Is my Starter Infected? Should I use it?

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efreem01

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Hey All,

I brewed a 1L starter last saturday with the intention of using it on Sunday. I used 1/2 cup of ELDME and an 1/8 teaspoon of yeast nutrient in my 2L flask. I couldn't brew on sunday and now a week later the starter has white clumps floating in it. I couldn't detect any off-smells through the airlock.

Is this normal?

By the way, this is the White Labs American Hefeweizen Ale WLP320 strain.
 
It was kept at room temperature for the week and also, I didn't see any fuzz or chutes coming out of the clumps.

Any advice?

If this can't be salvaged, would using Nottingham dry yeast for a Hefeweizen be an acceptable substitute on short notice?
 
Did you have an air lock on it? If you had an airlock on it, I wouldn't have any problems using it.

If it wasn't kept in the fridge I would dump it, a week is a long time for room temp yeast to be happy.

When I harvest yeast from the primary and wash it / reuse it, it has been sitting at room temperature for more than a week.
 
Did you have an air lock on it? If you had an airlock on it, I wouldn't have any problems using it.


When I harvest yeast from the primary and wash it / reuse it, it has been sitting at room temperature for more than a week.

Oh, I'd use it IF it had an airlock on it. No airlock for a week at a room temperature? No way. And unfortunately, Nottingham isn't even close to a decent sub for a hefe yeast.
 
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