Wyeast Problem?

[dunc]

Had smacked 2 Wyeast the other day so this morning they were nice and puffy.

Problem is I didn't have any light malt like I though I had and no car, so I used some liquid malt instead, boiled with water till mixed. However when it was cool I took a hydro reading and it was about 1.012.

I had read that it should be around 1.020 or more, but I pitched the yeast and figured tomorrow I will make up a bigger starter and repitch again. Is this what I should do? Make up a higher gravity wort tomorrow and repitch?

I have not seen any action yet, and temps are about 20ish in the cupboard.
This is my first Wyeast so still learning.
Any advice?
Cheers.

 

[bigfridge]

Had smacked 2 Wyeast the other day so this morning they were nice and puffy.

Problem is I didn't have any light malt like I though I had and no car, so I used some liquid malt instead, boiled with water till mixed. However when it was cool I took a hydro reading and it was about 1.012.

I have not seen any action yet, and temps are about 20ish in the cupboard.

Hi Dunc,

There is nothing wrong with giving the wee beasties a feed of 1.012 wort - but there isn't much food there so it wouldn't take long for them to munch through it. Are you sure that they haven't munched through it while you weren't looking ?

How long between the packs puffed up and when you pitched them into the starter ? Did you leave them at room temps or did you put pop them in the fridge for a day or two.

BTW - why 2 packs ? I assume they were 2 different varieties so we are talking about 2 different starters here.

David

 

[dunc]

Well, I have used Oztops caps on the bottles instead of an air lock, and the bottles have not gotten any harder. But I guess that the seal on the oztops may not have been perfect, so quite possibly the yeast have gone through it. There is about a 1-1.5 cm yeats deposit on the bottom of the 2.25l container i was using, though there is only about 1litre in the bottles.

I smacked the starters of Californian 2112 and American Ale 1272 on Monday thinking I could do the culturing yesterday but couldn't, so left at room temp till this morning.

 

[Ross]

Sounds like they've done their bit Dunc & everything's fine - add some more malt if you want to build up further... Usually for a starter you're looking for approx 1040 wort...

cheers Ross.

 

[bigfridge]

Usually for a starter you're looking for approx 1040 wort...

cheers Ross.

Sorry Ross, but this is not quite correct. Wyeast recommend 1.020 - 1.030. From http://wyeastlab.com/education/edmyp.htm

"Preparing a starter Culture Solution...

To make more beer, or increase the pitching rate, if the package is aged or not used right after it swells, boil a pint of wort S.G. 1.020 - 30 using 3 -4 tablespoons malt extract in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes. Cool to 75 F., add yeast and incubate for 12 hours or until high krausen."

David

 

[dunc]

Ok cheers lads
Ill build it up some more tommorow