Wyeast Belgian Abbey Ale II

[StusBrew]

So....Was planning on brewing a BGSA Sunday. Got a lot going on and kind of wishing I was going to do an extract version or something. Oh well. Well, I was 'oh well' until I started questioning my starter last night and today. Now it's beyond 'oh well', but I can't get too worked up. I should check gravity. I'll do after I post this.
Long story short or however your flavor at this moment: I made a starter almost 24 hours ago. I've made a beer once a month since November and no weird issues with starters. I give a swirl as often as possible. No aeration and no stir plate. I only have a 2 L Erlenmeyer flask and 3 .5 gallon growlers. So sometimes I split if I need more than 2 L starters or I step it up. To get enough for a 1.072 BGSA with a production date way back in March, need to get yeast healthy.
The usual swirl indicates driving off CO2. I've gotten nothing like that. So holding onto it until I take a gravity. This could turn into a long post from me.

Short answer (I'll stop!): Anyone have issues with a vial or Smackpack of yeast? Getting a starter going and seems like nothing? A few batches ago I got a starter going, usual thing, swirl and notice activity. Then pitched on brew day and saw activity within 4 or 5 hours. Came home from work less than 24 hours later and there was no noticeable activity and I waited a week and took a reading. It was attenuated.

 

[BigFloyd]

I've had my doubts when culturing some harvested/rinsed/stored lager yeast (WY2124), but not with Belgian Abbey or any other ale yeast.

For the lager yeast starter, I sanitized some cling wrap and placed it over the lid. When it bulged up nicely after a few minutes, I knew it was in good shape.

 

[StusBrew]

I checked gravity a half hour or so after posting this last night. Was 1.042 ish. Slightly below that mark so probably 1.041 maybe. So I took off sandwich bag (out of tin foil and amazing how bad you need things when they're not there. Really tin foil!!!) Stirred really good to oxygenate more. Went to bed. woke up this morning, gave a stir to see if bubbles form from driving off CO2. got some activity! Kept stirring throughout day. Though postpones brew day from Sunday to maybe later this week. Want to step it up to get recommended pitching rates. Weird?!?! I've had fermentations that I missed. It was done. This starter was weird. 1st time messing with this strain so...

 

[StusBrew]

I was at a brew supply store today. Getting 1" blow-off tubing and priming sugar. ALMOST bought a package of newer yeast and start over. We'll see. I brewed a California Common style beer 4 weeks ago but need to bottle it. anyway, made a starter and it was the california lager from Wyeast. KIND of did the same thing, though was seeing more activity after 4 or 5 hours. Not over 24 hours like this. I'm doing it anyway. Know way to know unless get that experience.