Used Proper Starter - did I kill my yeast?

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BongoYodeler

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So, making a starter with WLP002 and I wanted to try using Proper Starter, the canned concentrate. Assumed I knew what I was doing, but I obviously gave myself far too much credit. Poured 2 cans is the concentrate in and added the yeast. Spun for 36 hours and then refrigerated overnight. This morning I looked at the directions (yeah, I know...), and saw that I was supposed to add 16 ounces of water with each can. So I took the flask out of the fridge, added 32 oz of water and put it back on the stir plate. Four hours later this is what it looks like. Any chance it's still viable, or have I stressed it too much, and/or killed it?

6B23B4B2-0D88-4835-94F5-DDC30ACAE657.jpeg
 
I don't know either way if the yeast got stressed by the higher than normal OG, but wlp002 is totally the "cottage cheese" of yeast strains.
Don't get freaked out by all that clotting, it's amazingly normal :)

Cheers!
 
I don't know either way if the yeast got stressed by the higher than normal OG, but wlp002 is totally the "cottage cheese" of yeast strains.
Don't get freaked out by all that clotting, it's amazingly normal :)

Cheers!
Yeah, I did read that. I'm brewing tomorrow and will add the cottage cheese. If it doesn't take off I have some US-05, some Nottingham, and a few jars of Voss Kveik to fall back on if necessary.
 
You can verify the yeast are viable by looking for signs of active fermentation or past fermentation (with you hydrometer).

Assuming you have active yeast, the situation is not ideal, but I'd just go ahead and use it anyway. I'd also be sure to make a mental note to thoroughly read all directions in the future. 😆
 
I agree that looks fairly normal for many english yeasts, but curious if it also looked like before the first time you crashed the yeast?

I usually dont crash my starters until they start to floc. like that. Not all get that egg drop soup look but most will start to bunch. I also allow them to settle on their own for 6 or 8 hours before crashing so they can build reserves.

In the yeast book they mention using a high gravity wort to revive old yeast, so you might of selected the healthiest of your yeast.
 
You can verify the yeast are viable by looking for signs of active fermentation or past fermentation (with you hydrometer).

Assuming you have active yeast, the situation is not ideal, but I'd just go ahead and use it anyway. I'd also be sure to make a mental note to thoroughly read all directions in the future. 😆
Yeah, noted ;)
Actually, I brewed today and added the subject yeast about 5 hours ago. Already have the beginnings of airlock activity, so it's obviously not completely dead. Time will tell whether it's viable enough to complete fermentation or not.
 
I agree that looks fairly normal for many english yeasts, but curious if it also looked like before the first time you crashed the yeast?

I usually dont crash my starters until they start to floc. like that. Not all get that egg drop soup look but most will start to bunch. I also allow them to settle on their own for 6 or 8 hours before crashing so they can build reserves.

In the yeast book they mention using a high gravity wort to revive old yeast, so you might of selected the healthiest of your yeast.
The first time I crashed the yeast I did let it sit for several hours prior to putting in the fridge. When I took it out the next morning it was completely caked the the bottom. When I put it back on the stir plate it took at least a couple hours to break up to what it looked like in the picture above. I let it spin all day, and then put it in the fridge last night before I went to bed. This morning it was caked on the bottom again when I took it out to decant a little and let it come up to temp. When I went to pitch it several hours later it took some vigorous shaking to break it up enough to swirl into suspension and pitch. As I said previously, I noticed airlock activity within 5 hours. Fingers crossed.
 
Yeah, noted ;)
Actually, I brewed today and added the subject yeast about 5 hours ago. Already have the beginnings of airlock activity, so it's obviously not completely dead. Time will tell whether it's viable enough to complete fermentation or not.

If it's started already, it should be fine. Worst case scenario is it throws a slightly less than ideal flavor profile due to stress from the high gravity starter. But even that might not happen, or might not be noticeable when tasting.
 
I have not used WLP002 but it is the same or similar to Wy1968. I plugged the toilet with a hockey puck like slug of 1968 yeast slurry from a pint mason jar.

I am sure your yeast will be fine, but you might want to start rousing your fermentor/yeast after 48hr to keep it working.
 
I have not used WLP002 but it is the same or similar to Wy1968. I plugged the toilet with a hockey puck like slug of 1968 yeast slurry from a pint mason jar.
Oh, the image....

I am sure your yeast will be fine, but you might want to start rousing your fermentor/yeast after 48hr to keep it working.
We'll see how it goes. I have hopes.
 
If you have to boil and then cool water to dilute the Proper Starter...... then what is the point of the Proper Starter? I would think it was to eliminate the boil and cooling of the starter.
 
If it's started already, it should be fine. Worst case scenario is it throws a slightly less than ideal flavor profile due to stress from the high gravity starter. But even that might not happen, or might not be noticeable when tasting.

Following up in case anyone in the future does what I did....
Well, it's been exactly one week since I brewed this. I did get what I would consider normal fermenter activity for 72 hours, which was good news. My initial plan was to ferment for 2 weeks and, if at the expected FG, go ahead and keg it. Not knowing what to expect with my yeast screw-up, I took a gravity reading a few minutes ago to see where it's at. Beersmith estimated my FG to be 1.021 and my hydrometer read 1.022. As always I tasted the sample. Actually tasted fine to me, (and to my wife). So, I think it's going to be alright. I'll leave it in the fermenter another week and then keg it.
 
Hello just jumping in on this thread, found some hansen ale yeast from white labs in fridge and just made a starter using the cans of proper starter,
My only issue the Hansen had a use by date of September 2019, so over a year old.

Do you think it will take off, brewing on Saturday, a simple pale ale with El Dorado. If not i do have some brand new Hornindal in beer fridge.
 
Hello just jumping in on this thread, found some hansen ale yeast from white labs in fridge and just made a starter using the cans of proper starter,
My only issue the Hansen had a use by date of September 2019, so over a year old.

Do you think it will take off, brewing on Saturday, a simple pale ale with El Dorado. If not i do have some brand new Hornindal in beer fridge.
Use a yeast calc such as:

http://www.yeastcalculator.com/
Or

http://www.brewunited.com/yeast_calculator.php
 
Hello just jumping in on this thread, found some hansen ale yeast from white labs in fridge and just made a starter using the cans of proper starter,
My only issue the Hansen had a use by date of September 2019, so over a year old.

Do you think it will take off, brewing on Saturday, a simple pale ale with El Dorado. If not i do have some brand new Hornindal in beer fridge.
How big of starter did you make and is it on a stirplate?

I would assumed maybe a few billion cells and do a smallish shaken starter to see if you get activity. If you did a big starter it may take a few days for things to get going and you have increased risk of something wild getting in there.
 
Thanks, I'm on a stir plate and its a 1 liter starter, like i said its not a big issue if it doesn't take off.
I will use this as a experimental pale ale.
 
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