another starter question

[beerthirty]

I started my starters about a week ago. since my flasks had not arrived yet did them in spaghetti jars. The jars, lids, and foil shields were boiled for 20 mins to sterilize. After 48 hours alternating on the stirplate, put them in the fridge waiting to get more DME to step them up. got my DME and cooked fresh wort(with a little yeast nutrient) and aerated, removed starters from the fridge and allowed to come to room temp. Drained the beer off the starters and poured fresh wort on them. I filled them up a little fuller than before(first mistake?) and placed the first on the stirplate. A few hours later went to switch them and found the kreusen coming out from under the sheild. I tented a larger peice of foil over the jar in an attempt to keep airborne contaminants away form the overflowing kreusen and climbing into the jar. how can I tell if these starters get contaminated before I pitch to the fermenters? the first round hardly even kreusened, but I put this off to the stirplate knocking down the bubbles. Suggestions? Ideas? Verbal abuse? thanks

 

[findthefish]

Nothing can get in if the krausen is spewing out. Plus the foil protected it too. The contaminants will, for the most part, be falling down, not flying around in the air and crawling into it. You should be fine.

 

[beerthirty]

I thought so, just didnt want to ruin a batch of ingredients for a tube of yeast. thanks findthefish.

 

[beerthirty]

OK, I have just returned form a dr appt to find both starters krausens overflowing all over the counter and on to the floor. Does the krausen carry my yeast out with it? I got my 2 L flask today. Can I sanitize the flask with star san and use it or do I need to sterilize in a boil before pouring the starters to the flask? right now the starters are sitting in the sink to reduce the mess of overflow.

 

[findthefish]

OK, I have just returned form a dr appt to find both starters krausens overflowing all over the counter and on to the floor. Does the krausen carry my yeast out with it? I got my 2 L flask today. Can I sanitize the flask with star san and use it or do I need to sterilize in a boil before pouring the starters to the flask? right now the starters are sitting in the sink to reduce the mess of overflow.

Yes, there is yeast in the krausen, so if you lost a significant amount of it like you said, it would be a good idea to step it up one more time. Use the bigger 2L flask, and better yet use a stir plate to ensure you don't have another blow off.

The flask can be sanitized with Star San. Wipe the outside of the jar with the starter in it with alcohol, or flame it with a lighter or torch before you pour the yeast out.

 

[beerthirty]

I had it on a stir plate when it overflowed. It actually knocked the loose lid off also. I used a sanitized butterknife to wipe off the crown of foam and put another sanitized piece of foil on it. I think I will use the other starter and rebuild as you suggest.