Yes, I drink my starters....

[McCuckerson]

First and foremost, Merry Christmas to all the HBT community.

Now the reason for this post. I am currently drinking the decanted wort from a 1liter all-grain Wyeast AAII yeast starter, that has been bottled, carbed and conditioned. It poured beautifully in the glass. It has a slight malt flavor on the tongue, crisp dry finish an all-in-all tastes like a perfect light american lager.

Big deal right? Well it shouldn't taste so good! A quick review: this was an all-grain starter, so it was mashed on the stove in a paint bag. The mash temp was all over the place! It also has zero hops, none nada.... Lastly, it was only boiled for 20min.

When you taste it, it reminds you of a coors light if coors light was good (you know what I mean, I know you do).

This experiment allows me to arrive at several conclusions:

-BMC does not use hops, well they may use a little, but not enough to actually taste.
-The procedures we use may have some wiggle room: mash temp, boil time....
-Just when I think I know what I'm doing, I realize that I don't know what I'm doing.


Experts please weigh in here and help me make some sense of this.

Thx,
McC

 

[ETCS]

Sounds interesting. I tried the liquid I decanted off one of my starters, didn't like it, how ever it was warm, flat and not condition. I might try this after I make my starter tomorrow for Wednesdays brew. Did you use priming sugar? for just straight in a bottle?

 

[McCuckerson]

Sounds interesting. I tried the liquid I decanted off one of my starters, didn't like it, how ever it was warm, flat and not condition. I might try this after I make my starter tomorrow for Wednesdays brew. Did you use priming sugar? for just straight in a bottle?

I did use priming sugar. Do you use extract for starters or all-grain. I do not like the taste of extract, so maybe that had something to do with it.

 

[AKnewbrews]

Nice experiment. I have never tasted my starters (dry extract), but they don't smell very good. I can never seem to decant the liquid and then get all the yeast out of the container, so I just use the liquid and all added to the fermentor. I don't like to "taint" my precious AG wort with some crap dry extract, but for now I guess it will have to be a control factor in the taste of all my beers.

 

[ETCS]

I did use priming sugar. Do you use extract for starters or all-grain. I do not like the taste of extract, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Extract...that is probably it.

 

[BrewMU]

Today, you are a man. Dude - you got your amber wings! I have to ask: what in the #%#%^ put an idea like that in your head?
I admit I concur with most of your BMC opinions, but I have to throw some respect at B - my brew buddy made the trip to St. Louis last week and brought back 10#s of free hops, and they actually seem to have decent potency.

 

[Thundercougarfalconbird]

I've been smoking my spare loose leaf hops all week. go go innovation!

 

[KuntzBrewing]

I've been smoking my spare loose leaf hops all week. go go innovation!

Wait... what? What's the cousin of mary jane do when you smoke it? Lol sounds really odd lol

 

[McCuckerson]

Today, you are a man. Dude - you got your amber wings! ....

LOL! Man I got those years ago! Very funny. What kind of hops did you get from them? Its just weird that it tasted so similar.

 

[McCuckerson]

I've been smoking my spare loose leaf hops all week. go go innovation!

My buddy ate a hop pellet - freakin' hilarious!

 

[Calder]

I always check the gravity of my starters and taste/drink the sample. For thye most part they are OK; I toss them if they are not.

I do not like the taste of extract, so maybe that had something to do with it.

AG vs. Extract? They are both the product of malted barley. There should be no difference. Just with AG you can control the source, the mash temp, and any speciality grains in them.

 

[McCuckerson]

I always check the gravity of my starters and taste/drink the sample. For thye most part they are OK; I toss them if they are not.



AG vs. Extract? They are both the product of malted barley. There should be no difference. Just with AG you can control the source, the mash temp, and any speciality grains in them.

Tasting your starter at the time of pitching is very important, so that is a good process.

As far as AG vs Extract, I can tell the difference. I don't know what it is but I can see an extract coming a mile away....... twangy, plasticy, not quite right.

 

[BrewMU]

LOL! Man I got those years ago! Very funny. What kind of hops did you get from them? Its just weird that it tasted so similar.

Hallertau and Saaz. What sucks is that I bought a # of Hallertau a month ago. I have been going to order some Saaz though - I think 6#s will hold us until next year's giveaway. I had to chew on a Sorachi Ace bud when we got some for the first time a while back. I'm confident it's going to be tastier in a beer - I'm planning a lemon-honey Kolsch hopped with the Sorachi ace and Hallertau.