QUICK HELP: OK to NOT Decant 2L Starter?

[Skep18]

Long story short, I made a 2L starter 48 hours before my brew day of a big IIPA using Wyeast 1272. After 24 hours, fermentation was going well on the stir plate. However, I wanted to decant so last night (after 24 hours) I put it in the refrigerator hoping to decant. As of this morning, some yeast flocculated, but a lot was still in suspension. The SG was 1.018 down from 1.040, so the yeast was still active when I tried to flocculate, as recommended by Wyeast. However, this yeast, not flocculating, I took it out of the refrigerator and place it in a dark place this morning becuase I don't think it will seperate enough to decant and I don't want to throw out the low flocculation yeasties.

Is it OK to pitch this as a whole slurry? 2L into my 5 gallons? Should I brew a simple IPA and not risk ruining my more expensive IIPA? Or will the bigger flavors of the IIPA mask the difference more? I don't want the IIPA to be ruined by the starter and thus forcing me to try to enjoy a high gravity, intense flavor beer one or two bottles at a time for the next couple months which will not be good? A more bland IPA would be easier to consume, lol...

 

[iowabrew]

i rarely decant my starters but that's just my lazy process. I've yet to taste any off flavor due to this. YMMV.

 

[Skep18]

i rarely decant my starters but that's just my lazy process. I've yet to taste any off flavor due to this. YMMV.

Yea, I'm probably just going to throw it all in. I wish I could have decanted, but looks like for a medium to low flocculating yeast, I should have allowed for more refrigerator time... Or just forget it and toss it all in. Last thing I want is to have an under-attenuated beer.

 

[Grannyknot]

Yea, I'm probably just going to throw it all in. I wish I could have decanted, but looks like for a medium to low flocculating yeast, I should have allowed for more refrigerator time... Or just forget it and toss it all in. Last thing I want is to have an under-attenuated beer.

Smart thinking.
Lots of bad advice is given to new brewers on this forum in regards to yeast starters.
Most yeast strains simply will not drop all the active cells out of suspension after being in the fridge overnight. A perfect example is when you put jars of washed yeast into the fridge. The wort doesn't become perfectly clear for a good 3 days. The same is true for a starter. So if someone is going to take the time to make a yeast starter, why decant after a night in the fridge and risk loosing most of the new cells they just made?

Sorry for the rant, but its just a pet peeve of mine when an experienced brewer tells someone to just throw it in the fridge overnight, then decant to just above the yeast cake.

to all.
Flame away.

 

[rgauthier20420]

I've had the same issue with not making my starter far enough a head of time and wasn't able to decant from overnight refrigeration. Your decision is the correct and just as Grannyknot says you'd be loosing valuable yeast if you were to pour off. Just throw it all in.

 

[SpeedFlutinator]

According to Chris White and Jamil Zainasheff in their Yeast book on p.138, "If the size of the starter is greater than 5 percent of the beer volume, let the yeast settle out first, then only pitch the yeast." I try to follow this but don't always have the time. I can say I've ever notice a difference either way.

 

[Skep18]

Smart thinking.
Lots of bad advice is given to new brewers on this forum in regards to yeast starters.
Most yeast strains simply will not drop all the active cells out of suspension after being in the fridge overnight. A perfect example is when you put jars of washed yeast into the fridge. The wort doesn't become perfectly clear for a good 3 days. The same is true for a starter. So if someone is going to take the time to make a yeast starter, why decant after a night in the fridge and risk loosing most of the new cells they just made?

Sorry for the rant, but its just a pet peeve of mine when an experienced brewer tells someone to just throw it in the fridge overnight, then decant to just above the yeast cake.

to all.
Flame away.

Thanks for the response. I've been on a lot of forums and tend to agree. Some people regurgitate what they read. Looking at the starter, I can see a few distinct separations, one being only 1/2 inch clear on top and like 3 inches of cloudy... I don't want to lose the cloudy.

I've had the same issue with not making my starter far enough a head of time and wasn't able to decant from overnight refrigeration. Your decision is the correct and just as Grannyknot says you'd be loosing valuable yeast if you were to pour off. Just throw it all in.

Yea, I set it back out this morning and will throw it back on a stir plate this afternoon for a couple hours before pitching hoping to get it back into activity since the SG has only dropped ~50%. Hope I can toss in at high krausen. (sp?)

According to Chris White and Jamil Zainasheff in their Yeast book on p.138, "If the size of the starter is greater than 5 percent of the beer volume, let the yeast settle out first, then only pitch the yeast." I try to follow this but don't always have the time. I can say I've ever notice a difference either way.

Guessnig there's a type-o here, but am I understanding you've done both? Never noticed any big difference?

 

[m3n00b]

I've also done both and didn't notice any difference. It's less than 10% of your liquid in the beer.

 

[SpeedFlutinator]

My bad! Done both and haven't noticed a difference either way. No off flavors from adding the entire contents.

 

[Skep18]

I've also done both and didn't notice any difference. It's less than 10% of your liquid in the beer.

My bad! Done both and haven't noticed a difference either way. No off flavors from adding the entire contents.

This gives me enough to move forward. Thanks guys for the input.