restarting a starter

murppie · Nov 26, 2013

Hi all, I'm hoping someone can help me out here.

A couple of weeks ago I make a yeast starter because my girlfriend was going to be in town and we were going to make some beer. Long story short life happened and we were unable to make the full batch and I haven't had a chance to brew since. Well, it looks like Thanksgiving is the day when I'll have the time.

I looked at the starter and it doesn't look all milky brown like a normal/healthy starter looks, it looks more like a completely fermented beer with sediment on the bottom. Its just been sitting on the stir plate for a few weeks (I forgot about it between working full time and going to school full time) Would I still be able to use this, or am I better off just going and buying new yeast?

NTXBrauer · Nov 26, 2013

As long as you have no reason to believe the starter is contaminated, you should be able to re-use it. Cold crash the starter, so the yeast will fall out of suspension. Pour off the existing liquid (beer) and replace with the same amount of liquid boiled with DME (or whatever sugar you initially used). Then turn on the stir plate.

The yeast have just consumed all the fermentable sugars currently and have started to settle to the bottom.

duboman · Nov 26, 2013

If its been sitting un-refrigerated for a couple weeks and has already flocculated I would add maybe 500ml of fresh wort and wake it up again

Calder · Nov 26, 2013

Pour off the liquid and smell it, maybe taste it. If you left it uncovered/unsealed there is a chance acetobacteria got in there. If it tsates of vinegar, you got it.

Decanting may get rid of the acetobacteria, but I wouldn't chance it.

harpsbight · Nov 26, 2013

sorry to hijack, but.....assume the starter had been sitting in fridge for about 2-3 weeks, do you think it should be "re started" or just decanted and pitched? Again, sorry to hijack your thread OP.

Cyclman · Nov 27, 2013

If it was in the fridge, and it smells fine, I'd use it, if it was enough yeast for the beer you intended to make. Sitting on a stir plate, I'd do a new starter if it smelled OK.