Starter Question

[Prymal]

I made a 1.5L starter of Wyeast 3522 last night. Pitched the smack pack at about 7 pm and this morning i still see no activity. This starter is sitting a a 1/2 gallon growler with no stir plate. Should i be concerned that this yeast is dead or did the krausen come and go over night? This is only my second starter.

 

[Sulli]

How old was your yeast, and did you aerate your starter before pitching yeast?

 

[kh54s10]

Starters do not always act like beers. I use a stir plate and sometimes see no activity except that when settled the layer of yeast has increased.

You can look for the layer of yeast or take a gravity reading to see what is happening.

Let that thing go for another 24 hours shaking it up every time you pass by it.

I doubt the yeast is dead. We hear stories of inflated and heated packs that survive all the time.

 

[Prymal]

How old was your yeast, and did you aerate your starter before pitching yeast?

Package date is April 30th 2012. I did aerate and have been shaking it every time I walk past before I went to bed and since i have been awake. I started my brew session a half hour ago and ill take a gravity reading of the starter shortly. Hopefully I don't have to run out to my LHBS to buy more yeast.

 

[Prymal]

Starters do not always act like beers. I use a stir plate and sometimes see no activity except that when settled the layer of yeast has increased.

You can look for the layer of yeast or take a gravity reading to see what is happening.

Let that thing go for another 24 hours shaking it up every time you pass by it.

I doubt the yeast is dead. We hear stories of inflated and heated packs that survive all the time.

The starter is still at 1.040

 

[Sulli]

Maybe you had some old yeast check the date on the package. Even if it's old it could still take off, it might just take a few days.

Looks like your going to have to visit your LHBS.

 

[cmybeer]

Give it another day to be sure and then take a reading and chuck it if it's bad.

 

[kh54s10]

Still at 1.040...
It does look like you will need to get some new yeast for your current brew session, or delay it.

I would not dump the starter you have going just yet. It might still go, just taking longer.

 

[Prymal]

I think its bad. The yeast isn't even staying in suspension. The starter wort is mostly clear after leaving it for 30 minutes.

 

[Prymal]

double post sorry

 

[Prymal]

Well I went to a movie and came back still no visible activity but when I shook the growler it exploded with co2. I'll take a gravity reading in the morning and see of anything happened. In the mean time I pitched 2 vials of wlp550. If the 3522 ferments out I'll put it in some mason jars for later.