Starter not doing anything

[Rkb1983]

So I made my first yeast starter last night in anticipation of brewing tonight. I'm making a witbier and had a packet of wyeast 3944. When I ordered the kit, the yeast pack was warm from the box being outside despite the ice pack. I refrigerated it as soon as it came.

So it's been over 24 hours now and the starter has looked like this the whole time, no change. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1436418627.414620.jpg

I went ahead and made a brown ale instead, and I'll give this more time to start up. What do you think though, is this past the point where it would reasonably start to ferment?

 

[flars]

The yeast was well stressed by the heat and undoubtedly lost vitality. Give the yeast at least three days to finish.

You do have a layer of yeast on the bottom of the beaker and yeast in suspension. Are you gauging activity by a krausen being present, or not being present? Some yeasts will not produce a noticeable krausen in a starter. Pour off a specific gravity sample in another day to check for fermentation.

 

[didinho]

So it's been over 24 hours now and the starter has looked like this the whole time, no change.

the pack inflated correctly before putting it in to the starter? how long did it take?

 

[IslandLizard]

You seemed "surprised" that the ice pack was warm from the box sitting on your porch.

Just for reference, the small ice packs you added to your order are likely melted by the time the package leaves the warehouse. Hot Summer and freezing Winter months are not good times to have yeast shipped. Order all your (liquid) yeast for the brewing season when the prevailing temps along your shipping route are more moderate. Or buy locally if you can.

Is that a 1 liter beaker? If so, there may or may not be enough cells, hard to tell. Cold crashing in the fridge helps precipitate the yeast faster. That particular yeast remains in suspension a long time. Give it at least 3 days in the fridge to settle out. Then decant and pitch, or grow a larger starter, holding some back for a fresh starter for one of your next batches.

Forgot to say: you can test the starter beer's gravity (refractometer is easiest, only takes a drop) to see how far it has reduced. Use a web calc (Brewer's Friend) to convert the measured vs. actual gravity when using refractometers and alcohol is present.

 

[midfielder5]

Good job on not using it and doing another beer!

I have not used WY3944 in a while, but belgians usually are pretty active and I think after two or three days it should be foaming real good.
I agree with Flars.

I would stick to dry yeast via mail during the hot summer,
or getting liquids from a local store.
Ice packs really don't cut it at 90+ degrees on the truck for a few days.

 

[eadavis80]

IME, if you shake up the starter and get some foam, then that means the yeast is viable. If you shake and get nothing, I think you were smart to go in a different direction until that yeast comes around (assuming it will).

 

[Rkb1983]

Thanks for the comments. I knew it was risky having it shipped, but it was last month and I really wanted the Hoegaarden yeast to try for this beer. It just sucked that it sat on the doorstep for a few hours in direct sunlight until I got home.

The pouch was somewhat inflated when I got it, but after popping the nutrient pack (4 hours before pitching to the starter), it did swell up all the way. I'll let it sit for a couple more days and then take a gravity reading.

 

[m00ps]

I see yeast at the bottom, have you regularly been agitating it? Like someone else mentioned if you get any foam after shaking, its OK. Just probably lagged due to poor yeast health so good thing you made a starter. That being said, how big is this batch going to be? That is a very small starter for anything larger than like 1gal

 

[Rkb1983]

I've been swirling it a little, but I'll try stirring with a sanitized spoon. I just went with the instructions I saw when I googled yeast starters, 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup DME. This is for a 5 gallon batch of witbier, 1.044 OG.

 

[SmokeyMcBong]

Does it smell like beer or does it smell like wort? When you swirl, was there any carbon dioxide fizzing up the liquid?

 

[eadavis80]

That should be fine size wise for a gravity that modest. If you wanted to step it up, it wouldn't hurt, but I think for that size, you'd be okay.

 

[Rkb1983]

It smells more like beer, so I guess that's a good sign! A little bit of carbonation fizzing up. Now I guess my next step is figuring out how to store this yeast once it's finished until I can actually brew the witbier. Can I just keep this beaker in the fridge, or do I need to decant the liquid and put it in a new jar?

 

[IslandLizard]

Good agitation (contact with air, oxygen) promotes maximum yeast growth. Letting it sit just ferments it, with little growth.

For 5.5 gallons @1.044 you'd need about 100ml of yeast slurry laying on the bottom. See Mr. Malty.

 

[DurtyChemist]

Swirl it using your hand. You might see a rapid exit of CO2 from the beer in suspension. I always saw that with starters I shook by hand.