Yeast dillemma

[Bock]

Hi, tomorrow is brew day and im hesitating about yeast.

I'm brewing a IPA around 1.071 OG. I did a yeast starter yesterday with old slurry but i think the yeast is all dead.. No activity for 24h.

So.. i still have 1 pack of nottingham yeast. Is it enought? i will rehydrate it.

Other option is to go buy some coopers ale yeast pack.. ( the LHBS wich is more a wine shop near my home only carry coopers yeast and i heard this is not the best yeast..)And they rarely sell beer stuff so i do not know about "freshness" of the yeast..

I buy all my brewing supply online and i forget yeast in my last order.

i would like some advice! thank you

 

[RJS]

older yeast slurry is fine if you stored it properly. The cell count is low, so a starter can take up to 3 days to multiply enough to show any krausen

 

[mbobhat]

Not sure, you take a gamble with the notty, unless you maybe make a starter tonight? I think anything is better than nothing right?

 

[mux]

I think that you should be fine with Nottingham. It will turn out great. Don't forget to properly rehydrate. They say you could loose up to 50% cell count without rehydrating.

 

[RJS]

Keep it on the stirplate till pitching and warm it up, should be fine. Im currently using 5th generation yeast, having been washed and stored for almost 6 months. Batches are finishing great.

The rule is

The older the yeast, the longer you have to stirplate it.

 

[LLBeanJ]

older yeast slurry is fine if you stored it properly. The cell count is low, so a starter can take up to 3 days to multiply enough to show any krausen

+1

The yeasties move on their own timetable and there's nothing we can do about it. Don't rush it. Put off your brew day if you have to. Your beer will thank you in the end.

Next time, try to begin preparing your starter a week or so ahead of time.

 

[Bock]

Thank you, i'm learning a lot from you guy!

I always think it was 24h for a starter! I'll look tomorrow if i pitch the dry yeast or if my starter is good. This was the first time i keep/wash my yeast cake. If i end up pithing the notty i will keep the starter to see if the yeast grow and how much time it take. I still have some mason jar full of slurry.