Starter problem: Contaminated?

[Willsellout]

So I made my starter this morning for my brew tomorrow of my Summit IPA using Pacman. I have it in the flask with one of those foam stoppers that keep stuff out but allow C02 to escape. I went out for a ride and come back and check on it and the foam stopper has popped out. It was sitting on my dryer and I don't know how long it was uncovered for. What should I look for if it's bad? Just an off smell?

thanks!


Dan

 

[malkore]

is it reasonably clean in the laundry room? if so I wouldn't worry about it. people come home to find the lid on their bucket has blown off, and the beer is fine.

it can look infected, smell infected or taste infected. depends on the nature of the infection.

 

[etp777]

I never put my starter under airlock, tend to jsut do it in a cleaned and sanitized container with loose fitting lid (Gladware). I wouldn't worry about it unless it actually looks or smells off, as malkore said.

 

[WBC]

A piece of sanitized aluminum foil on the flask is perfect. I never had an infection on a starter and have done the same thing on a carboy using foil and 2 large rubber bands and as long as the fermentation is controlled at a reasonable temperature it should not spew foam all over the place either. Being that CO2 is always going out, no air is going in.

 

[Willsellout]

Thanks for the replies. The laundry room is prett clean and it's closed off so no real drafts of any sort. I will use tin foil from now on I think. It smells OK this morning so I think I'm in the clear.

Thanks again!


Dan