yeast starter stink bomb?

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davepeds

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This is a new problem for me! I started my yeast starter yesterday with a vial of WLP051, 1/2 gallon of 1.040 slightly hopped wort. I cooled it in a 1 gallon, clean and sanitized jug using sanitized equipment. It took off like it always does. I accidentally added my stir bar to my last 5 gallon batch, so it's out for the time being. So I've just had foil over the top and have been shaking it. It smelled yeasty yesterday. Today I took it out from under the sink and gave it a shake. It was close to my face and the air hissing out from under the foil/rubber band smelled like sulphur. Nasty. It looks completely normal - and this isn't my first yeast starter by any means. I know DMS needs to boil off, and it took a while for this one to cool. But chance of infection in this batch are really low. I actually transferred it near boiling into the glass jug, then cooled it with the top sealed.

Questions: Has this happened to anyone else? What went wrong?
I know it sounds gross, but the LHBS is far away and closed. I need this yeast. Can or should I use it?

I've thought about cold crashing it overnight, pouring off the liquid, adding some boiled distilled water, giving it a swirl, and using that - don't know if that would matter though.

crap - what do i do?!
 
Depends somewhat on the yeast. I think most of them smell bad and others are almost sickening. I don't think that you need to worry about dms in a starter especially if you decant the liquid.

I would bet the stirplate, having the liquid constantly in motion allows the gas to dissipate more, so less smell.

I would say to decant and don't worry.
 
davepeds said:
so cold crash it tonight. pour off the liquid, add clean water, shake it up, and brew with it?

Yes and you don't even have to add water, just leaves little liquid so you can get a slurry to mix it up.
 
Yes and you don't even have to add water, just leaves little liquid so you can get a slurry to mix it up.

+1
Don't mess with adding water, it is risky and you can mix it by leaving some liquid in it.
 
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