Yeast Questions

Yeast Questions

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What is a Yeast Starter

For Beer mix 1/4 cup light dried malt extract with 2 cups warm water. (you want about a 1.040 gravity) Boil for 3-4 minutes, let cool until the steam falls and then cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Then into the Freezer to chill down to the low 70s. Transfer to a SANITIZED glass starter jar container. Your Yeast should already be at room temp. Next add the yeast by shaking it thoroughly and pouring it into the starter jar. Then aerate the yeast mini wort vigorously, really vigorously to really aerate WELL. Use an stopper and airlock. The next morning (about 12 hours later) there is plenty of activity going on. Usually I pitch the yeast about 6 hours later and have never had trouble with the fermentation.

I made a starter and it looks like nothing really happened.

It is actually normal to not see very much fermentation activity in the small volume of a starter. The yeast is designed to pitch into 5 gallons, so when added to a pint or two, there is not much sugar for each cell. In a normal fermentation, yeast start to uptake the sugar, then run out of oxygen, and keep consuming sugars. Without oxygen present, they create CO2 which forms most of the krausen on top of the fermentation. In a starter, the yeast never get to that point before the sugar is quickly expired, so it doesn't look like anything happened. Sometimes you will see activity, due to the condition and age of the yeast. For nothing to happen in 24 hours, in such a small volume, (as long as the temp is near 70), the yeast would have to be completely dead, which is extremely rare.

I added the yeast and nothing, added a second yeast and still nothing?

We recommend Always making a yeast starter no matter if you are using dry or liquid yeast.

If you have pitched you yeast and nothing for 24 hours, check a few items first.

1) Check to make sure the Co2 is not escaping to a cracked lid or grommet.

2) Check the Temperature of the wort and make sure your temperature is NOT below 68 Degrees for for ale. If it is warm it up with a heating pad or lifting it higher for more heat.

3) Is the water in the air lock to full so it will not let the bubbler move OR is their water in the air lock. It should be filled 1/3 to 1/2 full.

4) Take a hydrometer reading. If your Starting gravity was 1.050 and when you take the reading it is at 1.020. Then you know that fermentation has been going on. (we suggest to transfer it into a Glass carboy for secondary at this time)

5) The Test: Remove 1 cup of the Beer Wort. Add One Cup of filtered water (spring water) Bring the 2 cups to a boil for 3-4 minutes. Let the mix cool until the steam falls and then cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Then into the Freezer to chill down to the low 70s. Aerate well and Use a good dry yeast, Sprinkle the yeast over the wort. Cover with the plastic wrap and Let the yeast work for a few hours. When the fermentation slows add 1/2 cup of the Original wort to the Yeast mix. The Mix should continue to ferment vigorously until the second addition is eaten by the yeast.

But if you see nothing happening; then their is a good chance that you have a bug (bacteria) in your wort causing the yeast to die.

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