Ha! Haven't be decanting beer off my yeast starter..

[petep1980]

Whoops. I've done like 5 so far, and everytime I throw that whole thing in my wort.

 

[ChshreCat]

If it's not a huge amount and/or it's not something that would really be affected by having a bit of different wort in it (something really light, mainly), it wouldn't be a problem.

 

[Zen_Brew]

Not a problem unless the starter wort is significantly different from the wort you will pitch into (which it really shouldn't be) Many sources say the best time to pitch a starter is near peak krausen, which really makes decanting almost impossible as at peak krausen most of the yeast is actively engaged in the wort.

If you really want to decant add 24-48 hours to the starter process and put your starter in the fridge for a day or two once the krausen has dropped. This will cause most of the yeast to flocculate out of the beer so you can decant off the beer but still retain most of the yeast in the starter.

 

[petep1980]

It's not a problem I actually got a quick, clean efficient fermentation. Just thought it was funny.

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

I recently started a poll thread on the topic, please vote, it seems to have been forgotton

Vote here! https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/yeast-starters-oxidation-off-flavors-125682/

 

[RBlagojevich]

why would you decant? that makes no sense to me.

 

[petep1980]

It seems people do. I just include it in my calculations.

 

[carnevoodoo]

why would you decant? that makes no sense to me.

I have a 2 liter starter going right now. I don't want 2 liters of just plain DME in a recipe I've calculated pretty closely, and that could even have a potential to create some off flavors. I decant, and just use the yeast because I'm trying to make the cleanest beer possible, and some (not all mind you) are delicate enough that if I had an off flavor from that much malt extract being in there, I'd be annoyed.

 

[RBlagojevich]

oh, i see your logic.

 

[mithion]

I don't make starters for beer under 1.060 SG. White lab yeast and Wyeast is fresh and active enough to not bother. If I brew a big beer, I do a starter with light DME. The logic is that light DME will get lost is stronger darker beers, but even if you're brewing a tripel, it won't affect your color too much. And in beers with higher SG, you just won't notice the extra DME from a starter so I don't bother decanting.