Starter question, infection

[Tall_Yotie]

EDIT/ UPDATE: after decanting a bit of the smell went away, and it is fermenting wonderfully now in the brew. The odd smell went away. I guess it was just a by-product of the yeast, and is working great now!

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Hey all.

So I made a 3L starter mast night (100g DME / L), got to around the right temperature, and tossed in my vial of WLP500. I used StarSan as usual, boiled the water, and generally did all the steps I normally do with a starter.

I checked it this morning, and there was a nice bit of yeast on the bottom of the flask, but it smelled a bit of plastic, and almost that band-aid like aroma that is feared. Not incredibly strong, but it was there.

I took it to the LHBS, and the guy here shook it up, saw some foam/bubbles form, and said it probably is good. I however am a bit hesitant. I don't want to risk $40 of materials and an afternoon of work on a $6 vial of yeast.

Should I just ditch it and start a new one? Or should I let it go until tomorrow (when I am planning and pitching it), and see where it has gone?

Thanks for any relpies and thoughts!

 

[AKbrewer]

Its probably fine,but if your going to stress out over it them dump it and pitch 3 vials.

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

sounds like its probably fine. starters smell weird sometimes. fermentation at room temp ya know...

 

[Revvy]

If you quit sniffing your starters then you won't worry about stuff like this. Just because the beer on top of the yeast smells bad, even sour doesn't mean the yeast below is bad. When we make a starter we are growing more yeast, we're not trying to make a good tasting tiny beer, so we usually don't hop it, or put it in a temp controlled eviroment. So the "beer" on top is not going to be in that great a condition. Often in summer our starter beers go sour, that's why some folks add a hop pellet or two to the boil.

But unless you go the extra mile, that beer on top, which often sits in the sun, or in a hot room, and without hops is often going to smell, or even taste bad. But that tiny bit of beer won't effect the 5 gallons you are making. You can always decant the starter beer of the top and pitch it.

But I wouldn't scrap it. Half of the starters I've pitched I've never bothered to sniff, and of those I did, many smelled sour or other wise nasty, and I've still pitched them, and never had a bad beer.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

Alright, that all makes sense. Thanks all, especially Revvy.

So, it smells like an infection, but if the yeast itself is growing just fine, then it should be fine I am figuring. I have another vial of yeast, I might just toss that into my starter to give it some extra yeasties and call it good.

Any reason why I shouldn't do this? And if I can summarize what you guys have said, it isn't an infection but just weird smells, or if it is infected it isn't bad enoguh to screw up a 5 gallon batch.

That sounds right?

EDIT: still smells like a tube of PVC pipe, swirled it, wife took a whiff and said at first it was a bit yeasty, then second sniff was so sharp it make her cough.

 

[kanzimonson]

Did you use Mr Malty to figure the size of the starter? If so, why would you add more yeast?

How many times will we have to tell you to stop worrying and brew some beer!

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

3L starter for a 5 gallon batch should be WAY fine. No need to pitch your extra vial. Use that to make a starter for another batch!!

edit: The yeast WANT to make beer. The malt WANTS to become beer. The bad guys (wild yeast and bacteria) have quite a challenge if they want to infect your batch as long as you sanitize properly and don't use scratched up plastic anywhere in your process.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

Did you use Mr Malty to figure the size of the starter? If so, why would you add more yeast?

How many times will we have to tell you to stop worrying and brew some beer!

I used Mr. Malty, just was wanting to give more forces to the good guys.

You will have to tell me a LOT more times. I am a neurotic guy, and if it wasn't for my wife telling me to do the RDWHAHB, I would be twitching in the corner, wrapped around a carboy.


And strat_thru_marshall, thanks, makes sense. I will just go ahead and brew, and when (not if, WHEN) it turns into awesome beer I can learn to not be so nervous and antsy.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

Minor update. The 3L starter had a ton of yeast on the bottom of the flask, decanted 1L off, and pitched. I pitched it in a bit cold (starter was not warmed up enough), hopefully that didn't mess anything up. 12 hours later and not action in the airlock, which is odd as I usually get bubbling by now with this yeast. Fermenting a couple degrees cooler though than normal, so might lag things a bit.

Will probably edit or add with a "it worked!" post, or a "nooooo it is dead!" post, most likely the former.


UPDATE: As you all said, it is working along just fine! No odd smell/taste from my hydrometer samples. Thanks all for the assurance!