Psycho WL 550 starter!

[PintCarnage]

I made a 1qt starter yesterday afternoon (my first) stuck it in a 1/2gal growler with an airlock, I shook it every once in a while.... Had a good krausen last night.... This morning (8ish) there was some blowoff in the airlock, swirled it a bit... just checked it a couple hours later and there's a good 1/4" of slurry in the bottom of the airlock! Which is also full and bubbling out the top... Is this normal? There's plenty of headroom since the growler's less than half full. Glad I didnt just stick some foil over the top- that **** woulda been everywhere!:rockin:

 

[GodsStepBrother]

Wow I have never gotten a starter to foam over like that. What was the o.g. Of your starter, what kind of behemoth yeast is this, and what temperature did this ferment at?

 

[Clementine]

It happens to me all the time, my starters normally in a conical were 400ml in a 1000ml starter and still it was escaping. I just bought some fermcap to keep it under control, I don't like putting things like this in my beer but my starters were getting out of control and my brew cupboards was starting to smell a bit yeastie. To avoid the wrath of SWMBO I put a drop of fermcap in my starters now I only have 1" versus volcano krausen.

It is a sign of good healthy yeast, the reason they explode is the ratio of yeast to wort is much higher in a starter so the consume the wort that much quicker hence more CO2 more krausen more beer to clean of the ceiling.

However as GodsStepBrother said make sure your OG is less than 1.040

Clem

 

[PintCarnage]

Oh yeah-I sprinkled about 1/4 of a capsule of Servomyces in the boil! I figured that might make it a bit more vigorous, but sheesh! Glad I randomly decided to stick it in my bar sink! OG was on point, fermented at around 72-74 degrees. I was going to step it to 2L after it mellowed out- it's for a 1.090 OG Belgian

 

[SickTransitMundus]

Completely normal for Belgian yeast. I try to give it as much headspace as possible - and I line the surface under my stir plate with foil just in case. My starters are 1.040 at 70 degrees.

I had a four liter starter of Scottish yeast spray all over my beer room last weekend after I picked it up and shook it. That was a horrible mess.

 

[Clementine]

I had a four liter starter of Scottish yeast spray all over my beer room last weekend after I picked it up and shook it. That was a horrible mess.

Yeah but you have to be proud of your little friends working so hard Ya gotta love cleaning the ceiling!

Clem

 

[PintCarnage]

Alrighty... Still fairly frothy but I'm pretty sure it's done- just stuck it in the fridge, and got meself an Arrogant Bastard bomber while I was in thar decanting tomorrow a.m. and makin a step up....Maybe using a blowoff this time!

 

[beerandloathinginaustin]

Yeah but you have to be proud of your little friends working so hard Ya gotta love cleaning the ceiling!

Clem

My roomie was just asking me what was on the ceiling in the kitchen the other day. He was worried it was mold. I had to sheepishly admit it was yeast from a starter mishap.

 

[petep1980]

That's weird. I made a stir starter with this one recently and had almost no krausen what-so-ever on my mine. Normally I do.

 

[jtejedor]

If your using an airlock then CO2 would escape slowly I would think. I usually just use a piece of foil on top of my starters and never really get foam unless I really really shake em.

 

[Clementine]

Maybe using a blowoff this time!

I did a experiment where I captured the yeast escaping the flask I was surprised how much yeast was transferred. If you put your blowoff tube into star san it won't kill the yeast and you can then use the escaping yeast for the brew also. Or you could use a rig like I did in the link below. The second vessel has more wort in it so the escaping yeast had something to do while they waited. I started using fermcap (on this last starter) to limit the amount of blow off and to give the ceiling a break!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/will-my-yeast-please-stay-my-flask-261070/

Clem

 

[PintCarnage]

Regardless there's a nice sized cake that I'm about to step up- hopefully won't find myself prying an airlock out of the ceiling:rockin: I'll post an outcome later

 

[PintCarnage]

Clem- that's a great idea! I don't have flasks but I do have a 1/2gal growler identical to the one I used. Have to try it next time- I'm mid boil for round 2 and don't have spare tubing

 

[DonnieZ]

My first time making a starter I found out that a 1L flask is pretty much useless. About 3 hours into it, my wife and I came home from dinner and there was starter all over the bottle, the stir plate, the counter, etc..

2L flask or a growler is the best idea for any decent size starter. I'm going to keep my 1L for stepping up slants.

 

[Clementine]

My first time making a starter I found out that a 1L flask is pretty much useless. About 3 hours into it, my wife and I came home from dinner and there was starter all over the bottle, the stir plate, the counter, etc..

2L flask or a growler is the best idea for any decent size starter. I'm going to keep my 1L for stepping up slants.

I found the same thing, my two 1L flasks were free or I would have gone for bigger, the good thing about them is they just fit in my pressure cooker with 500ml of wort in them (leaning over to clear the lid) so I can totally sterilize them. As soon as SWMBO clears the purchase of a 2L and 5L I can stop using fermcap in them, it really works well but I prefer not to have it in my beer.

Clem

 

[PintCarnage]

6 hrs after pitching to the 2nd 1litre starter.... and my airlock looks like a shot glass o Irish Cream! Was going to step up again but eff that! I think this will be plenty to cook a 1.090 OG beer!:rockin:

 

[ChillWill]

Wlp550 will get through that beer no problems, it's a monster.

One word of warning though, it gets hot! I've had it 15f above ambient before in a high gravity brew.

 

[PintCarnage]

Wlp550 will get through that beer no problems, it's a monster.

One word of warning though, it gets hot! I've had it 15f above ambient before in a high gravity brew.

No doubt! There was 1/2" of slurry in the airlock! (which was full. Again.) I actually poured off the StarSan/wort and threw the yeasties back in... Not buying any 2 or 5 liter flasks/ stirplates in the near future, but I'm certainly riggin' up the 2 growlers per Clementine's idea This one's goin in the fridge before any more escape attempts!

 

[Clementine]

Just for the record I did the double flask thing as a experiment to see how much was going out the top. The handy thing about stir plates and a flask is you get much greater growth rates. ie a 1L stirplate with foil on top of it is equal to 5L or more of regular starter. The idea being if you get a 5L flask you can put 1.5-2L in it without it going over the top and you will have more yeast cells than your growler. Check out yeast calcs like Mr Malty and see what happens to the size of the starter needed when you use a stir plate or a traditional starter and you will see what I mean. Or do some reading (maltosefalcons have a really informative page on the yeast propagation and maintenance) on the effects of stir plates and you will be out breaking up your computer for the parts to make one. (it only takes about 30 minutes and a old PC HD and cooling fan to crank one out)

Clem

 

[PintCarnage]

Just for the record I did the double flask thing as a experiment to see how much was going out the top. The handy thing about stir plates and a flask is you get much greater growth rates.

Clem

I realize it was just an experiment, but if it catches my exploding Belgian yeasties I'm doin it! I fully intend on getting flasks and a stir plate, but I just threw down for a propane burner and 30qt SS pot:rockin: Must wait a while before SWMBO will let me procure more equipment... So the growler will have to suffice for a couple more batches