Very Slow Inactive Starter

[Hazy]

Received a WHITELABS WLPOO1 in the mail and made a standard starter (1ltr water 100grams of dry malt).
There was signs of fermentation, slight krausen(very slight) but not a great deal after 72 hours. The temp is no problem as its in my lounge room at a constant 20c.Compared to other Whitelabs Ive used in starters this seems very inactive. It came in a chill pack and it was nice and cold when recieved .
Not sure wether to proceed with this or ditch it. Was going to divide into smaller batches and cultivate. The use by date is not until September.
Any ideas

 

[2duck]

Take a gravity reading. That will tell you if the yeast has fired up or not. I have found sometimes that starters can ferment out so quickly it's over before you know it.

 

[felten]

If its done there should be a layer of white/brown yeast on the bottom of the vessel.

 

[Screwtop]

Received a WHITELABS WLPOO1 in the mail and made a standard starter (1ltr water 100grams of dry malt).
There was signs of fermentation, slight krausen(very slight) but not a great deal after 72 hours. The temp is no problem as its in my lounge room at a constant 20c.Compared to other Whitelabs Ive used in starters this seems very inactive. It came in a chill pack and it was nice and cold when recieved .
Not sure wether to proceed with this or ditch it. Was going to divide into smaller batches and cultivate. The use by date is not until September.
Any ideas

See this a lot, pitching a fresh vial of yeast that is sufficient for pitching into 19L at around 1.050 into 1L of wort is just not going to show much in the way of krausen, it will skip the primary anerobic/multiplication phase pretty much. Fermentation will begin and all you will observe are bubbles of of C02, that is if you are watching for the short time it will take for the majority of the maltose to be consumed in the 1L of wort.

Take a gravity reading. That will tell you if the yeast has fired up or not. I have found sometimes that starters can ferment out so quickly it's over before you know it.

This will indicate if the yeast have been working, could possibly be done. If so add another 1L of wort and this time pitch when active

Screwy

 

[manticle]

Received a WHITELABS WLPOO1 in the mail and made a standard starter (1ltr water 100grams of dry malt).
There was signs of fermentation, slight krausen(very slight) but not a great deal after 72 hours. The temp is no problem as its in my lounge room at a constant 20c.Compared to other Whitelabs Ive used in starters this seems very inactive. It came in a chill pack and it was nice and cold when recieved .
Not sure wether to proceed with this or ditch it. Was going to divide into smaller batches and cultivate. The use by date is not until September.
Any ideas

You can't expect a huge krausen in 1 litre of starter wort. It can be done and dusted in a few hours - blink and you'll miss it.

The fact that you saw 'slight krausen' is enough.

 

[Hazy]

As always THANKS GUYS