Dead Yeast?

[DaleJ]

Is this yeast dead?


I smacked the pack on Tuesday, by Thursday it really hadn't swelled.
Thursday evening I went ahead and pitched it into a 500ml starter, and add a little more wort Friday evening. It's been right about 70-72F since I got it out of the refrigerator. And so far there has been no activity, it's all just sitting at the bottom of the flask.

It's an ale yeast and the production date on the pack was 9/4/7. I got it at the end of October and it's been in the fridge since then.

 

[WOP31]

I smacked the pack on Tuesday, by Thursday it really hadn't swelled.
Thursday evening I went ahead and pitched it into a 500ml starter, and add a little more wort Friday evening. It's been right about 70-72F since I got it out of the refrigerator. And so far there has been no activity, it's all just sitting at the bottom of the flask.

It's an ale yeast and the production date on the pack was 9/4/7. I got it at the end of October and it's been in the fridge since then.

Confused a bit. Did you have the starter in the fridge? When i make starters I will give the container a swirl every time i walk by it in order to keep the yeast in suspension. May people have stir plates that do that for them, but alas i don't yet. In your starter you want to keep the yeast in the aerobic stage of life for as long as possible, so you can get the most reproduction out of the yeast.


Cheers

 

[homebrewer_99]

WOP31: I know that lamp from the movie...

 

[DaleJ]

The smack pack had been in the fridge since I got it.

The starter has been @ 70F the whole time.

 

[PseudoChef]

You want to take the smack pack out of the fridge and let warm to room temperature before you even smack it.

Starters, in my experience, don't give off much activity...do you have an airlock on it? You really want to just use a loose piece of foil.

I just recently used a smack pack that was 13 months old. My starter didn't appear to be doing anything either, but it took 1.046 wort down to 1.007 in 4 days.

 

[malkore]

Starters don't really vigorously ferment. All you'll really see is more sediment building up in the bottom, which is the yeast cake.

 

[WOP31]

Starters don't really vigorously ferment. All you'll really see is more sediment building up in the bottom, which is the yeast cake.

Unless you keep them stirred up, then the yeast won't settle out. I have seen starters blow the water out of the tiny little holes in the airlock when they were swirled around a bit. My starters generally have a lot of airlock activity.


Cheers

 

[DaleJ]

Thanks guys.


I've taken off the airlock and put on foil.
I keep shaking it when I get w/in arms reach.

It still just sits there.

I'll pitch it tomorrow, and if it doesn't take off, then I have some dry yeast that I'll use for a rescue plan.

 

[craiger_ny]

Try immersing the starter container (I am assuming glass) in warm water once or twice a day. September is not that old so I bet you don't need any yeast energizer but I have used it on older yeast and it helps but if you swirl and warm it up a touch once in a while it should take off. Like others said starters are not aggressive typically. You'll know when you swirl it if there has been activity.

 

[DaleJ]

Well, it's looking much better this morning.
The wort is cloudy and it has a little bit of krausen on top.

I also spent quite a bit of time swirling and swishing it while I watched TV last evening.

I think it'll be good to go for this afternoon.

Thanks for all the info and tips guys!