Not sure I trust this starter

I have been experimenting with yeast a bit recently. I have always made starters but have added a stir plate recently with good success. I am a little nervous about using my most recent starter though. Here is its history and a picture.

I made a 2 liter starter for a Black Butte Porter clone, that only needed a 1L starter. So I pitched just one liter and star sanitized 2 pint mason jars and poured the rest into them. They have been in the fridge for about 10 days. Last night I boiled 1.5L of local water then added 6oz of DME and boiled for 10 minutes. I let it cool in a partially covered pot in the sink. I then added the slury from one of the 1 pint mason jars and the starter wort in a star sanitized gallon jug. The starter wort seemed too dark when I poured it off. Also the foam from the star san has not seemed to want to go away. The photo is what it looked like this morning.

I am planning on making my second all grain tomorrow and do not want to risk all that effort on a questionable starter. Am I being paranoid or should I start a fresh starter and brew on Saturday instead.

I'm only 3-starters into making starters myself, so don't consider me an expert. I don't think it looks abnormal to me. I use an old plastic water container that is 3-liters in capacity. I have never sterilized anything--I just use Starsan and practice good hygene like I do when I'm making beer. I have not had an infection yet (knocks on wood), but from what I have found so far, yeast is more resilient than I thought.

I actually come home today to my starter and the foam looked a little funny. It almost has a Krausen which I typically don't see with my starters. My first thought was that I had an infection. But, I took the lid off, smelled it and it smelled fine. I shook it up again and it looks fine. You can always let the starter sit there for an extra day to see if anything funny happens on the surface. I don't know, I think we (and I include myself) tend to get scared due to our experience level and often dump things that don't need to be dumped. I say go with it unless it definitely smells abnormal.

looks like krausen to me

mb2696 said:

looks like krausen to me

Click to expand...

Cool thanks guys. The last couple of ones I made I missed the krausen and not sure if it happened with a stir plate. I did not take a photo last night but it had foam on top care of star-san, and foam this morning I guess car of krausen.

My big Stout is back on for tomorrow. Now I need to finalize the recipe.