Cooling Yeast Starter Wort -- (Not Entire Starter)

[Lost_Arkitekt]

So, I made some yeast starter wort and didn't have a way to cool it down. Doing what I thought would be okay at the time, I wrapped the top (including foam stopper) in aluminum foil and stuck in the fridge overnight.

Now, I'm thinking that it somehow could get bacteria in there, etc. Not sure if I should just let it warm up to pitching temps or reboil it and go get ice for a bath.

Any thoughts?

 

[flars]

It isn't very likely the wort is contaminated if the foil was sanitized and your refrigerator does not have visible mold growth. I would warm the wort to room temperature and pitch the yeast.

Swirling the flask in cold tap water, even if your tap water doesn't feel cold will cool the wort to pitching temperature. Will just take longer than an ice bath.

 

[Lost_Arkitekt]

Foil wasn't sanitized, but it was put over the stopper...not over the mouth of the flask.

 

[eadavis80]

Cooling start wort should not be hard. Boil it in a small sauce pan and put the pan into your sink with cold water and two ice cube trays worth of cubes. By the time the cubes are melted (15ish minutes) it will be ready to transfer from pan to your flask through a sanitized funnel.

 

[Qhrumphf]

What are you making your starters in?

If you're using an Erlenmeyer flask and a gas stove (NOT electric, electric will shatter the flask, ask me how I know), you can boil the starter right inside the flask (you'll definitely find Fermcap or equivalent anti-foaming agent helpful because boilovers doing so are FAR more likely). Keep the stopper or flask on there, and the steam will effectively sanitize it. When it's done boiling, pop it in an ice bath, and after a little bit you're good to go. I use my bathtub due to increaced capacity, and it literally only takes a few minutes to chill a 1.5L starter down to pitching temp.

To answer your original question, it's more than likely fine. Risk of contamination? Yes, more so than if you'd pitched right away. Significant risk? No, not if your sanitizing practices are sound. Whatever bacteria are already in there. Only thing pitching right away does is let ye yeast get a bigger head start.

 

[murphyslaw]

A flask cools pretty quickly in a stock pot of cold water. I usually tilt the flask and have cold water continuously running onto its side. I add ice when it gets to 100-120.