Starter gone wrong!

[Thatpersson]

So I went to make my first yeast starter today. I had a packet of hydrated yeast and a 22oz bottle to start it in.

I started using a recipe I found online. It said to use 4 cups water and 1/2 cup extract. After I added the extract I realized this was too much liquid for my 22oz bottle...so..i dumped out half of the liquid. After I boiled it and cooled it I went to add the yeast. As if I hadn't already messed up enough I opened the packet before popping the nutrient sack. So i awkwardly popped the sack and shook the bag...though I lost a bit of the fluid.

I got the mixture into the bottle, finally, with out any further problems. It appears there is already a bit of action going on. Do you think it is ok to use?

My main concerns are that I lost some of my malt extract when I dumped out the water...though...the solution wasn't fully mixed yet.

Also, did the nutrients mix well enough with the yeast?

I really want this batch to turn out well as I will be using it on my first original recipe.

What are your guys' thoughts?

 

[Yooper]

My thought is that a 22 ounce bottle is way too small to hold 40 ounces of starter wort!

4 cups water = 32 ounces, plus the amount of DME= over 40 ounces. I use1/2 gallon jug for small starters like this, a gallon jug for bigger starters, and a 3 gallon carboy for BIG starters.

So, you made 1/2 a starter. Hopefully, you propagated enough yeast to ferment your batch.

 

[jetmac]

14 essential questions about yeast starters

Your biggest concern should be the infection of the yeast. Shaking it while it was opened and losing some of what was in there could mean something got in there that shouldn't be. You may want to dump it and start a new starter.
It may not be exactly how you wanted it but it could work out okay. If your batch doesn't ferment out you can try adding a packet of dry yeast.

The nutrients are in the smack pack to just prove viability. Don't worry too much about having yeast nutrient in your starter. Although it is a good idea, it will still work without it. You can add servomyces to your batch when you pitch the yeast. And I would suggest using servomyces in your starters as well.

A 4 cup starter is really just used to "wake up" the yeast. To make a starter that will increase your cell count you need a larger starter.

Yeast pitching calculator

If you plan to continue making starters, I would suggest finding a 4L erlenmeyer flask on ebay.

 

[Thatpersson]

Thanks guys, maybe I will go pick up a new pack of yeast today before work. I was mostly concerned with contamination. Maybe I will also try a larger starter as well.

 

[theredben]

I would seriously not be worried about contamination with your situation. Severly underpitching the yeast? Yeah, that will be an issue, but not contamination. No need to worry.

 

[Thatpersson]

I often wonder how people brewed beer hundreds of years ago and managed to not infect their beers....

 

[jetmac]

I often wonder how people brewed beer hundreds of years ago and managed to not infect their beers....

Have you ever tasted beer from hundreds of years ago?
I'm sure it tasted pretty bad.

 

[Beer_Guy]

have you ever tasted beer from hundreds of years ago?
I'm sure it tasted pretty bad.

huh???