Well it's official

[Desert_Sky]

It's becoming too hot to ship White Labs through the mail. Especially out here in AZ. I got a vial of Cali from the UPS guys. The ice pack was smoking hot, and the way it was wrapped, there really was no way for the heat to escape.

The Cali yeast was coagulated (sp) really bad. So I decided to make up a starter. 30+ hours later, zero activity in the 1000ml starter. The grains have already been crushed, so it looks like I have no choice but to try my luck again. Im going to ask them to pack it diferently this time.

And the funny thing is, if I didn't have to work so damn much, I could jsut drive the hour up to Tucson and pick it up myself.

 

[Dude]

I'd call whomever you purchased it from and let them know. You might get more yeast from them via Fedex or something, but moreso to let them know that they might be better off suspending mail-order yeast sales to that area.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

If you're using the Cali yeast, why not just get dry yeast, like S-56? I imagine it's a bit more durable, though it's still temp sensitive.

 

[cweston]

Kindof off-topic, but...

Every now and then someone (who obviously has more money than time) posts "Why bother saving yeast?"

Here's another reason--to avoid the perils of mail-order yeast in hot summer.

 

[Desert_Sky]

good points from all three of you. Ill give them a call when I have some time later on today. And I might just go with the dry yeast for the rest of the summer.

 

[Ivan Lendl]

yeah i definitley second the dry yeast option, especially if your going for a cali ale which is one you can get dry. I recently tried using dry for the first time and im loving the results. Its easier and you dont need a starter and its cheaper.
No matter what i order i make sure it doesnt end up sitting in a wharehouse all weekend (in other words i dont order after wednesday).

 

[user 574]

I'd check into www.brewyourownbrew.com - they're in Tucson. Either take the 70 mile(?) drive and stock up or see about getting it shipped from them. Might be a shorter shipping time to get the stuff this way. $6.49 ea

 

[cowain]

Have you given the starter some good swirlings? I had a similar situation here in AR in the middle of the summer last year. It took a good amount of time to get any activity and I had to swirl the mixture periodically to try to keep the little yeasties trying, but eventually (like 3 days or so) it worked.

 

[Desert_Sky]

I'd check into www.brewyourownbrew.com - they're in Tucson. Either take the 70 mile(?) drive and stock up or see about getting it shipped from them. Might be a shorter shipping time to get the stuff this way. $6.49 ea

Yea thats where i got it from. Gary is a good guy, and has been really cool so far.

I got a concern though. You guys remember that post a while back about "How clean your stuff is" or something along those lines? Well it was something like, if you leave your wort it will eventually start fermenting from wild airborne yeast within 48 hours or so.

So how long do I let this starter go? I mean if I just leave it, and it eventually starts, how will I know if it's the Cali yeast and not some wild strain? Im guessing if it hasnt shown any signs yet (and I just called the wife to make sure) its not going to. One vial into 1000ml of wort should of taken off by now right?

 

[homebrewer_99]

Is there a fellow brewer in your neighborhood you can get some yeast from?

 

[user 574]

Yea thats where i got it from. Gary is a good guy, and has been really cool so far.

Oh - bummer. I'd be getting concerned on using it as well personally. I'd be heading towards the dry yeast world for this batch. Got any on you? Either that or make the road trip; get a couple vials of the stuff you like and certainly start harvesting/saving slurry. I haven't bought yeast since early March and have 4 strains hanging out in my fridge. Probably won't have to buy any until fall either after saving next generation batches...

 

[Dude]

So how long do I let this starter go? I mean if I just leave it, and it eventually starts, how will I know if it's the Cali yeast and not some wild strain? Im guessing if it hasnt shown any signs yet (and I just called the wife to make sure) its not going to. One vial into 1000ml of wort should of taken off by now right?

Not necessarily, a starter can go really fast, you may not have even noticed it. Usually I see a little krausen ring but sometimes it isn't.

If it has an airlock I'd be fairly confident it isn't wild yeast--try steppign it up once more with some wort and see if it does anything.

I'm pretty confident the little guys are dead though.

 

[Desert_Sky]

I'm pretty confident the little guys are dead though.

Yea it was one of those things where I took one look at it and kind of knew. I've heard of some strains of yeast looking kind of chunky, but tnot Cali yeast. No fine sediment at the bottom, jsut coagulated little brown chunks throughout. Even when shaken, they didn't break up.

 

[Desert_Sky]

Ok, just called brew your own. Wow, I even offered to cover shipping, but they said absolutely not. They would ship the dry yeast out to me today at zero cost to me.

Well they officially have one more loyal customer.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Ok, just called brew your own. Wow, I even offered to cover shipping, but they said absolutely not. They would ship the dry yeast out to me today at zero cost to me.

Well they officially have one more loyal customer.

That's good customer service.

I tell you, after a spring of decoctions and step mashes and stepping up starters, I really enjoyed my last brewday: a single infusion mash followed by a sprinkling of dry yeast, <5hrs brewsession!