Yeast Starter FAILED to grow ANy IDEAS??

Walfy10 · May 27, 2015

I tried making a 2L starter using 200grams Briess DME and 2L water. I boiled 15 minutes. Didn't have a hot break or boil over. Let it cool to 70 degrees and then pitched ~100billion cells of previously harvested yeast slurry from a couple weeks ago and let it go for 12 hours swirling the starter every few couple hours or so. After 12 hours the starter had not moved from 1.040 . The only thing I can think of is the yeast from the slurry was non viable/dead. Although I struck a plate and had growth after a couple days. Did I not let this starter go long enough?

brewprint · May 27, 2015

Hmmm I've had starters take longer than 12 hours to get going if my house cools in the low 60s F. Could that be your issue? That and it sounds like you're not using a stir plate.

eadavis80 · May 27, 2015

IMO, if it did end up growing after a couple of days, it just took a while to get going, but should be fine. If the slurry was only a few weeks old and was in your fridge the whole time, it should be fine. I always try to remember to add in some yeast nutrient to the boil of the DME with my starters, especially when using harvested yeast. Proper aeration after pitching is a must too, but I've had good success with starters from harvested yeast, even without a stir plate. But, I always try to make them at least 5 days prior to brew day - that way even if they are slow to show signs, I can at least cold crash them 24 hours and decant (personal preference) prior to pitching.

ol-hazza · May 27, 2015

During the lag phase where yeast are multiplying there is no drop in sg as yeast are utilising their own energy reserves, so sg isnt a great indicator of yeast performance this early in the peice.
You could monitor ph which will currently be dropping, or just wait fir evidence of it moving to the aerobic stage, where you will get some foam on top and a rapid reduction in sg.

Walfy10 · May 27, 2015

My house is a little cooler and I did toss the starter after 12 hours. I will definitely let it go for longer to see if that makes a difference and totally spaced putting in yeast nutrient. One other thing that I forgot to mention was the slurry I used that was in the fridge completely settled out so I really shook the hell out of it to get it back in suspension. You don't think this could have killed it do you think??

eadavis80 · May 27, 2015

No, shaking the yeast to get it into suspension should not have any negative consequences. I shake all my mason jars very aggressively after decanting in order to get all that yeast to easily pour from the jar.