A Little Dilemma. Need Consensus.

I have some Munich Helles wort in the fridge right now. It's in the process of cooling down to pitching temps (45-50f). This is a light beer, of course, and so any effect on the SRM will be felt.

At the same time, I have a 1/2gal. starter for the WLP838 Southern German Lager that I made with light LME on Friday. It took longer to start than anticipated (didn't get going until early this morning) and it's been chugging along all day. It's not to a point where it's flocculating yet, so if I pitch today, it'll have to be the whole starter, LME and all.

My dilemma is: do I chance it and wait until tomorrow to pitch the yeast, when I can feel more comfortable decanting that beer off the top of the starter? Or should I just get that yeast on there as soon as I hit pitching temps, and hope that 8oz of light LME isn't going to completely darkenify my helles?

I say pitch once you reach temp. I can't see one cup of LME influencing the color that much...

Yep- I'm with Soulive. The amount of color from that small amount of LME is negligible- and you'll be pitching at the perfect time, at "high krausen", it sounds like.

I agree with the above. 8 oz. of light LME isn't going to touch your SRM. I'd simply focus on getting the beer correct technique/timing-wise, sine that should be your greater concern, not the cosmetics of it (which in this case isn't a problem anyway).

Werd. Thanks guys & dolls. I'll pitch as soon as I break below 50.