Couple questions AG

[iskuse]

I have a few questions.

How long can wort sit BEFORE adding yeast?
Here is the situation:
I made a yeast starter (White Labs California Ale) on Saturday morning

• 2 pints water and 1/2 cup light DME. Boiled for 10 minutes.
• Cooled and pitched yeast.
• Stir plate for 24 hours.

Brewed on Sunday
Wort Expected OG = 1.052 Actual 1.040

So anyway, it took forever to get my wort down to temp, got it to about 90 degrees in 15 minutes. (Wort Chiller) got to to about 80 another hour later. I ran out of ice so I decanted the starter and poured it in.

Here is where my issue comes in
1. there was a fruit fly in the starter, I poured him out. I have read this is no good and should toss starter, but I didnt have any more yeast so I pitched it.

2. As of today, tuesday, there is really no activity. Local shop is not open on Monday. I have not had time to take a reading and probably will not be able to until tonight around 8. I did however open the bucket and there is some krausen. I am assuming that my blowoff tube has finally worn the grommet and I am leaking from there, or I have a leak somewhere else. I have always been able to push down on the lid and get some gas to expell from the blow-off. Not this time.

Should I run out and get another vial of yeast? I can stop home and pitch it. or should I just let it ride? (Being there was a fly, I don't want to wast 8 dollars on more yeast if it is not going to turn out.)

If in fact there has not been any action on the yeasts part, will the wort make it until tomorrow evening (Wednesday (3 days in primary)) when I can get more yeast?

 

[gr8shandini]

Don't Panic

1. The fly - I wouldn't stress too much about it. If there was enough alcohol in the starter to kill the fly, it'll kill most of what was on it. Besides, beer is a lot more forgiving than a lot of folks make it out to be. It's good to have good sanitation practices, but the yeast are pretty much bullies and will outcompete most organisms that can ruin beer.

2. "No activity" - Krausen is a good indicator of activity, bubbles are not. You've already diagnosed why there are no bubbles.

If there's nothing you can do about it until tomorrow anyway, there's no sense in worrying about it. Relax, take a gravity reading when you get home, and have a homebrew.

 

[beerman0001]

By Wednesday evening your beer will more then likely be going good.

 

[iskuse]

Don't Panic

1. The fly - I wouldn't stress too much about it. If there was enough alcohol in the starter to kill the fly, it'll kill most of what was on it. Besides, beer is a lot more forgiving than a lot of folks make it out to be. It's good to have good sanitation practices, but the yeast are pretty much bullies and will outcompete most organisms that can ruin beer.

2. "No activity" - Krausen is a good indicator of activity, bubbles are not. You've already diagnosed why there are no bubbles.

If there's nothing you can do about it until tomorrow anyway, there's no sense in worrying about it. Relax, take a gravity reading when you get home, and have a homebrew.

That's what I figured. This was my first attempt at a starter. I have done about 15 to 20 batches and always had some kind of "action" after 24 hours.
Some lasts for a day some for 7. Since this appeared to be doing nothing, I figured I messed up the starter or had temperature issues. I'll take a reading tonight and see what happens.

Thanks