Yeast starter moving in geologic time

[Beer-lord]

My yeast starter has been on the stir plate 30 hours and I see nothing. Now I know you don't always see lots of activity and sometimes I've had no krausen at all but there was at least yeast moving around in the wort. This time, nada.
It's old yeast but not the oldest I've used. But, I got it in early November from a brewery and kept it in the fridge until early yesterday. Maybe there's so little viability it will take 72 hours and yeastcalc says it's likely only 36% viable.
If it works, I'll definitely have to step it up before I save in vials for future brews.

[Beer-lord]

I'm going to let this go another day then cold crash and see if there is any yeast that falls out but giving it a smell, it just smells like malt. I think this one is dead and I see nothing going on at all that remotely resembles fermentation.

[russki]

I'm going to let this go another day then cold crash and see if there is any yeast that falls out but giving it a smell, it just smells like malt. I think this one is dead and I see nothing going on at all that remotely resembles fermentation.

I've had older yeast take its sweet time in a starter (which is why I never go by "time" for my starters), but it's usually active within 48-72 hours at the most (with 10% viable yeast). If you see nothing at the 72 hour mark (take a gravity reading just in case), you will have to call it...

[Inkleg]

I had one with 9 month old yeast take at least 48 hours ( May have been longer, forgot what day I started it ). It finally came to life and made beer.

[Beer-lord]

I thought about taking a reading tomorrow.
Hey, it's Lent, maybe I'll get a yeast resurrection.

[BigPapaG]

I thought about taking a reading tomorrow.
Hey, it's Lent, maybe I'll get a yeast resurrection.

It takes three days for a resurrection, give it time...

[Beer-lord]

More than 72 hours later.....zilch.
I took a reading and it's 1.039. I was making a 1.040 starter so that tells you something there. I gave is a blast of 02 and doubt it will make any difference.

So here's my next questions-----I have some of this yeast that I washed on 12/20/13 and was thinking of adding it to this starter. Do you think 3 day old wort is ok to add yeast too or should I just make a new starter? Jeez, this yeast only cost me $5 anyway so I really think I can answer my own question.

[russki]

More than 72 hours later.....zilch.
I took a reading and it's 1.039. I was making a 1.040 starter so that tells you something there. I gave is a blast of 02 and doubt it will make any difference.

So here's my next questions-----I have some of this yeast that I washed on 12/20/13 and was thinking of adding it to this starter. Do you think 3 day old wort is ok to add yeast too or should I just make a new starter? Jeez, this yeast only cost me $5 anyway so I really think I can answer my own question.

Just boil it again to sanitize... No reason to dump $5 down the drain.

[Beer-lord]

Guess I could try that. I might have to drink a beer first to give this serious thought. I have a weak mind and serious thoughts might require a second beer to be sure I was thinking right.
Then if it works, I'd have to drink another one to celebrate.
I'm really liking this yeast growing stuff!

[Beer-lord]

After re-boiling the wort and pitching the washed yeast from 12/20, I have some activity this morning. I'm going to contact the brewery just to ask some noobie type questions to see what they tell me. I don't see how yeast that is 4 or maybe 5 months old wouldn't work but it's not a big deal, just another learning occasion.
Thanks for the tips!

[Beer-lord]

Uber fast reply from the brewmaster:
Paul,

About the yeast, when the cells are dormant and not actively feeding on something (sugar, for example) they consume their own glycogen reserves and as a byproduct produce CO2. The CO2 they produce will create a lot of pressure in a closed container, like that vial. The pressure will kill the yeast over time. After a few weeks there will be just a small % of viable cells left. After a few months... well, I'm not surprised if everything was dead. Most commercial breweries, if they store yeast in a cooler, will periodically vent the vessel to relieve pressure on the yeast.


Oh, and we just bottled a new batch of Dr Hoptagon yesterday. It's available in the taproom. Growlers too if you're into that.

[Inkleg]

Oh, and we just bottled a new batch of Dr Hoptagon yesterday. It's available in the taproom. Growlers too if you're into that.

Dude, they so have your number.

[John Sand]

Uber fast reply from the brewmaster:
Paul,

About the yeast, when the cells are dormant and not actively feeding on something (sugar, for example) they consume their own glycogen reserves and as a byproduct produce CO2. The CO2 they produce will create a lot of pressure in a closed container, like that vial. The pressure will kill the yeast over time. After a few weeks there will be just a small % of viable cells left. After a few months... well, I'm not surprised if everything was dead. Most commercial breweries, if they store yeast in a cooler, will periodically vent the vessel to relieve pressure on the yeast.


Oh, and we just bottled a new batch of Dr Hoptagon yesterday. It's available in the taproom. Growlers too if you're into that.

That is helpful information, Rick. I've twice put yeast slurry in the fridge in small Glad-Lock containers, only to have them overflow. Now I know why.

[Beer-lord]

I don't know this guy enough to know if he is pulling my leg with a story or he's telling the truth. I've said this a zillion times before, in my homebrewing, yeast is my kryptonite.
It certainly sounds plausible but I've not done any research to follow up on it. In their defense, when I bought the 2 vials, he told me, "use these in the next 2-3 weeks ok?" I used the first one about 4 weeks later with a starter and it took off.

[Kealia]

That might very well explain why some WhiteLabs vials erupt when you open them. I've never made the correlation between age of vials and eruption but that does seem to make sense.

And Jeff is right, they have you dialed in on the Dr. Hoptagon.