move the brew to a secondary after 5-7 day). Looks like I have three options:
Buy some yeast, and re-pitch
Wait out with the 2 hour starter I pitched earlier
Make another starter and possibly wait 36hours, then re-pitch

What would you do?

Thanks in advance for advice.

How old was the yeast in the baby jar? If it was under a month I'd wait a couple days and see if it takes off. You really don't need to move that beer to a secondary either. Just leave it in the primary for up to 4 weeks if you want. I usually go 3 weeks minimum & then package it. BTW, a 1/4 cup of water & a teaspoon of sugar does not a starter make.... Might help the medicine go down but that's about it.

The yeast I pitched from the baby food jar is about a month old. The yeast in the jar barely covered the bottom... It just doesn't seem like it would be enough unless the yeast can take off and multiply like crazy (I need to understand yeast better). It probably can't hurt to let it go a few days. Guess the worst that can happen is having to repitch. Thanks for the reply.

joey024 said:

The yeast I pitched from the baby food jar is about a month old. The yeast in the jar barely covered the bottom... It just doesn't seem like it would be enough unless the yeast can take off and multiply like crazy (I need to understand yeast better). It probably can't hurt to let it go a few days. Guess the worst that can happen is having to repitch. Thanks for the reply.

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You will be fine. If not this batch then the future. You stated you need to learn yeast better. We all do. But it is that attitude that indicates you will be fine.

It is never a bad idea to have a variety of dry yeast packs in your frig for when You may need them.

That said, I think your baby jar of yeast will be fine. Was it the white line of yeast at the bottom of the jar?

Ouch sorry to bring on the bad news but in my opinion I'd repitch it will be a least a week before you see signs of fermentation if at all. And having wort sitting without any inhabitants would be to much for me to worrie about. +1 1/4 a cup of water and a tsp of sugar a starter does not make.

Step 1.) Relax

Step 2.) Wait

Step 3.) Have a Homebrew (or commercial brew if a HB is not available. This can be done in conjunction with steps 1 & 2.)

Step 4.) Repeat

Unless this was a ridiculously small amount of yeast, you will be fine.
You will see some activity within a day or so, and then take a reading in about a week. If you don't see it getting to where you want you might want to pitch another packet of dry yeast.

Bottom line is, it will work. It just might not come out well as you planned.

Just a quick note for future starters - do make sure you use DME and not corn sugar or table sugar. The yeast may eat up the sugar but then they will not be well suited to eat the maltose in your wort when you pitch it. Not what you want! Since they barely had time to start it probably won't matter with this one. Good luck!

to me, the amount you described and age of the yeast you pitched suggest that you significantly underpitched. the fact that you've not seen fermentation activity yet kind of confirms it, IMO. next time make a starter with that amount of yeast.


it is likely, as others have suggested that the yeast you pitched will ultimately get moving. but your fermentation will be superior if you go out and buy a packet of US-05 or S-04 (if it's a british pale), rehydrate it and pitch it.

did you bring the harvested yeast up to room temp before you added it to the starter?

The yeast are likely already working, as they would have as if you had pitched them into a starter. Like said above, wait it out, you'll end up with beer

For everything you wanted to know about starters, read the fermentation and yeast subforum here at HBT and check out www.mrmalty.com

Cheers!

Thanks to all for the suggestions, advice, information... Just to update my thread, I waited it out and today (3-4 days after pitching) finally see activity. I've learned how I'm not going to do things next time! Problem is I can be pretty good at forgetting what I learn.

My biggest concern with this batch is that I opened the fermenter twice to have a peek--I was careful, but hope I didn't get the wort dirty. In the past, I had one get a mold film on it, and it went down (and out) just fine.

Thanks again--happy brewing