Starter blew off, yeast lost?

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theveganbrewer

theveganbrewer

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This is the first time this has happened to me so I've run to the boards for some information. I had a starter going on my stirplate that went nuts. Volcanic eruption. It was like that for well over 18 hours. I lost 250mL during the process. I left on the plate for 48 hours and am not impressed with the volume of yeast I've got on the bottom of the flask. This was a 1.7L starter. I've got considerably less yeast than anytime I've done a starter (everytime).

I'm worried because I'm doing a 1.075 DIPA. I'm thinking I need to step up and try another starter. Is that the correct course of action?
 
If I was in your shoes I would absolutely make up a new starter. Expect to see similar vigor in the fermentor.
 
I would make another starter just because your final volume is so low. What yeast are you using? Are you using an airlock or aluminum foil to cover the mouth of your flask?
 
Man, this yeast is nuts. It's just WLP001. I bought a gallon glass jug and will use it instead of my 2L flask from here on out. Even with the 2.5L start in the gallon jug, had blowoff again within 8 hours. Foil over the top. Definitely going to need a blowoff tube on this brew.
 
I had a similar issue with a wit bier starter; yes I use starters for all my beers, when I decided to try aluminum foil instead of My normal airlock use on the flask. Appears the pressure created by using the foil causes the yeast to rise high enough to spew out of the flask, were the airlock didn't let the pressure build.

I had to pitch the yeast I had left and then,create another starter and pitch at high krausen to save my Brew day.

Never using foil again....
 
ToastedPenguin said:
I had a similar issue with a wit bier starter; yes I use starters for all my beers, when I decided to try aluminum foil instead of My normal airlock use on the flask. Appears the pressure created by using the foil causes the yeast to rise high enough to spew out of the flask, were the airlock didn't let the pressure build.

I had to pitch the yeast I had left and then,create another starter and pitch at high krausen to save my Brew day.

Never using foil again....
Click to expand...

the point of the foil is to not make it air tight. Normally foil allows the co2 out while allowing oxygen in. The airlock prevents o2 from getting in. I'm surprised the foil allowed a pressure build up. I just made a starter of wlp 001 for a citra IPA in a 2 liter flask with a stirplate. I had no issues with it spewing out of the top... very interesting.
 
arnoldk2 said:
the point of the foil is to not make it air tight. Normally foil allows the co2 out while allowing oxygen in. The airlock prevents o2 from getting in. I'm surprised the foil allowed a pressure build up. I just made a starter of wlp 001 for a citra IPA in a 2 liter flask with a stirplate. I had no issues with it spewing out of the top... very interesting.
Click to expand...

I don't think the foil is air tight but I do think it is tight enough to allow pressure to build compared to an airlock and this pressure combined with a healthy yeast on a stir plate is my issue when using foil. Every starter I did after trying foil either blew off or at the very least touched the foil in a 2L flask and dribbled down the outside a bit.

When using an airlock and rubber stopper the worst I ever got was a really high krausen.

I also pretty much only use wyeast smack packs which could contribute to the high activity.

So i'm sticking with airlocks. Foil may work for others, just doesn't work for me.
 
ToastedPenguin said:
I don't think the foil is air tight but I do think it is tight enough to allow pressure to build compared to an airlock and this pressure combined with a healthy yeast on a stir plate is my issue when using foil. Every starter I did after trying foil either blew off or at the very least touched the foil in a 2L flask and dribbled down the outside a bit.

When using an airlock and rubber stopper the worst I ever got was a really high krausen.

I also pretty much only use wyeast smack packs which could contribute to the high activity.

So i'm sticking with airlocks. Foil may work for others, just doesn't work for me.
Click to expand...

I thought the point of using the stir plate was to continuously add oxygen to the yeast. The oxygen allows them to replicate. If there's an airlock on there's not enough oxygen and the stirring wouldn't be doing anything.

Maybe i'm wrong here?
 
Mojzis said:
I thought the point of using the stir plate was to continuously add oxygen to the yeast. The oxygen allows them to replicate. If there's an airlock on there's not enough oxygen and the stirring wouldn't be doing anything.

Maybe i'm wrong here?
Click to expand...

I don't think much oxygen is getting in even with the foil once the yeast starts fermenting the wort, since co2 is being released. The co2 would be pushing any o2 out as pressure builds and as it krausens.
 
ToastedPenguin said:
I had a similar issue with a wit bier starter; yes I use starters for all my beers, when I decided to try aluminum foil instead of My normal airlock use on the flask. Appears the pressure created by using the foil causes the yeast to rise high enough to spew out of the flask, were the airlock didn't let the pressure build.

I had to pitch the yeast I had left and then,create another starter and pitch at high krausen to save my Brew day.

Never using foil again....
Click to expand...

This is absolutely WRONG! The yeast need oxygen to reproduce. An airlock stops that transfer and limits the cell growth.

Why would foil create ANY pressure? It is not airtight!

The problem is the size of the vessel. Doing a intermittent shake method it seems like you get a bigger krausen. An airlock is not going to stop this.

I use a stirplate and often get a very little krausen while still getting good yeast production.
 
kh54s10 said:
This is absolutely WRONG! The yeast need oxygen to reproduce. An airlock stops that transfer and limits the cell growth.

Why would foil create ANY pressure? It is not airtight!

The problem is the size of the vessel. Doing a intermittent shake method it seems like you get a bigger krausen. An airlock is not going to stop this.

I use a stirplate and often get a very little krausen while still getting good yeast production.
Click to expand...

Dude chill, I only provided my experience with foil, if foil works for you cool but it surely doesn't mean my method of using an airlock on a stir plate is wrong. I have been doing it that way for years and my starters and ultimately my beers haven't suffered. I brewed a 10% pumpkin ale last sunday and used my starter done with the airlock method and it's still bubbling away, apparently my starter was healthy. Also the stir plate is moving and releasing oxygen from the water more so than pulling oxygen in from the mouth of the flask with the co2 pressure to contend with.
 
ToastedPenguin said:
Dude chill, I only provided my experience with foil, if foil works for you cool but it surely doesn't mean my method of using an airlock on a stir plate is wrong. I have been doing it that way for years and my starters and ultimately my beers haven't suffered. I brewed a 10% pumpkin ale last sunday and used my starter done with the airlock method and it's still bubbling away, apparently my starter was healthy. Also the stir plate is moving and releasing oxygen from the water more so than pulling oxygen in from the mouth of the flask with the co2 pressure to contend with.
Click to expand...

Well this goes against what most, if not all, of the most seasoned brewers are suggesting.

Almost every thread that I read on starters has most, including yeast manufacturers stating to not use an airlock.

But as always stated "whatever works for you"
 
1.075 is barely a DIPA. If the yeast is that vigorous I would pitch what you've got.
 
kh54s10 said:
Well this goes against what most, if not all, of the most seasoned brewers are suggesting.

Almost every thread that I read on starters has most, including yeast manufacturers stating to not use an airlock.

But as always stated "whatever works for you"
Click to expand...

I have read quite a few yeast starter howto's and while a few have said you don't need to use an air lock none have said you should not.
 
Why don't you use a foam stopper? I've been using one of these for years and it works great never had a blow off and the yeat get all the O2 they need
 
petree3 said:
Why don't you use a foam stopper? I've been using one of these for years and it works great never had a blow off and the yeat get all the O2 they need
Click to expand...

Honestly had never heard of a foam stopper in my time as a homebrewer until this thread. I'll pick some up next time I'm at the LHBS.

@bottlebomber- Correct. It's actually a 1.070, I made a mistake on my OP. So at the lowest possible OG to be considered a Double IPA. It's a Kern River Citra DIPA clone. It's got a 100 on Beer Advocate, never had it, but it's probably decent.
 
I use a few drops of fermcap and make 2L starters in a 2L flask and never have blow offs. Fermcap is an awesome product for foam control.
You can use an airlock when making starters, its just not ideal. A starter WITH an airlock will produce fewer cells than one with just tin foil.
 
Really happy you all recommended fermcap, as I said, never heard of it, but it looks to be a great product that'll help me relax during starters and possibly fermentation. Cheers
 

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