Starter... Do I use it?

[joey024]

I've had a starter in a canning jar for about a week now... It appears to have a spec (1cm diameter) of mold on top of it. My take is that the mold is only on top and that I can use a sanitized spoon to remove it? Am I right? Or is the mold throughout and is only showing on top because it has air on top? Anyway--would you use it?

I've had completed batches covered with what I thought was mold... I racked them to a corny (leaving the small mold layer behind) and they tasted fine, no screaming bathroom runs, nothing.

(You can tell I'm leaning towards using the starter...)

Thanks in advance for your take.

 

[Wolfy]

In general anything in your starter will grow (much better) in your wort, so I know I would not risk a suspect starter in a batch of beer, it simply not worth it. If you are happy to have the 'mold' grow in your beer, use it, if not tip it!

 

[Brew-boy]

Mold = Dumper

 

[Got Trub?]

Toss it. While I might try to salvage a batch of beer with a speck of mold on top I would not pitch a starter that I knew was contaminated with mold. I'd review your sanitary practices as well so it doesn't happen again.

GT

 

[rico567]

The visible part of a mold is what my mycologist friends (of whom I have none) call the fruiting body. If you're talking about mushrooms, then the "shroom" is the fruiting body. The main part of the fungus is called a mycelium, and is composed of nearly microscopic threads termed hyphæ. To leave the lecture early and cut to the chase, I would NOT NOT NOT risk just skimming off visible mold and use that starter. Dump it and make more.

 

[RedGlass]

The "don't dump" mantra applies to beer, not starter wort. It's so cheap and easy to make a new batch that it shouldn't even be a question -- dump it and make some more. For all the money and time you're going to put into brewing your batch, it's a no brainer to me.