Yeast is escaping frim my starter!

Im stepping up a starter in a half gallon growler and both times I seem to be losing a fair bit of yeast out the top and down the sides. About two tablespoons once it dried the first time and probably one this round Is this normal? Should I be concerned I will lose enough to affect my beer? I'm using about 1800 ml of wort so there seems to be plenty of headspace... Is just quite a bit of Krausen. When I chilled for 36 hrs (after the first overflow settled down) I had a good third of an inch of yeast left in ther growler, settled in the bottom. Thanks for your help.

To me, that means it is multiplying very well.

I've never done a starter more than re-hydrating dry yeast for 20 minutes in luke warm water, by no means a starter expert...

Next time put some anti-foam in it!! You're losing a lot yeast!

1800ml would be very tight in a half-gallon growler. I'd use a 1-gallon size growler for this instead.

You have to have enough headroom for the starter wort and the krausen.

So, what now? Is there any way to "measure" the amount of yeast I have to ensure I have enough? I need 284 billion cells for my 1.083 IIPA according to Mr.Malty. I've heard that even a small starter is better than no starter. I am tempted to proceed with the brew and use what I've got. Then I'll go buy a jug of wine in which to drown my sorrows (and build my next starter.)

Without a microscope you can't really measure your yeast. I suppose you could measure volume but that seems like a waste of time to me. You'll be fine with what you have although I do feel sorry for you that you will be drinking a jug of crappy wine.

rjwhite41 said:

I do feel sorry for you that you will be drinking a jug of crappy wine.

Click to expand...

There was a tiny bit of sarcastic exaggeration there. thanks for the help.