Huge yeast cake in star-san blow-off vessel. Re-usable?

So, I've had a really, really, really vigorous fermentation (you could use the blowoff tube as a pressure washer ffs) with some WLP 530 making a tripel. I was marveling at it when I looked into my blow-off vessel and saw a sizeable yeast cake that LOOKS alive. It's very, very white.

However, I have heard that Star san is a fungicide. But don't yeast like acid? If my star san solution is lower than effective pH, could I use this yeast to kick a starter up for a patersbier?

Prost!

JoePro said:

So, I've had a really, really, really vigorous fermentation (you could use the blowoff tube as a pressure washer ffs) with some WLP 530 making a tripel. I was marveling at it when I looked into my blow-off vessel and saw a sizeable yeast cake that LOOKS alive. It's very, very white.

However, I have heard that Star san is a fungicide. But don't yeast like acid? If my star san solution is lower than effective pH, could I use this yeast to kick a starter up for a patersbier?

Prost!

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Make a starter with it and try it out! Be prepared for it to fail if the are dead but at least it will be in a few cups of extract instead of a whole batch!










....or just wash the viable yeast in the primary when its done.

Germelli1 said:

Make a starter with it and try it out! Be prepared for it to fail if the are dead but at least it will be in a few cups of extract instead of a whole batch!










....or just wash the viable yeast in the primary when its done.

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I'll be doing both, but I have 2 empty carboys and 9 lbs of Belgian pilsner just kinda sittin' there....

I've got the itch-- you know?

If it were lower than effective PH, it would still be effective. In fact, more effective. I think you mean higher than effective.

IMO, don't re-use the yeast. It's incredibly easy to make a starter with healthy yeast, no need to take risks. EDIT: You'll have a HUGE amount of yeast ready for washing when the beer is done fermenting!

Sounds like an awesome ferment! The powerwasher effect is always marvelous to see!

nefarious_1_ said:

If it were lower than effective PH, it would still be effective. In fact, more effective. I think you mean higher than effective.

IMO, don't re-use the yeast. It's incredibly easy to make a starter with healthy yeast, no need to take risks.

Sounds like an awesome ferment! The powerwasher effect is always marvelous to see!

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I'll make a light starter for it and see if there's any activity...

FOR SCIENCE!

JoePro said:

I'll be doing both, but I have 2 empty carboys and 9 lbs of Belgian pilsner just kinda sittin' there....

I've got the itch-- you know?

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I like the way you think!

My philosphy is bless it, let it rip!

Even if something funky is in there, it might compliment the belgian yeast.

Or not but there is only one way to find out!

JoePro said:

I'll make a light starter for it and see if there's any activity...

FOR SCIENCE!

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Yea, might as well. A starter never hurts. A healthy one that is...

joepro said:

for science!

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for science!

We've all seen dead yeast. It has the color of dirt.

This yeast looks like a fine white sand. It's... beautiful!

If there is living yeast in a container full of star-san, I will never buy star-san again. It's a sanitizer! It should kill living things. Makes no sense that the yeast would be alive.

BenS said:

If there is living yeast in a container full of star-san, I will never buy star-san again. It's a sanitizer! It should kill living things. Makes no sense that the yeast would be alive.

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Well, I did an eyeball measurement of star-san, which may have resulted in making a slightly diluted solution. I over-estimated though, and I'm sure my yeast is dead as ****.

Gonna try it anyways.

FOR SCIENCE!

starsan is not supposed to easily kill a cup of material.. it works as a sanitizer on clean surfaces... I have no idea how well it would or should kill off a good chunk of yeast. Interested in finding out.

starsan is yeast food, hence the "DO NOT FEAR THE FOAM"

-=Jason=-

Flomaster said:

starsan is yeast food, hence the "DO NOT FEAR THE FOAM"

-=Jason=-

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In an "effective concentration", it will kill bacteria and fungi. What I'm wondering is-- is the yeast that is being blown into this vessel somehow diluting the concentration.

The yeast cake is about 1/2 inch, and the diameter of this vessel is 10 inches or so. Should be making the starter over the week-end once fermentation calms down. I'll keep you updated!

Please do. You've got me interested. Also, I hope I did not come off as harsh or condescending with my last comment, that is not what I was trying to do.

BenS said:

Please do. You've got me interested. Also, I hope I did not come off as harsh or condescending with my last comment, that is not what I was trying to do.

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I didn't perceive any negativity. You were merely stating facts!

RDWHAHB!

Any update?

Haha. Actually, yes. I made a starter before I left for work this morning! We shall see later if indeed we have yeast growth!

Results in this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/re...star-san-solution-results-259646/#post3126525

So, I had a 1600ml starter for my lager and it took off aggressively. I had to put a blow-off tube on my flask. I let the tube drop into about 3 inches of star-San. When the starter was all done, I had a good quarter inch of yeasties in the star-San. I have read all over these forums that that yeast would be useless. It was soaking in the star-San for 3 days. Not one to believe everything that I read on the web, I decided to see what it would do in a small starter. I cooked up half a liter of wort and threw the star-San yeasties in. 8 hours later, the starter is cooking off like a rocket. So, no matter what you read, don't dump your blow-off star-San yeasties - they might just surprise you. Oh, and this was a yeastie batch that I harvested from a lager fermented wit a wlp800 vial, mixed with a 25% glycine solution and had frozen for 3 months. Hardy bunch of bugs, eh?