Starter not... starting.

[pnj]

I thought this thing would be bubbling away like crazy by now.

I smacked my yeast pack (london 1968) about four hours before I pitched it into my starter.
The starter was two cups of water and 1/2 cup of liquid malt extract boiled for five minutes. I cooled it to 70 and dumped it and the yeast into a sanitized 2 liter bottle. I swirled it up and put a loose fitting air lock on it.

That was hours ago.. it's not doing anything.

 

[android]

i think with those smack packs, they generally take longer to get going. i'm sure yours will kick into action before too long. keep swirling it and maybe replace the airlock with a piece of sanitized aluminum foil. just be patient, it will happen.

 

[llazy_llama]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/

Read, and relax.

 

[pnj]

ok. good to know. but why does the smack pack start growing soon after smacked? it seems like if it was active in the pouch it would be active as soon as it was dumped.

that doesn't make sense to me.

 

[LaurieGator]

I have found (with limited experience) that the smack pack may go like gangbusters in the pouch but still will take 24 - 36 hours to see the effects in my brew. I figure when I start seeing the foamy stuff on top (kraeusen) the brew is starting to ferment. Don't count on the air bubbles in the airlock, especially if using a bucket (I know I am getting fermentation of my mead in the bucket, but there is NO airlock activity).

 

[double_e5]

First take the airlock off and replace it with sanitized foil. Sometimes starters don't show huge signs of fermentation. Sometimes you will get krausen but a lot of times you won't. Give that thing a good shake every time you walk by it and you'll be fine.

 

[pnj]

How do I hold the foil inplace? with a rubber band or just crumple the foil around the opening/neck of the bottle?

thanks again.

oh and even though the airlock is NOT bublbling, when I swirl the bottle the airlock will boild violently.... I guess I was expecting it to bubble like beer. I see from the posts below that this is not always the case.

 

[nostalgia]

First take the airlock off and replace it with sanitized foil. Sometimes starters don't show huge signs of fermentation. Sometimes you will get krausen but a lot of times you won't. Give that thing a good shake every time you walk by it and you'll be fine.

Agreed that you can't always see signs of activity.

My last starter for London 1028 was sllloooooooooooooow. It took 3 full days before anything happened, and even then there were no visible signs of fermentation. I found out it was active by swirling the starter. This caused all of the dissolved CO2 the yeast was making to come out of solution. It made a nice beery head on the starter and CO2 puffed out from under the foil.

After a week I pitched it in an ESB and have signs of activity a day later.

As for tin foil, here ya go:

-Joe

 

[pnj]

Ok, good to know. Thanks.

one last question... How long will my starter last? I thought I was going to brew today but I may not get to it until tomorrow or the next day...

 

[BarleyWater]

It will last about a week in the fridge until you will need to make another starter for it.

 

[HoppyDaze]

Question: why tinfoil over an airlock? this has me baffled

 

[llazy_llama]

Not tinfoil over the airlock, tinfoil in place of the airlock.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/stop-putting-airlocks-your-starters-104529/

 

[HoppyDaze]

LOL the question is why tinfoil INSTEAD of an airlock

 

[IrregularPulse]

Question: why tinfoil over an airlock? this has me baffled

LOL the question is why tinfoil INSTEAD of an airlock

Nope, definitely says OVER