Made a starter last night, 2 pints water/ cup of LDME. There is a tiny krausen, the weakest I've seen in my starters and it looks like the yeast dropped out rather quick. Is this typical for Cal Ale? Never used it before.
Cal Ale 001
- Thread starter hough77
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BeerBeaver
Member
I had the same thing happen to me on the last batch I brewed. First time with 001, and was worried it wasn't any good. 1/2 cup DME. 900 ml of water, not much activity during the first 12 hours - a few small bubbles rising, and that was it. No krausen, and it flocked out really fast. 24 hours later, still had nothing but yeast on the bottom and not much activity. I freaked out cause it was Sunday and the brew shop was closed, so it was either this yeast starter or not brewing until the next weekend.
Used it anyway. 15 hours into my IPA, not much going on. Woke up the next day, (24 hours after pitch) and BAM, it was a fermenting beast! Fermented super strong, and got through the OG of 1.068 down to 1.014 in 7 days.
Used it anyway. 15 hours into my IPA, not much going on. Woke up the next day, (24 hours after pitch) and BAM, it was a fermenting beast! Fermented super strong, and got through the OG of 1.068 down to 1.014 in 7 days.
FWIW, if you read posts from old-timers here you'll find that it's not unusual for your starter to have little to no krausen. I've been doing starters only about 4-5 months (last Oct) and have had several where I feared the yeast was dead b/c there was no visible activity... but they've turned out fine.
I think you're in good shape
Brew strong!
I think you're in good shape
Brew strong!
FWIW, if you read posts from old-timers here you'll find that it's not unusual for your starter to have little to no krausen. I've been doing starters only about 4-5 months (last Oct) and have had several where I feared the yeast was dead b/c there was no visible activity... but they've turned out fine.
I think you're in good shape
right on. guys, if you have yeast building up on the bottom of the flask, your starter is doing fine. starters aren't really that active in the first place. if you use a stir plate, you may not see a krausen. and if you're shaking your starter, most the time you'll only see foaming right after swirling.
EdawgTheMighty
Active Member
Now that seems to be some happy yeast.
Yeah... starters are bada$$... all I can say after doing one. I do 10 gallons 5 gallons got a starter from the stir plate the other 5 got just a vial of liquid yeast. The krausen is already falling from the one with a starter and the one without hasn't even reached high krausen yet.
When pitching starters I have had some fermentations start in just a couple of hours, others have taken about 24.
It is also nice to know that you are pitching viable yeast.
It is also nice to know that you are pitching viable yeast.
I've noticed the same thing. pitch the right sized starter into well aerated wort and i've had a krausen in as little as ~2 hrs from pitch, it's generally more like 5-8 hrs, but i've seen 'em kick off real fast before, too.
