Starter for a Kolsch

[cherrob123]

I tried to make a starter last night for a Sunday brew session.

I used 4 oz of LME and 2qts of tap water. I boiled that for 30 minutes and pitched a vial of Kolsch yeast once the mini wort got to 80 deg.

Here's my problem. When I got ready to pitch the yeast, I aerated the mini wort with a whisk. I also aerated after I pitched, but before I transfered the mini wort to the pitcher I'm using for the starter.

I had been soaking the whisk in a star-san solution for about 20 minutes. I took the whisk directly from the star-san and stuck it into the wort. I use star san when I keg and I've read the millions of posts saying to never fear the foam.

Well, my wort foamed like a mother.

I pitched at 4:00 pm yesterday and put the container in my beer equipment cabinet to keep it out of light. I checked it early this morning and I can't tell if I have fermentation or not. I don't have an air lock on the pitcher I am using. There appears to be a yeast cake on the bottom and a very thin line of foam that could be indicating fermentation.

Any other things I should be looking for? This is my first starter.

Will the star san effect fermentation?

 

[Dynachrome]

I don't do real starters. I just rehydrate for a little while.

That said, did you take an OG reading. If your OG drops, then you know it's working.


Also, check out the threads at the bottom of the page - you titled your thread well.

 

[midfielder5]

It sounds fine. A pic would help. Star san won't hurt presuming you mixed it at the right concentration. Next time I'd skip the whisk step and just grab the pitcher and shake/swirl to aerate.
You only have to boil for 10 minutes also.

good luck.

 

[cherrob123]

It sounds fine. A pic would help. Star san won't hurt presuming you mixed it at the right concentration. Next time I'd skip the whisk step and just grab the pitcher and shake/swirl to aerate.
You only have to boil for 10 minutes also.

good luck.

I did not measure out the star san.....I just dumped a cap full in about three cups of water. It was a last minute thing when I realized I was about to dunk my thermometer into the new wort as well as the whisk. In other words, it was a very highly concentrated star san mixture.

 

[midfielder5]

An ounce is for 5 gallons, which is about a Tablespoon IIRC-- so you are not using star san right. it will probably be fine in any event.

 

[cherrob123]

Well....it smells like beer and looks like beer. There is no krausen on top, but there is a yeast cake on the bottom and the wort actually looks like it is carbonated. There is a slight layer of foam on top and that's it.

I'm guessing that it is probably ok. I wish I had thought to measure the OG when I put into the container. If the star san had ruined it, would the hot mess smell like beer anyway?

 

[midfielder5]

Yes, I said above, twice actually, "it will probably be fine in any event" and asked for a picture to verify what you were describing.

 

[Dynachrome]

You HAVE achieved success.

 

[cherrob123]

Update

I have vigorous fermentation in the bucket. I pitched the entire starter, without decanting, and it's bubbling away as we speak.

Thanks to everyone for the good advice.

Oh....the OG on this beer is .050. I think it's gonna be a biggun!!

 

[Dynachrome]

Well....it smells like beer and looks like beer. There is no krausen on top, but there is a yeast cake on the bottom and the wort actually looks like it is carbonated. There is a slight layer of foam on top and that's it.

I'm guessing that it is probably ok. I wish I had thought to measure the OG when I put into the container. If the star san had ruined it, would the hot mess smell like beer anyway?

No.

...and BTW, After yeast is pitched - we refer to it as beer. NBD

 

[Dynachrome]

Update

I have vigorous fermentation in the bucket. I pitched the entire starter, without decanting, and it's bubbling away as we speak.

Thanks to everyone for the good advice.

Oh....the OG on this beer is .050. I think it's gonna be a biggun!!

Duuuude, I like the Attituuuuude!

 

[cherrob123]

No.

...and BTW, After yeast is pitched - we refer to it as beer. NBD

I wrote something and posted it only to decide I didn't want to post it. I wasn't able to figure out how to delete the post all together so I just deleted the original post and replaced it with this.