Starter looks odd...

[epateddy]

Hey all.

Got my starter together last night, so it's been churning for about 12 hours now. Looks a little different than my usual starters though - almost like the yeast is not mixing with the wort. I'm used to a milky white-ish liquid after 24 hours. Any thoughts?

There are 2 packs of Wyeast 1968 London ESB in there. I've used 1056 (American Ale) most times. Maybe this is just unique to this particular yeast?

 

[gregkeller]

No that's normal for that strain. When making a starter for wlp002, also an English esb strain it does the same thing. Highly flocculent yeast that clumps together even on the stir plate.

 

[epateddy]

Nice. Cheers, Greg.

 

[VanBrewski]

Used that yeast for a beer last weekend. My starter did exactly that. Chunky.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Looks wicked..... and normal. Those British yeasts can do some funny things, I've seen 1968 do pretty much that same thing.

 

[gyst]

British yeast strains are highly flocculant and so form chunks. Totally normal. It'll chunk out in the fermenter, too. First time I had a very vigorous ferment with a british strain it looked like a lave lamp - freaked me the hell out.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

British yeast strains are highly flocculant and so form chunks. Totally normal. It'll chunk out in the fermenter, too. First time I had a very vigorous ferment with a british strain it looked like a lave lamp - freaked me the hell out.

What about the first time you saw a yeast cake that resembled cottage cheese...?

 

[gyst]

Oh, it was cottage cheese - cottage cheese swirling around the fermentor because of the vigorous ferment, hence the lava (LAVA, not lave, I can't type at all..) lamp comment. I was so sure I had contaminated it, I ran right to the these here forums...and realized that everyone who has ever used a British strain saw the same damn thing.

 

[stratslinger]

Funny, I've got the exact same thing going right now - same strain, 2 packs in 1600mL, looks almost identical. Thought it looked a little unusual, but figured RDWHAHB. Then remembered I was in for an all day online project management class, and figured the HAHB part was a bad idea, at least until later.

 

[epateddy]

So this yeast is now doing its thing in a Zombie Dust Clone. But because I don't have any cooling setup for fermentation yet, and my basement is slowly warming up, the temp topped out at 70-71. Basement temp has been 63-65. Temp range for this yeast goes up to 72 according to Wyeast. I'm pushing it. Any concerns here?