no trub in yeast starter!

[jprag]

Hi, Im new to making starters...
I have a high gravity beer, and since im far away my smacks pack were going to be a bit old, so as my suspicions, Mr malty said make a half gallon with 2 yeast packs.

I left starter in a plastic water jug, with the aluminum foil at 68-70 for 3 days, (last thursday) later passed it on sunday to refrigerator at 43. So its been on the fridge for 5 days.

After the 2 days, there was a mild sediment and when I shook there was "gas", so I understand that, this means its good to go.

Now, after 5 days in the fridge its still looks the same (without the gas) just a little bit of sediment, I've been reading and most people say there should be a "layer" of trub at the bottom, however I do not have this layer.

I wouldnt want to pitch the whole 1/2 gallon, because i feel gravity will go down significantly. Should I pitch the whole thing and raise the gravity of the starter with some dme to the gravity to match that of the wort?
Should I anyways take a bit of the liquid on the top of the starter??

Thanks!

 

[MalFet]

I don't totally follow...how much is "a little bit" of sediment? A quarter inch? A few specks? How big is the bottom of your water jug? Without some more specifics, I'm not sure why a little bit of sediment shouldn't be the same as a layer of sediment.

Decanting or not decanting is an issue of personal preference, having to do with exactly the issues you suggest. You should not build a starter out of high gravity wort. I am a decanter, so I crash and dump 90% of the liquid layer. I use the remaining 10% to swirl the sedimented yeast back into suspension and then pitch that.

 

[ihomebrewing]

After 5 days in the fridge, I would expect a layer of yeast on the bottom and clear beer on top of it.

Most of this beer should be decanted off, then shake up the sediment, and pour it in.

 

[jprag]

The layer is about 1/4 inch, and the bottom of the jug is about 3 inches radius.

Its clear all the way from the top of the sediment up. Basically it looks the same that before i put it in the fridge

 

[MalFet]

The layer is about 1/4 inch, and the bottom of the jug is about 3 inches radius.

Its clear all the way from the top of the sediment up. Basically it looks the same that before i put it in the fridge

Sounds about normal to me.

 

[Revvy]

Here ya go...

It doesn't matter one blip in your fermenter or your starter flask if the airlock bubbles or not (if you are using an airlock and not tinfoil if you are using tinfoil, you aren't getting bibbling anyway,) or if you see a krauzen. In fact starter fermentation are some of the fastest or slowest but most importantly, the most boring fermentations out there. Usually it's done withing a few hours of yeast pitch...usually overnight when we are sleeping, and the starter looks like nothing ever happened...except for the little band at the bottom. Or it can take awhile...but either way there's often no "activity" whatsoever....

I usually run my stirplate for the first 24 hours, then shut it down, if you are spinning your starter it is really hard to get a krausen to form anyway, since it's all spinning, and there's often a head of foam on it from the movement.


All that really matters is that creamy band o yeast at the bottom.

This is a chilled sample so it's flocculated, but even with an unchilled sample you should see a band of yeast at the bottom. Here's an unchilled version

Same thing, a band.

As it is I've only ever seen two or three krausens actually on my starter (one blew off a bunch of krausen and knocked the tinfoil off the flask,) and the evidence of one on the flask at the "waterline" once. But I've never not had a starter take off.

Look for the yeast at the bottom, don't worry what it looks like on top.

If you have yeast on the bottom....that's all you really need.

If it looks anything like that, your are ready to either feed it again, or use it.

Sounds like you ignored what was there. You have sediment you have a starter.

 

[jprag]

thankks!, I was reading somewhere (cant remember)...that after refrigeration I was going have a larger layer...
anyways...I lost internet yesterday and couldnt check your answers...so I decided to decant half, and through it in.
this morning Santas little helpers in the carboy where having a hoedown

thanks again for your help...