Poor Starter Yeast

[Gustavoj]

i made my first starter, but it haven't bobbling in the 24 hour run , the yeast date is may 2010 should i pinch more dme? or is useless at this point? or should i wait more time?


ps: can i do starter for dry yeast?

 

[pk.sax]

Watch the temperature and add some yeast nutrient if you are bent on rescuing this yeast packet. And yes, some dme or better still, a little glucose or cane sugar to help it fire up in the first place.

 

[manticle]

i made my first starter, but it haven't bobbling in the 24 hour run , the yeast date is may 2010 should i pinch more dme? or is useless at this point? or should i wait more time?


ps: can i do starter for dry yeast?

How did you make the starter? Depending on how big it is, what yeast etc, it may ferment out without much visual sign so waiting for massive krausen and not seeig it doesn't mean it's not working.

More info needed.

You can do a starter for dried yeast but it isn't generally necessary or recommended unless trying to kick off a stalled fermentation.

And yes, some dme or better still, a little glucose or cane sugar to help it fire up in the first place.

Presuming some kind of malt was used in the first place to make it a starter as opposed to just yeast. Generally starters are better either all malt, wort or mainly malt and a touch of sugar. All glucose/cane sugar is not desirable.

 

[pk.sax]

Yep, is what I meant. I add a tiny amount of dex/caster sugar along with the yeast nutrient in there and when I see the yeast has taken it up (proofed and alive), I give it a some wort or dme. Just a step to see if it's alive before I feed it wort. Did that with the wine yeast packet every time I used some (packet had been open but kept in ziplock bag) just to make sure I'm not wasting time on a starter for yeast that is dead. Old bread baking habit

 

[Gustavoj]

How did you make the starter? Depending on how big it is, what yeast etc, it may ferment out without much visual sign so waiting for massive krausen and not seeig it doesn't mean it's not working.

More info needed.



@manticle 2 cup water and 1/2 dme wheat is the only one i had at hand , London ale yeast (WYEAST)

 

[manticle]

Was it the full smack pack? If so it might have fermented the dme out very quickly and you've missed the signs. Try measuring the gravity of the starter fluid. 100g of malt: 1 litre of water should give roughly 1040. I have no idea how big your cup is but if you can work out what gravity your starter wort was and what it is now, you'll see if fermentation has taken place.

Also if the starter is in a transparent container and the fermentation has begun, you should see small bubbles when held to the light.

If you're after an active starter and you find that it has fermented right out just add some more DME (boil in a bit of wtaer and cool first) and then pitch when you see any kind of activity.

 

[Gustavoj]

this was the first color