Yeast starter oddity

[NYShooterGuy]

I've been making yeast starters for months, if not over a year. At least 30+ times. I've always seen this sediment at the bottom and guessed it to be the break material from the malt extract.

May starters have been only extract, yeast nutrient and filtered tap water. Boiled for 10 minutes and chilled to pitching temperature.

For highly focculant strains like the Wyeast 1968 London ESB yeast, the material gets combined in the yeast and makes for difficult separation when I make an over population for subsequent starters.

Would I be wrong to decant the starter wort into a sanitized container, discard this material and then aerate the saved wort and pitch my yeasts? Or would this material be needed for my yeast's health in the starter?

Thanks for the advice and information!

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[jddevinn]

I've never had a large amount of hop break from an extract starter!!!

 

[cegan09]

you're referring to the white sediment at the bottom? Isn't that the yeast?

 

[JordanKnudson]

^ +1 Thought that was the whole point

 

[IslandLizard]

Read guys! As the OP said, this is starter wort.

Although I boil starter wort in a stainless pot, I get that fine sediment too. I guess it's cold break, or some byproduct from making the extract.

It's hard to see how much of it is in your flask, but don't worry about it, leave it in there. As you already said, it may contain some nutrients, although the yeast won't be exposed to it long enough to assimilate much of it. From 5 years of making starters, it has never bothered my yeast or the beer.

You should see what some people pitch into their beer along with the yeast...

 

[JordanKnudson]

Read guys! As the OP said, this is starter wort.

D'oh! You are right, I misunderstood (not from lack of reading, just from an abundance of stupid).

Either way, OP, I don't think that sediment is anything to get worked up over. Just pitch your yeast and go!

 

[NYShooterGuy]

I've never had a large amount of hop break from an extract starter!!!

I never had ANY hop break from an extract either. I don't use hopped extract, or add hops to my starters.

 

[NYShooterGuy]

you're referring to the white sediment at the bottom? Isn't that the yeast?

This is NOT the yeast. I haven't added the yeast to this starter yet.

 

[hottpeper13]

I make pressure canned starters and it gets put in the jars straight from the tun. There is at least 3 oz of trub I leave in the jar. I did what you did for 4 yrs without any issues, but got bat crap crazy with the yeast and went sterile up to pitching. I don't notice any flavor differences but I can now keep the yeast most likely forever if I just keep replating.

 

[cegan09]

This is NOT the yeast. I haven't added the yeast to this starter yet.

My apologies. The way I read it I thought this was after the starter had run it's course, and it looked like it was just the built up yeast.

I've never noticed much break material in my starters, but they really don't get that much time to settle out because cooling is so fast and then it's on a stir plate.