Worried that I killed my yeast

[BlueSunshine]

Today I was making a starter (for the first time) for a vial of liquid yeast and I'm kinda worried that I may have killed it.

I brought two cups of DME to a boil and then let I let it sit for about 5 minutes. I then poured the mixture into my container (a 22 ounce beer bottle which was cleaned and sanitized) while it was still pretty hot. I then ran the bottle under cold water and then submerged it in container of cold water without ice about 5 times. It appeared to be OK, so I added the yeast and then put a loose cap on the bottle (also sanitized).

However when I went to grab the bottle later with the yeast inside, it still felt pretty warm. I couldn't find my thermometer to measure the temperature either. What really sucks is that during this ordeal I dropped my hydrometer and broke it the floor

Do you think that the temperature might have been high enough to kill the yeast?

 

[MultumInParvo]

You might have killed a bunch of them, but from my experience, yeast is pretty hearty. If there is still a couple alive, you can resuscitate them and build a starter from that.

Yeast is stronger than we often give it credit for.

 

[Dos_Locos_Brewery]

There's no way of knowing, but you'll find out soon enough (if your starter doesn't start). It is well worth taking the time to cool your starter to your intended fermentation temperature before pitching. Pitching too warm, even if it doesn't kill the yeast, can create off-flavors. Also, you can dissolve oxygen better in the starter if it is cool.

 

[BlueSunshine]

So I checked on my starter this morning and I got a little bit of bubbling going on. Should there be more activity than this?

 

[Yooper]

A 22 ounce bottle is pretty small. I use a gallon glass jug, or a 1/2 gallon growler, or an Erlenmeyer flask. Shake it up, to get a little oxygen in there. Many times you don't see much activity at all in a starter, since it's such a small amount of wort. You don't typically get krausen.

I assume you used 1/2 cup DME to 2 cups water?

 

[BlueSunshine]

I assume you used 1/2 cup DME to 2 cups water?

Yup. I also got the 22 ounce beer bottle idea from the Homebrewing for Dummies book. The more I read that book the more I'm noticing that it's instructions on the actual brewing process aren't very good.

 

[Sithdad]

I've been using a Simply Orange juice bottle. When I chill my wort I cover it and put it in the sink with enough cold water to come up about 1/3 of the way up to the pot. I hold the lid down and swirl the pot. Only takes a few moments to cool the wort down to pitching temp.

 

[BlueSunshine]

I've been using a Simply Orange juice bottle. When I chill my wort I cover it and put it in the sink with enough cold water to come up about 1/3 of the way up to the pot. I hold the lid down and swirl the pot. Only takes a few moments to cool the wort down to pitching temp.

Not a bad idea with the Simply Orange bottle, I'll have to use one next time.

Also if you're submerging only for a few moments to get the temp down, then I'm feeling better already about my situation. I submerged the bottle several times and ran it under cold water while turning it.

 

[Sithdad]

I think it only takes about 3 or 4 minutes of swirling to chill it down. I can usually tell if the temp is good by feeling the bottom of the pot. If it's cold then it's good to go. If you want to feel the temp of the wort just wash your hand first. It should feel pretty cool, but not cold.