Liquid Yeast Starter Not Going?

[morry]

Hi guys,

Thought Id try a liquid yeast for my next brew. So last friday I made up a yeast starter as prescribed in Batzs thread. Now its Sunday morning and nothing is happening. I have no airlock, just the cap screwed on my 2l juice bottle so theres not going to be any bubbling obviously. But shouldnt there be that stuff up the top forming? The yeast just looks like its sitting on the bottom. Is it going ok, or has something gone wrong?
Cheers,
Sean

 

[Batz]

Depending on what yeast you use it does not go off like dried yeasts , has the bottle built up pressure?

 

[big d]

hi morry
when i used to go the pet bottle method i would release the cap slightly,squeeze the bottle and tighten the cap then give it a good shake.the bottle will resume its shape as the yeast goes to work.everytime you go near it give it a good shake to rouse the yeast.some yeasts are slower than others to kick off.


cheers
big d

 

[morry]

Hasnt really built up much pressure. Hopefully it will get going over the next few days.

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Starter bottles do not really show much krausen. . .if the yeast cake on the bottom grows as you feed the starter all is fine.

BTW I really do suggest a bung and airlock: capping a starter bottle sounds like a glass genade in the making, hilarious-to-read-about mishaps with Grolsh bottles etc and a misadventure by me (chiller will remember) has convinced me alfoil makes a lousy covering for a starter bottle.

And DO release the pressure on a starter bottle b4 shaking it violently

Jovial Monk

 

[pint of lager]

Culturing from bottles can be a frustrating experience.

How fast the starter takes off depends on many factors, the main ones that concern you are how much viable yeast you are starting from and the temperature you are running the starter at.

If the bottle has been subject to lots of heat on the back of the truck it was transported in, then sat around at your local bottleshop for a few months, there will not be much viable yeast. This means you must be spot on with your sanitation and start with a small starter to step up to a bigger size.

If it is a mate's homebrew, you will know how old the yeast is and what variety you are trying to herd.

Either way, the yeast starter will run to its own timetable, not your brewing calender. So keep a sachet or two of safale in the fridge on standby. This way, if the starter is not ready when you are to brew, or you are not happy with the flavour/aroma, you have a backup dried yeast ready to go.

 

[morry]

I suppose I can wait a little longer. Its in a plastic juice container, so Im not worried about showering myself with shards of glass. Thanks for the help guys. And by the way its a wyeast yeast, not cultured from a bottle.