Another Starter Question

[burns629]

I'm sure its possible, but has anybody actually had a started get infected and then without knowing it transfer the infection to their wort?

I'm getting ready to make a stir plate and have been reading that when using a stir plate to use aluminum foil to cover the flask instead of an airlock. I just want to be sure that its not common to have an infected starter and that if it does get infected its rather obvious so as to prevent pitching an infection into perfectly good wort.

 

[scinerd3000]

with a starter you want a bit or air to get in. thats the purpose of the tinfoil. Alot of people use foam plugs which pervent infection but allow air to circulate. Ive never infected my bact. you can usually tell though because you will have mold growth or it will just smell off- sour or pungent. Yeast should smell like....well...clean yeasty goodness

 

[tedski]

Bacteria and yeast lack legs or any other means to get around. They latch onto dust particles and fall out of the air and land on things. A piece of tinfoil draped loosely over the mouth of the flask prevents such unwanted organisms from entering the flask while still allowing air flow.

Personally, I put a foam plug in my flask after adding my starter wort. I then boil with the plug in, sterilizing everything in the process.

 

[WBC]

+1...... I do the same procedure in a flask and have never had an infection. I have done the same with a carboy of beer and it too has never had an infection. I use Starsan in a sprayer when I peel off the foil to prevent any transfer of bacteria too.

 

[burns629]

. Alot of people use foam plugs which pervent infection but allow air to circulate.

Probably a newbie question, but what sort of foam plugs are you guys using. And do you sterilize them by dunking them in Idophor or Star-Sans?

 

[scinerd3000]

doiwn twords the bottom of the page:
NORTHERN BREWER: Yeast Handling Supplies

 

[tedski]

Do you sterilize them by dunking them in Idophor or Star-Sans?

No. You put them in the flask before you boil the wort in the flask. While the wort boils for 15 minutes, the steam and inherent heat sterilizes the flask, the wort, and the stopper.