first sour starter question, JP dregs and smell?

[bayoujeeper]

About 2 weeks ago I saved the dregs from a JP Calabaza Blanca. I pitched the dregs in about 200ml of 1.020 wort. I won't be able to brew for another few weeks, or I would have just pitched the dregs directly.
Anyway today the 200 ml was clear with a decent amount of sediment at the bottom and what appeared to be the start of a pellicle, so I decided to decant and re-feed with more 1.020 wort. It has kind of a vinegar-ish smell to it, not the wonderful smell of Calabaza Blanca.. I tasted as well, and it doesn't taste bad.. Do you think it will come around, or should I just not waste any more time on it?

 

[BGBC]

Hang in there. I've done the same a few times with various bottle dregs. I aerate the first starter at least to help initial growth. Some brett strains can put off some acetic in the presence of oxygen, but it shouldn't be an issue in your final beer. If the starter wort tastes good, I'd roll with it.

 

[m00ps]

yeah if its tastes fine then you are good. I use foam stoppers for my starters and they attract fruit flies sometimes which carry acetobacter (responsible for vinegar beer)

Last sour starter I made I was smelling through the stopper and it smelled like straight up vinegar so I freaked. It tasted fine though. I just replaced the stopper with an airlock

 

[bayoujeeper]

I actually have this going in a mason jar with the lid just barely on, enough to let the pressure out.

 

[bayoujeeper]

Alright.. I moved it to a larger starter vessel so I could add some more dregs from a bam noire, and after transferring it sort of smells like vomit.. I'm thinking it may be time to dump. What do you guys think?

 

[burninator]

Alright.. I moved it to a larger starter vessel so I could add some more dregs from a bam noire, and after transferring it sort of smells like vomit.. I'm thinking it may be time to dump. What do you guys think?

Instead, decant and step up from the yeast that's settled out again. There are a lot of factors that could cause the starter wort to turn bad that might not come into play in a full batch of beer.

 

[Agate]

Dump it... It's contaminated. Butyric acid is a non starter. I think dregs work best in secondary. Any reason you want to build them up for primary?

 

[bayoujeeper]

I think your right Agate, it's time to toss. I was just putting them in a starter due to the fact that I wouldn't be brewing for a while and didn't want the dregs to go to waste. I think I will just pitch dregs straight into the secondary after brewing when the time comes.

 

[505-Brewer]

I think your right Agate, it's time to toss. I was just putting them in a starter due to the fact that I wouldn't be brewing for a while and didn't want the dregs to go to waste. I think I will just pitch dregs straight into the secondary after brewing when the time comes.

This would be safer for you. Review how you made your starter. If you cant make a "clean" sour starter then you should be cautious about making a full batch. Use an an airlock on your starter. I don't oxygenate mine as I want the bugs to grow not any yeast. Good luck. JP dregs make awesome sour beers. They are aggressive so if you mash hot and have any residual sugar it will get very sour.

You could cold crash decant. Add fresh wort along with a healthy pitch or brett. The brett might be able to turn that vomit into pineapple but it could take awhile. If you have other bottles I recommend you start over.