? Yeast starter going nuts... question.

[saeroner]

I made a starter yesterday morning (2L - 200g DME) put one smack pack in the starter.

I have never really had a big Krazen head but this one over flowed. I took it off the stir plate last night and set it on a towel. It's still trying to over flow.

Do I ride it out? Should i put it in the fridge?

Just wondering Thanks.

 

[Takuie]

Just ride it out. I have found that when using smack packs, I only need a little less than half the DME that I would normally use.

 

[IslandLizard]

You now know it's active!

Taking it off the stir plate increases fermentation instead of growth. Best to leave it on. You could pour some off into another sanitized jar so you don't lose as much.

If you have it, add one small drop of Fermcap-S to the flask. Then next time, add it to your wort when you boil it. It prevents most foaming, boilovers, and krausen forming. Even dipping a toothpick into the little bottle and swirling it through the hot wort is plenty for a 2l starter.

 

[saeroner]

ok thanks. ^ i actually added FermcapS to the boil -- still went nuts.

 

[IslandLizard]

Did you shake the Fermcap bottle? I think that's necessary. Also should be kept cold, in fridge, but never frozen.

I'd pour some off and let her stir, what billows out is lost and messy, no-one benefits from that. When are you brewing?

 

[saeroner]

When are you brewing?

IPA 1.063... i brewed yesterday and the carboy is sitting and waiting.

So poring it off with the Krazen on top won't hurt?

 

[IslandLizard]

What are you waiting for, your wort is ready, right? Pitch the whole thing, krausen and all! Nothing better than pitching an active yeast starter.

You do need to oxygenate that wort though. Just be very careful handling (glass) carboys.

You could leave some slurry behind and save in a jar in the fridge for another fresh starter (yeast ranching).

 

[saeroner]

What are you waiting for, your wort is ready, right? Pitch the whole thing, krausen and all! Nothing better than pitching an active yeast starter.

You do need to oxygenate that wort though. Just be very careful handling (glass) carboys.

You could leave some slurry behind and save in a jar in the fridge for another fresh starter (yeast ranching).

Cool but I don't have much room in the carboy. I filled it a tad bit too much i guess.

EDIT. Also what do you make of the 2nd paragraph here? about the wort gravity being similar to the starter if pitched while active...
http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-6.html

If i put it in the fridge will that settle out to be enough yeast?

 

[zacster]

Do you have temperature control? Maybe your house is too warm and your starter went crazy because of it. Off flavors in my beer stopped occurring when I started controlling the fermentation temp and not leaving it to chance. (This reminds me that it is about 80 degrees in my house right now and too warm to make a starter without putting it in the fermentation fridge on the stir plate.)

 

[donbrew]

So call me a barbarian. Why make a starter from a (fresh) smack pack for 5 gallons of wort?

I normally split one (fresh) smack pack between two 5 gallon carboys with respectable resulting beer. But then, I'm not selling my beer.

 

[flars]

Okay, you are a barbarian!

The smack pack may have been more than a day old. Starters are a very good idea.