Question please help...

[sasjodi]

Helllo HBT,

I am setting up for a brew tomorrow and and i just created 2 starters, my California Ale still hasnt had much activity, but my Kolcsh ale is going a little crazy it seems. Its now spewing out foam or anything but gradually its pushing fuzz into the air cap i have on top of the bottle. So is this alright or should i pop it open and poor some out? I am brewing my AG batch tomorrow ...

 

[passedpawn]

You might not see any activity in a starter. That doesn't mean nothing has happened.

What you want to do is let it go for 2 or 3 days, then put it in the fridge. You should see a thick layer on the bottom once it has chilled for a few hours (¼" to ½" , depending size of flask). When it's time to pitch the yeast into your wort, just pour off the beer layer in your starter and pitch the yeast layer.

Did you start with liquid yeast? How did you make your starter?

 

[sasjodi]

I originally started with liquid yeast and I am re using it, I used DME for the yeast to wake it up, but im just worried that the yeast is going to get a little crazy or something. its putting of Co2 obviously but the foam is coming out to the top and going into the air cap.

 

[passedpawn]

Oh, I see. yea, a few times I've had starters blow off in my flask. You might need a bigger flask.

You should use loose foil on top of your starter, not an airlock. Best to let some oxygen seep into the starter to maximize yeast growth.

 

[sasjodi]

thanks for the responses everyone, I'll keep that mind that i should let some oxygen into the yeast starter, so do i tightly wrap the tinfoil on the cap or do i just loosely put it on and is there a danger of infection to the yeast?

 

[passedpawn]

thanks for the responses everyone, I'll keep that mind that i should let some oxygen into the yeast starter, so do i tightly wrap the tinfoil on the cap or do i just loosely put it on and is there a danger of infection to the yeast?

Bacteria can't fly. So the air won't cause any problem. The only real danger is from fruit flies and such getting in there.

Loose foil has never caused me a problem (I have a starter spinning at home right now).

 

[celticcolorado]

When it's time to pitch the yeast into your wort, just pour off the beer layer in your starter and pitch the yeast layer

That is really good information. I haven't been decanting, just swirling it all together. I guess I should start.

 

[passedpawn]

That is really good information. I haven't been decanting, just swirling it all together. I guess I should start.

I dump ALL the beer off. Then, for swirling, I put some of the wort that I intend on inoculating into the flask. This is not so important with big tasty beers, but if you are making a light lager or pilsner or helles or such you don't want to add any oxidized skunky starter beer. At least I avoid it.

 

[jjones17]

I dump ALL the beer off. Then, for swirling, I put some of the wort that I intend on inoculating into the flask. This is not so important with big tasty beers, but if you are making a light lager or pilsner or helles or such you don't want to add any oxidized skunky starter beer. At least I avoid it.

Actually, I can attest to this - I did an ESB and pitched the entire starter, the beer is horrible and tastes bad. I was not sure what it was at first, but I have recently made a starter for a seperate beer. I decided to decant this time, and I tasted the starter liquid - the EXACT same flavor. The oxidized starter liquid is gross - atr least for me, because I shake it often throughout fermentation. The most recent beer which I decanted tastes awesome

 

[kanzimonson]

I haven't used the Kolsch yeast but I hear it produces a pretty big krausen