I searched through the threads but didn't see actually this question, but apologies if it has been addressed. I asked a friend to pick me up some yeast for porters and pilsners and he came back with a variety of things--not sure why. I used an English Ale smack pack for the porter...nothing. I made a starter with a white-lab yeast...nothing. So I pitched a 05 and it went off (og 1.056). I made a starter for the pilsner (it's a double at og 1.075) and nothing. I pitched the 05 and 3 days later it took off. I left the pilsner starter on the stir plate and after a few days I added some more starter to it (wo/yeast of course). Over night it took off--beautifully. Now my house is cold...it's an old farm house in MA and some rooms don't heat (perfect for lagering this time of year) and most rooms don't get above 60. But I do use brew belts in the basement (steady 55-60 this time of year) and if I'm making a starter I place it in the bathroom with a space heater so that the temp is appropriate. I generally reuse my yeast but it had been 3-4 months since I brewed last, so I need to stock up. Did I get bad yeast? To add another variable to the mix, I used old star-san to make sure all my clean equipment was good to go (like 1.5 yrs old). I've never had a yeast not work, especially in a starter (or delay for a few days). How likely is this to affect the taste? The porter has the smack and the 05 in it...(after 8 days it is at 1.012 and is pretty light--both in color and taste--I'll probably divide it up and go with some pbutter in one secondary and toasted coconut in the other)...the pilsner took 3 days to get going...ester time? Any advice/insight on reasons for delayed fermentation/bad yeast is much appreciated for future reference.
bad yeast?
- Thread starter dharvey
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Sparkncode
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Maybe your friend had the heater on in his car blowing on the yeast or put them in a hot place before they got to you.
brewstergalVT
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Can you clarify about pitching for the porter? Looks like you tried a Wyeast smack pack and it never puffed up and also tried doing a starter with a White Lab yeast and no activity so you pitched a Safale 05. Is that correct? Then I'm unclear on whether it took off right away or took 3 days to take off. But it sounds like the porter is fine at 1.012. What happened to the smack pack and WL starter? Did you throw them out or let them sit to see if they ever took off? Since it sounds like you're experienced with starters, I'll assume you did a low gravity (1.040-ish) starter for the WL. All yeasts were fresh by the date on the packages? If so I'm guessing if the porter really did take 3 days to take off with the Safale that things got too cold, even low 60's could cause the delay in taking off.
My limited experience with lager yeast is that it takes a while to get going, so it doesn't sound like anything is wrong with the pilsner yeast.
My limited experience with lager yeast is that it takes a while to get going, so it doesn't sound like anything is wrong with the pilsner yeast.
Yeah, that's pretty much it. Smack never puffed, but I pitched it any way. I've had smacks not puff and still work, but I was suspicious so I made the White lab starter the next day. After nothing with the starter for 2 days on the stir plate, I pitched the 05. All the starters were low gravity. They were all fresh. I guess it's possible the brew belt isn't doing as much I had hoped--maybe it's too old, so that the porter is hovering in the low 60's. Good to know about the lager yeast. I made one last year and don't remember having the problem and from my notes there was activity in the lock pretty soon. I might go ahead and pitch the starter I made with it--just to see if it was viable. I've been wanting to make a dopplebock and since I have the yeast might as well go for it. Thanks for your response!
Smack packs sometimes don't expand, that does not mean the yeast is bad. You still need to make a starter unless the beer is very low gravity.
How many starters have you made? What were you looking for as signs, sometimes there is very little visible sign, maybe only the starter wort going from a translucent golden color to a milky creamy look.
Lager yeasts are slower than ale yeasts and usually show less activity.
Cooler temperatures will slow down fermentations.
How many starters have you made? What were you looking for as signs, sometimes there is very little visible sign, maybe only the starter wort going from a translucent golden color to a milky creamy look.
Lager yeasts are slower than ale yeasts and usually show less activity.
Cooler temperatures will slow down fermentations.
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