Yeast Starter Question

[justiniamp]

Hi Everyone,

I recently tried my hand at making a yeast starter for the 1st time. I have read a lot of threads on the forum about people's questions with yeast starters, but none that specifically fit what is happening with mine.

Basically, I had a Wyeast Smack pack that I smacked and waited 24 hours and it inflated very much so, so the yeast should have been viable. However, I read that I needed *2 the yeast that was in the activated pack for the beer I was brewing, so I made a starter. I boiled 2cups DME, 2liters H20 and 1tsp wyeast yeast nutrietn and let that cool to about 80 degrees (got impatient) and then I added the entire contents of the smack pack to this in an Erlenmeyer covered with tin foil. Unfortunately, it's been 7 hours and nothing is happening. In fact, after I shake it to aerate the yeast almost immediately (within minutes) settles back to the bottom (I see a very large amount of 'trub' or yeast), but I was under the impression that active, viable yeast would remain in suspension while fermenting the DME. Does this mean my yeast somehow died? Does dead yeast settle almost immediately while live yeast take longer? I am confused as to how this would be the case considering the smack pack inflated very well and I only let it go for 24 hours (the smack pack was 5 months old so I did decided to take it 24 hours instead of the instructed 3 hours). Also, shouldn't the yeast have been ready to start fermenting immediately as they were just activated recently?


Any input on this situation would be great!

Thanks

 

[stpug]

Just keep swirling your flask as often as you think about it. Give it some time. A non-stirplate starter might take 1-3 days to fully reproduce.

 

[Freedomfan]

As mentioned starters can take awhile to get going and often times they ferment out fast with little to no signs of fermentation.

I just wanted to add that in the future you'll want to weigh your DME vice measuring it. Here's my method of making yeast starters.

I start off with .25 gallons of water and add .25 pounds of DME (weighed). I'll cool, pitch and aerate. After about 48 hours I step it up to .5 pound of DME to .5 gallon of water. Pitch, aerate and let it ferment out. I always cold crash and decant the luid prior to pitching. I only use my stir plate for the first .25 starter. I use my I gallon jug for the second portion.

 

[justiniamp]

Thanks for input, but one last thing: The fact that my yeast is settling so quickly to the bottom of the flask is not a bad sign or anything? Just needs more time or is that not normal?

 

[flars]

http://yeastcalc.com/ Take a look at this site. Gives growth rates for the different methods of making a starter. If you are not using a stir plate shake your starter as often as possible to aerate the wort.

 

[Freedomfan]

Thanks for input, but one last thing: The fact that my yeast is settling so quickly to the bottom of the flask is not a bad sign or anything? Just needs more time or is that not normal?

Depending on how long its been in the flask, it could be fermented out already. You could check with a hydrometer.... If it's been in there more than 6 hours I'll bet its done. It doesn't take long for 100 billion yeast cells to ferment a small starter.

Edit* Just read that it's only been 7 hours. Keep aerating and check after 24 hours.

http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

 

[justiniamp]

Thanks again everyone. I just wanted to post an update to hopefully help someone in the future if they have a similar problem.

I woke up this morning and true enough, as everyone mentioned, it just needed more time. When I looked at my flask there was a lighter, cloudier yeast sediment at the bottom, leading me to believe the "trub" i was seeing settle out almost immediately was undissolved DME (I'm such an idiot haha) and when I swirled the flask there was massive foam formation indicating CO2 release!

So, it appears everything was working, just needed time and less new brewer paranoia haha.

Hopefully this IPA turns out delicious now!!!