Overheated Starter

[SoFlaBrewer]

I recently made a 1.5L starter of Wyeast1056. I put it on a stir plate and left. When I came back to check on it the next morning it had overflowed the flask. I thought...nice starter. The problem was that the starter was now 86deg thanks to the heat given off by the stir plate and it smelled heavily like bananas.

Trying to learn more about yeast, this brings up 2 questions:

1) What, if anything, has happened to the yeast/starter at this temperature?
2) What are the consequences of using this starter? (I would decant first)

Any insights would be appreciated.

 

[Hammy71]

I doubt the yeast it self is 'damaged'. I would just make sure to decant as much of the liquid as possible. Put it in the fridge a day or two before you brew, then decant. Crazy that your stirplate got that hot.....

 

[DTM84]

I've read that too fast of a fermentation can produce off flavors due to yeast husks but not sure that this applies to starters. Of course its not ideal conditions but I'd just pitch the starter and see what happens.

After all, even if you do everything "right" you can still get off flavors.

"Brewing is just as much an art as a science, just enjoy it."