Liquid yeast left in a starter for a month

[timedwards80]

I was going to brew with a liquid yeast but decided to use a Kveik yeast due to lack of time. I forgot about the liquid yeast in the starter which has been at room temperature with foil and a tea towel over the top ever since. Would this still be ok to use?

 

[Maverick986]

Similarish, issue a ways back, only I kept min in the refrigerator, and it worked fine. If suggest trying another starter to varify viability.

 

[blasterooni]

Definitely agree with Maverick...

 

[TripleC223]

I've had the same scenario with a planned brew day that was delayed repeatedly for about a month. To be safe, I made another starter to ensure viability, and it took off without problem on round two. I ended up splitting the starter and refrigerating one portion of it. All batches brewed from that yeast have turned out fine.

Also, it was a Kveik strain (Voss) as well, which I understand is pretty hearty stuff.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

There won't be any problem with viable yeast (it WILL work), it's about whether there's any contamination. A month is long enough for bacterial populations to grow, especially in the semi-aerobic and hop-free conditions of a starter. Start by smelling the starter and tasting a bit of the starter beer; if you notice any off-flavours, dump. It's not worth ruining a batch of beer for. If it smells and tastes clean, use it in a new starter then smell and taste the new starter before pitching.

 

[kh54s10]

I would worry about contamination also. But if there are no signs of a pellicle, bad smells etc. I would make another starter with the cake and use it. Agree on smelling and maybe tasting the new starter also. But it is just fermented wort so I wouldn't expect the taste to be any good. Also, I have used a couple of yeasts that to me smelled terrible. The smell of the yeast itself, they made great beers.

 

[hottpeper13]

If it smells and tastes good I would decant and pitch some chilled wort taken after around 10 min. into the boil and do a vitality starter. If it's good pitch it if bad pitch a dry yeast you keep just for these occasions.