Yeast Starter Query

[mattco353]

Hi, I want to begin using yeast starters but have had mixed results in experiments. I made one last wekend following a the recipe (1 pint water, 120g DME, 1/4 tsp yeast nutrient) and a sachet of dried windsor ale yeast. I didn't have an air lock for the container (mayo jar) and used some cling film and a rubber band. Everything went fine and there was vigorous activity within a few hours. I left it 2 days until the yeast settled to the bottom and then refrigerated it. Yesterday I decided to see if I could rebuild it and followed the same procedure (the only difference this time that I bored the lid and fitted an air lock) but there's no activity. I poured off most of the liquid from the 1st starter before adding the yeast slurry to the new batch and used it directly from the refrigerator. Should this have produced the intended results or is there a better method I should use?

 

[mixedbrewer]

Don't make starters out of dry yeast... there are already a ton of cells in there.

 

[mattco353]

Thank you! I've revisited Palmer's section on yeast