yeast starter is lookin funky

[NateKerx]

some of you may have helped me through last week's fermentation panic. I wanted to reduce lag time on my second batch so I made a starter about 6 days ago. After 2 days I put it in the fridge and today I took it out to warm up and I noticed the yeast is all clumped together and looks sorta like sand in my flask. is this yeast dead? i have no choice but to pitch it anyways, just wondering if there is a specific way dead yeast looks

 

[david_42]

It probably isn't dead, just flocculated. Mix well.

 

[clayof2day]

what stain is it? There is a specific English ale strian that looks really funky, the Kölsch yeast from WL seems to floc really funny...there are other funky floccers. RDWHAHB.

 

[Big Al]

Just shake it really good. and you should be fine. My last starter was real clumpy but kicked off my brew in under 4 hours (Record time for me!).

 

[NateKerx]

it actually was an english ale yeast, WLP 002. im not too worried about it, ive got two batches fermenting now and im finally realizing that freaking out about your beer is antithetical to to relaxed spirit of brewing. cheers!

 

[Big Al]

it actually was an english ale yeast, WLP 002. im not too worried about it, ive got two batches fermenting now and im finally realizing that freaking out about your beer is antithetical to to relaxed spirit of brewing. cheers!

Totally. RDWHAHB

 

[NateKerx]

maybe I can RDWHAHB in 5 more weeks, until then i'll have to RDWHABrooklyn Brewery East India Pale Ale!

 

[Big Al]

maybe I can RDWHAHB in 5 more weeks, until then i'll have to RDWHABrooklyn Brewery East India Pale Ale!

Thats a nice choice. I'm a huge fan of pretty much all of their beers. SWMBO loves their Barleywine as well.

 

[NateKerx]

ooo I havent seen the barelywine, i'll have to track that down. The brewery is right near me and their beers taste incredible fresh off the taps there.

also, hail to the floccated yeast and the 6 hour start!!

 

[clayof2day]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure morebeer tells all their customers that WLP002 is the cottage cheese ale yeast strain. It looks really funky, but will floc out like crazy when its done. Like you said...in 4 weeks RDWHAHB, for now RDWHACB (craft brew).

Best of luck!

 

[Cable Guy]

I'm glad I stumbled onto this thread. I brewed a batch of light ale yesterday and my yeast was the WLP002. It started fermenting in about 5 hours and looked like nothing I had seen before. I was actually sitting down tonight to find out what a contaminated batch looked like. Sounds like I have nothing to worry about. I will post a photo in just a couple.

CG

 

[Cable Guy]

Here is the light ale. The happy guys in the background from left to right are, IPA, Honey Wheat, and a Honey Ale from More Beer.
Those floaties you see on the sides. They aren't moving up and down. They are stuck to the side. I've never seen anything ferment like this before.