Overbuilding starter, dealing with CO2 ?

[Shaika-Dzari]

Hey everyone,

For the first time, I decide to brew 10L instead of my traditional 4L.
I also decide to use liquid yeast for the first time and got some white lab WLP300 (It's an hefeweizen: Weissbier - Bee Cave Brewery Bavarian Hefeweizen).

Because liquid yeast cost more here and pitching the whole pack would be overkill in a 10L beer, I decide to try this:
- Make a 1L starter
- Pitch 500L
- Refrigerate the other 500L in a mason jar for my next batch.

So, I made my starter yesterday evening using 100g DME (golden light) / 1L water, boil it, cool it down, pitch the yeast and put it in a 1L mason jar with a lose lid.
I shook the jar from time to time during the evening...

This morning the yeast was at the bottom and when I shook it, I got a good amount of CO2; so clearly the stuff was fermenting (but no krausen if it make a difference).

Seeing all this CO2, I'm a bit unsure on how I should refrigerate the other 500ml.
Should I seal the jar and make sure to open it from time to time ?
Or should I wait a couple of days for the starter to calm down and produce less CO2 before putting it in my fridge ?
I don't want the mason jar to blown up in my fridge. The mess would be epic...

 

[DVCNick]

I don't know about yours but the lids on my mason jars aren't really gas tight even when "tight".

Also once you refrigerate it further fermentation will stop. As long as you have some headspace and don't over torque the lid, risk should be minimal.

 

[Deadalus]

I use aluminum foil on my Erlenmeyer flasks and I throw a rubber band around them. If I don't leave enough headspace, sometimes the krausen will push out but otherwise works fine. The rubber band is to keep out fruit flies in the summer. You could do that until it settles down.

 

[enkamania]

I use pickle pipes with mason jars for my re-used yeast.

 

[Mtrhdltd]

I use pickle pipes with mason jars for my re-used yeast.

I had never heard of pickle pipes, after a Google search I think I need some of these!
To the OP, I use pint jars typically and leave larger headspace than jarring, but not too much as air has bad stuff in it. i leave the band a little loose until everything slows in the fridge, then finger tighten. I would recommend less than 3 months storage this way, my experience shows yeast weakens about this time. Hope this helps!

 

[Shaika-Dzari]

Sorry for the late response. Was on vacation
I used a mason jar and it looks perfectly fine.

Thanks everyone!

 

[mashpaddled]

It should be fine if it's done fermenting. You might get a little pressure under the lid as CO2 comes out of solution but not anything that should explode. If it is still fermenting you should let it finish before putting a lid on it.