This is the first time using 002. I put it in a 2 quart starter at 1.040 Monday night. So far I don’t have any visuble fermentation. No krausen or anything. I don’t use a stir plate, I I give my starters a nice swirl whenever I walk past them. Is this normal for this yeast, or did I buy a bad vial?
Given the right conditions, WLP002 works quickly and drops like a brick. Is there a thicker layer on the bottom than when you started?
WLP002 is a beast, and as philm63 points out works fast and drops like a brick which is very normal for this yeast.
This is a very flocculant strain so if the fermentation took off you will notice thick “curds” of yeast like cottage cheese. I don’t know that I’d call it a “beast” since it tends to drop out early leaving the beer a little less attenuative than some other more powdery strains, but it does work fairly quick and might need roused once or twice to finish working in the final beer. It also may leave some diacetyl behind if you do not warm and rouse in the final beer.
You can check the gravity to see if fermentation occurred.
Then there’s that
Thanks guys. I bought this at a small local joint. It was in a refrigerator, but I’m guessing that’s not where it started. I think I got a bad vial. I was planning to use this next weekend in a Christmas beer that is being brewed for a Christmas in July party. Owell, I have a couple vials of 001 on hand that I’ll just pitch. I used 001 last year when I brewed thus, just wanted to try something different. I shoulda known not to buy thus yeast when the store owner told me that if I was going to use this yeast within the next couple of weeks that there was no need to refrigerate it. He should stick to selling cigars.
frank - what was the date on the vial?
It was past date. I think it was December. I rolled the dice with this. I had no other way of getting a fresh vial unless I drove 45 minutes one way in a pinch, which I didn’t want to do for just a vial of yeast.
And did you check the gravity? I’ve seen weird things like extremely fast fermentation a in starters before.
no krausen ring? like major and others said - check the gravity. even though its expired, it might still be good. sometimes my first steps in multi step starters (like it sounds you are doing) its hard to see signs of fermentation due to the low yeast/volume multiple.
I’ll check the gravity tonight when I get home. I won’t be home until close to 10:00. I wasn’t planning a multi step starter… Was planning on using it Friday. That now doesn’t seem to be the case. I’m brewing thus beer regardless Friday. Like I said, I might just pitch two vials of 001. The target OG if this beer will be 1.063.
+1 to everything major said.
I used this yeast for my Christmas ale this past year. I made a 2L starter same method, and there was very little activity if any. I felt like I had to swirl it more than most starters. I pitched it and it worked the way major described. I will say that I bottle conditioned my beer to give out as gifts and it took a long time to carbonate. For what its worth my Christmas ale was a gingerbread beer and this yeast worked well with it. The residual sweetness and fruity taste complimented the spices. Not sure what you’re brewing but I would check the gravity and if it is still good I would use it.
Yup… The gravity is still 1.040… I think I got a dud. Unless something miraculously happens with this yeast in the next 24 hours, it looks like I’ll be using the two vials of 001. This just bitters me because it’s pretty much a waste of two vials of yeast. I shoulda started the 001 the other day like I originally planned on doing. Owell… I won’t be going back to that store. It’s no wonder why these little HBSs go out of business ALL thd time in town. People with no to little knowledge if brewing are trying to sell supplies.
Well I feel like a jerk now… The miraculous happened. It’s fermenting like crazy now. I have to cold crash it tonight, so I’m a bit worried about being pre-mature with doing that.
I’d just keep the wort cold after brewing and pitch a day, even two, later. Keep the yeast happy, that’s my motto. That, and no lactose before a date.
If it’s done fermenting it will flock out after about 5 minutes in the fridge, seriously. I would let it go until it’s done for sure and crash & decant at the last minute.