Help with WYEAST

Yeast & Fermentation
1

i just received an order containing WYEAST American Ale yeast. the package is fully expanded. what do I do?

i was going to create a yeast starter - but cannot do it tonight

also i cannot brew until this Saturday

thanks

2

Put it in the fridge and make your starter as usual. Wyeast sometimes does this… especially 1056. It will be fine.

3

Making a starter on Tues for a Sat brew is pushing it IMO. 3-4 days to ferment. 1 day minimum in the fridge to drop the yeast. You might be better off waiting until next weekend to brew. Making the starter on this Sunday.

Make the starter. Pour the yeast in. Then cut the nutrient pack open and pour into the starter.

4

thanks. greatly appreciate the advice/council.

WRT the starter - I still have some confusion. i thought the starter only needed 12 hours or so. will I get better results by letting it sit for 3-4 days. plus a day or two in fridge?

5

Possible a starter will be done in 12hrs, with a stir plate. W/out, a couple of days to be sure. How do you tell with such a small volume? Easier to give it plenty of time to ferment out.

Then give it plenty of time for the yeast to drop out of suspension, in the fridge.

6

i understand. thanks again!!

7

Plenty of people choose to make starter 12-18hrs prior to brewing and pitch at high kreuzen. Not to say there is anything wrong with a 5-7 day starter, but there is absolutely no need to put off brewing until next weekend.

8

I made the starter last evening - it has been about 16 hours. Except during the night - I am “stirring” it every hour. It smells wonderful & there are some small bubbles - but no real “violent” signs of fermentation.

Is this normal for a starter?

9

Totally normal.

10

is there a significant advantage of waiting a week to brew? I am brewing the NB PARAGON APRICOT BLONDE extract kit. the OG is 1.055

11

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after approximately 48 hours all visible signs of fermentation are gone. I was expecting to see a larger increase in the yeast volume. is this normal? if yes - when should i place in fridge?

12

Fridge now, it looks done.

13

You will get more yeast volume if you get a stir plate. The constant aeration substantially raises the count. I used to use your method but people looked at me oddly when I would carry my flasks around, shaking them. Guess they thought I was trying to redo that gout commercial… :wink:

14

thanks