Starter eruption

[epateddy]

Prepping to brew the NB Spiced Winter Ale. Made my first starter last night with the Wyeast Scottish Ale 1728.

Interesting to see the different prep methods out there. Some mix the DME and water and then boil. Some boil the water then add the DME. I tried the latter, which sucked because the steam coming off the water really caked up the DME as I tried to get it down the funnel and into the flask. (I heated the water in the flask.)

Anyway, chilled the wort, added the yeast and closed with a foam stopper.

Also read how important O2 is so I gave it a swirl before heading to bed. Woke up this AM and some evidence of fermentation was there - a little foam on top (but not a lot) and cake on the bottom. Here's where the fun begins - gave it another swirl medium intensity) and it immediately foamed up and out of the flask, pushing the stopper out. Wasn't ready for that. What gives?

 

[Dkmount721]

They make breathable foam stoppers for flasks. Allows oxygen in. They won't blow off.

CO2 already built up and when you swirl it released more from suspension and PLOOP!

 

[JonM]

Look at Mr. malty. It has a tab where you can choose different oxygenation levels like "simple starter," "intermittent shaking," "O2 at start," and stir plate. The size you need is different based on what you do in terms of oxygenation and you might not even need to bother with the shaking if you do a certain size.

 

[arnoldk2]

Prepping to brew the NB Spiced Winter Ale. Made my first starter last night with the Wyeast Scottish Ale 1728.

Interesting to see the different prep methods out there. Some mix the DME and water and then boil. Some boil the water then add the DME. I tried the latter, which sucked because the steam coming off the water really caked up the DME as I tried to get it down the funnel and into the flask. (I heated the water in the flask.)

Anyway, chilled the wort, added the yeast and closed with a foam stopper.

Also read how important O2 is so I gave it a swirl before heading to bed. Woke up this AM and some evidence of fermentation was there - a little foam on top (but not a lot) and cake on the bottom. Here's where the fun begins - gave it another swirl medium intensity) and it immediately foamed up and out of the flask, pushing the stopper out. Wasn't ready for that. What gives?

Okay, think of your starter as mini batch of beer. CO2 is being released causing pressure in your flask. What I do is put a piece of sanatized piece of tin foil over the opening of the flask. That way CO2 can escape and the bad stuff in the air can't get in. Your starter will never blow up again.

 

[Dkmount721]

Derp! I gotta quite posting so early in the morning. I might actually read the OP first.

 

[epateddy]

Thanks. Thought I had the right foam stopper, but it doesn't appear like the pressure (CO2) was being released. Sounds like foil is the better idea. I don't have a stir plate so I plan on swirling every so often for my next few starters.

Thanks for the Mr. Malty reference.

Any thoughts on boiling the water, then adding the DME (and boiling more) vs. mixing the water and DME together right away and then boiling?

 

[bottlebomber]

I can't think of why anyone would add the DME after boiling the water... there's the caking problem you mentioned, then the fact that as soon as the DME hits the water the boiling temp of the water is lowered, meaning its going to vent off more steam and possibly burn you. I put the DME in my pyrex flask while it is nice n powdery, then add water, then boil. Just be sure if you are cooling the flask in the sink you don't have your stopper in already. DOH!

 

[epateddy]

OK quick vote. Should I pitch this starter or not?

Things that concern me:
- Tried adding the DME after the water was heated. Caked pretty bad and didn't get it all in.
- Not sure I did a great job with initial aeration
- My first attempt at swirling resulted in the eruption, so I lost some volume there and concerned about sanitation since the top blew off (but I did dunk it in starsan again)
- Didn't add extra water at the outset to account for boil off. Was shooting for 1500 mL and have about 1200.

With some of the knowledge that's been shared since my original post, I'm leaning towards starting over and pushing out brew day. I'd rather be on the safe side than wait 9 weeks to find out the starter wasn't strong enough.

Starter is in the fridge now awaiting a decision. Have a very thin cake on the bottom. But this being my first starter, I'm not sure what I should be looking for/expecting.

As always, appreciate the feedback.

 

[shanamir]

Pitch it. With a modest starting gravity of 1.047 you shouldn't be too concerned with aeration or missing your starter gravity by a few point. The yeasties will be perfectly happy going in, and there's little risk of getting a bug from an eruption. It's not unlike krausen bursting out of your fermentor, there's too much coming out for nasties to get in, much less a chance for them to grow with all the yeast in the mix. Just make sure your pitching/fermentation temperature are in the right range and you aerate well and you should be seeing activity in no time.

 

[bottlebomber]

Pitcheroonies

 

[epateddy]

Pitched last night. Happily fermenting 12 hours later.

This kit called for an ounce of mulling spices at the end of the boil and wow did that smell fantastic when mixed into the wort. Although something from that mix clogged the spigot on my brew kettle.