Yeast starter question

I made a yeast starter for a brew last weekend, but then I partied too hard and was too hung over to brew. I threw the starter into the fridge. Will it be any good next weekend? How long will it last?

Kluxen said:

I made a yeast starter for a brew last weekend, but then I partied too hard and was too hung over to brew. I threw the starter into the fridge. Will it be any good next weekend? How long will it last?

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Should be fine as long as you closed it up decently. I typically make my starter about 2-3 days ahead, so that I can get it to finish (on the stir-plate) then cold crash it overnight before I decant it and make a slurry to pitch. I would suggest putting it on the counter/out of the fridge, when you start brewing, or at least a few hours before you plan to pitch the yeast. That way it has a chance to get closer to room temp. Remember, you don't want to have too big of a delta between the yeast temp and the wort temp it's going into. Too cold, or too hot, of wort will shock the yeast and not do your brew any good. You'll still get fermentation but you might not get what you expected, in the time frame you would expect.

BTW, was this starter made with a stir-plate or just a simple starter? You could, also, decant and make a small starter to wake the yeast up a day or two before you brew.

It's probably good as is, but you could also add another .5 liters of wort the day before you brew. 12-18 hours should be sufficient.

I have a similar situation. I was set to brew but I have been fighting a cold and spent a night coughing. I slept to mid day on brew day, it was also cold, so I put things off until this Wednesday. I made a slightly large starter. I am undecided whether I will bump it up or just go with it.