Mystery rising 'balls' in yeast starter

[VikeMan]

I made a starter of Wyeast 3724, about 24 hours on a stirplate, and then cold crashed in the fridge. Now, a couple of days later, there are little 'balls' of what appear to be yeast that are shooting to the surface and then disintegrating back into the starter wort/beer. Some of the balls look like they have 'tails' as they are rising, but I think that's just a stream of yeast cells breaking off from the balls as they rise. This is happening at about 40F in the fridge. I've never seen anything like this. Any ideas about what would cause? TIA!

 

[Curtis2010]

I've seen some of my starters and brews do this. I assume it just turb being lifted by CO2 bubbles, but don't know for sure.

 

[whitehause]

Totally normal for a flocculent yeast.(although 3724 isn't very flocculent) Some English strains start to look like a jar full of cold break.
I wouldn't worry.

 

[Token]

Some English strains start to look like a jar full of cold break.

Good to know. I had washed some Wyeast 1335, and the stuff in the bottom of the jar looked like break material. I haven't done a lot of yeast washing, so this is a good reassurance. Thanks.

 

[Token]

Holy cow! That crummy lookin' washed yeast is making my Surly Furious from Northern Brewer ferment furiously!!! Glad I didn't give up on the funny lookin' yeast.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

i made a starter with 1882 last week, the trub looked pretty much like cottage cheese. :rockin: