Is this how a yeast starter should look?

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zach1288

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Does this yeast starter look correct? I did not see any bubbles like I normally do when I make starters. If the yeast has flocculated does that mean they are ready?

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That looks good to me. Did you use a stir plate? That looks like mine about 10 minutes after I take it off the stir plate.
 
Keithww said:
That looks good to me. Did you use a stir plate? That looks like mine about 10 minutes after I take it off the stir plate.

Looks good to me too. If its been more than 24 hours u could "cap" it with your hand....bung...or something, swirl it and see if it releases co2 pressure.
 
That looks good to me. Did you use a stir plate? That looks like mine about 10 minutes after I take it off the stir plate.

No stir plate. I just have been shaking it every time I pass it in the house.
 
No stir plate. I just have been shaking it every time I pass it in the house.

Yep don't mess with it like the poster above recommended (like putting your nappy hands all over the opening) -- the sediment at the bottom is your indicator that your yeast is happy and reproducing without going into full fermentation mode -- which is why you don't get bubbles/krausen/yeast currents.
 
Looks like mine did and mine went off like crazy. Lol.
 
the little ring of bubbles around the edge is usually the most common sign of fermentation that I see with my starters
 
rhamilton said:
Yep don't mess with it like the poster above recommended (like putting your nappy hands all over the opening) -- the sediment at the bottom is your indicator that your yeast is happy and reproducing without going into full fermentation mode.

Guess I should have been more specific...I assume u have foil or something similar covering the top...Covering the foil with your "nappy" hands would merely reassure you that you have active yeast :)
 
How long ago did you make the starter?? Without a stirplate, it could take a few days to complete (depending on what you do to/with it). With a stirplate, it would be finished within 24 hours (ale yeast strains at least).
 
Covering the foil with your "nappy" hands would merely reassure you that you have active yeast :)

Yea that makes more sense. And srry -- I'm just pissed because I came home from Labor Day to two infected batches. This months theme: "Excessive Sanitation" :mug:
 
Yea that makes more sense. And srry -- I'm just pissed because I came home from Labor Day to two infected batches. This months theme: "Excessive Sanitation" :mug:

How about reviewing your sanitation methods/practices and see where things went sideways?? What do you sanitize with? Do you use it according to directions? Are you sure the items were clean as well as sanitized (post boil contact with wort)??

One of the easy things to do, for sanitation, is to have a spray bottle of StarSan solution on hand at all times. When in doubt, spray down the item you're about to use. A great many of us do this and have great results.
 
rhamilton said:
Yea that makes more sense. And srry -- I'm just pissed because I came home from Labor Day to two infected batches. This months theme: "Excessive Sanitation" :mug:

That sucks man...one bad batch kills me, can't imagine two! You gonna ride them out like everyone suggests, or dump them?
 
How about reviewing your sanitation methods/practices and see where things went sideways??

I added a ball valve last week and I did a no-chill on both batches which took about 24 hours. I didn't spray the outside of the valve before racking so I'm 99% sure that was the infection point. Bottle o' StarSan is my new best friend.

That sucks man...one bad batch kills me, can't imagine two! You gonna ride them out like everyone suggests, or dump them?

I tasted both batches and they seem OK. I think it's a Candida infection (and convenient enough, SWMBO had a yeast infection while I was racking them). I'll let them ride and bottle them and see what happens.
 
This is another reason you'll never see me using the 'no chill' method (if I have any say on it). I have wort chillers to use that make short work of chilling my wort. I use plate chillers to do this, with the newer one being a longer version of the one I first purchased. I'm considering selling the older, shorter, chiller once I've used the new one a few more times. Or I'll use them in tandem to chill even faster, or larger batches just as fast.
 
It has been about 24 hours. :mug:

When you swirl it and nothing happens, it's probably done. Expect that to be in the next 12-48 hours. As I mentioned earlier, starters without stirplates take much longer to complete. You also need to make larger starters when you don't use a stirplate.
 
When you swirl it and nothing happens, it's probably done. Expect that to be in the next 12-48 hours. As I mentioned earlier, starters without stirplates take much longer to complete. You also need to make larger starters when you don't use a stirplate.

I know, I use MrMalty. :rockin:
 
This is another reason you'll never see me using the 'no chill' method (if I have any say on it). I have wort chillers to use that make short work of chilling my wort. I use plate chillers to do this, with the newer one being a longer version of the one I first purchased. I'm considering selling the older, shorter, chiller once I've used the new one a few more times. Or I'll use them in tandem to chill even faster, or larger batches just as fast.

Well if you are no-chilling in a kettle it is known that you should not use your ball valve to transfer after the wort is cooled so that was just a silly mistake. If no chilling in cubes then it is totally fine to use the ball valve to transfer seeing as the wort is still above 200*.
 
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