my wild starter has got some goop in it, but it smells pretty good!

[ICWiener]

So I made a wild starter back in March, stepped it up in early April, fridged it until yesterday. Didn't smell too bad! Like very, very overripe bananas with a little phenolic spiciness in there. I didn't taste it.

So, yesterday afternoon I made a 7.5 gal batch of lambic. 1.048 OG, it's so starchy it looks like pasta water. It's awesome. Anyway, 5 gallons went into one carboy with a pack of 3728 and Cantillion Mamouche dregs.

The other two gallons went into a small carboy with the decanted wild starter and some more of the Cantillion dregs. There was about 1 qt in the stater, I was pouring it through the funnel and a slippery lump rolled out of the flask with a 'thunk', into the funnel. It plopped into the beer before I could get it. That was a new one for me. Oh well. Should be fun to see what I get!

 

[bigwardog]

this why i love this place

 

[ICWiener]

this why i love this place

haha...I know, right?

I'm all good, whatever comes out is cool with me. That's why I planned ahead and only pitched it into 2 gallons of wort. If it's a dumper I won't be out too much.

 

[monkeybox]

That's a pessimist right there. When I do 5 gallons I think, "If this comes out really good, I'll wish I'd done 10." Less than that is inconceivable to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Where did you collect your wild yeast?

Isn't this a great hobby? I love home brewing. You get to do all kinds of weird stuff. All in the name of science!

 

[tagz]

I totally thought it said, "my wild starter has got some poop in it, but it smells pretty good." So I was kind of disappointed by the post, but congratulations on the starter!

 

[ICWiener]

When I do 5 gallons I think, "If this comes out really good, I'll wish I'd done 10." Less than that is inconceivable to me.

Normally I'd agree, but when it's a beer that's going to sit for a year or two, I'd rather gamble on a volume that takes up less real estate in my fermenter. That's why I did 5 gallons with a commercial pitch from the same batch. Win win!

Where did you collect your wild yeast?

My backyard! I followed Mike Tonsmeire's basic instructions: brew some starter wort, cover it with cheese cloth, leave it out to cool overnight on a spring night when the low temps are in the 40's, collect in the morning. Step up after 4 weeks or so.

"my wild starter has got some poop in it, but it smells pretty good."

Admittedly, that is a much better headline. I'll make it happen next time.

 

[ICWiener]

Here's a pic...pitched on Sunday evening, this was taken last night:

 

[sweetcell]

There was about 1 qt in the stater, I was pouring it through the funnel and a slippery lump rolled out of the flask with a 'thunk', into the funnel. It plopped into the beer before I could get it.

ropiness/slime from pedio?

 

[ICWiener]

ropiness/slime from pedio?

I suppose it's possible. I don't know how quickly pedio can set up. There were certainly some little colonies suspended in the starter wort...kind of leggy, web-like little guys. Nothing on the surface though.

 

[dantheman13]

It's a SCOBY!