Starter Question

[Millpig]

So I'm new to the whole starter thing. This is my second time making one and my first time using Omega Yeast. I just recently did starter using 1 can of fast pitch wort from NB using the Omega West Coast ale 1. I pitched the yeast at around 9pm Monday evening and by 11am Tuesday it was going so crazy on the stir plate that it kept pushing the foam stopper up and out of the flask. I continued to watch for roughly an another 2 hrs while pushing the stopper back down so it wouldn't come off the flask. In all my infinite wisdom I decided maybe enough new yeast cells had propagated and put the flask in the fridge to crash. Now as of roughly 9am Wednesday the a lot of the yeast doesn't appear to be settling very much and looks like its suspended. It's almost seems like if I pulled it out and warmed it up, it would start fermenting again(is that possible?). So I guess my question out of all this is what should I do? Should I wait another 24 hrs for it to crash more? Should I decant what I can and use the cake thats at the bottom?

 

[Redtab78]

When I do my starters on my stir plate, after I cool the wort, and add the yeast, I put it on the stir plate with only the aluminum foil covering it (sanitized of course) and then let it go for 2-3 days. Sometimes I will cold crash it for another 2 days, then decant and warm up the day im brewing, and sometimes I just leave it on the stir plate stirring until its time to pitch. I put my stirplate in my ferm chamber right at about 65° and if I cold crash, it goes in my reg fridge.

So, if I was you, I would put it back on the stir plate at room temp and just let it go until your ready to pitch it, if you want to save some, then as it is all stirring around, grab a small mason jar, make sure the yeast is all throughout the wort, then fill the (pint) mason jar, and then use the rest in your wort.

 

[kh54s10]

Unless you are making a big beer, Over 1.060, Omega yeast packs already contain enough yeast for a 5 gallon batch.

You can just let it warm back up and start it on the stirplate. Once above 60 degrees fermentation will progress. I do my starters for 18-24 hours, unless I see a long lag time.

I have read that once the yeast reproduce to a certain cell count in 24-48 hours, anything after that contributes very little to cell count growth. They are now primarily consuming the sugars in the wort.

 

[Millpig]

Okay..sounds like I should just put it back on the plate and let it do its thing till brew day tomorrow. I made a starter for this beer cause the O.G is supposed to be 1068 and the package suggested a starter. Have you guys had many starters blow through the top of the flask like I mentioned? I've never used the canned wort/omega yeast before. So maybe its the combo or maybe just the omega yeast is a monster? Is it ok if the flask is covered with foil(sanitized) and it foams up and out of the flask?

 

[flars]

The most volume I put in a 2 liter flask is 1500 ml. Even then some yeasts will over flow the flask.

 

[Morrey]

Okay..sounds like I should just put it back on the plate and let it do its thing till brew day tomorrow. I made a starter for this beer cause the O.G is supposed to be 1068 and the package suggested a starter. Have you guys had many starters blow through the top of the flask like I mentioned? I've never used the canned wort/omega yeast before. So maybe its the combo or maybe just the omega yeast is a monster? Is it ok if the flask is covered with foil(sanitized) and it foams up and out of the flask?

Yeah, I use NB Fast Pitch from time to time, and it is basically just 1.040 wort to give the yeast some food so they can start multiplying. That starter is basically a hop less beer since fermentation is going on in the flask hence the krausen.

I typically use a 2L flask to give the starter room to krausen so it won't foam over and make a mess. Some yeasts get huge heads some not so much.

Another thing you may try is a drop of Fermcap that helps keep foaming down. This may be helpful in your case to prevent the need to buy another flask.

 

[IslandLizard]

That was only a 1 liter starter. I guess you lost some, it's around 950ml right now.

Best things about making starters is you know the yeast works, it's vital, and you can save some out to make a starter of next time.

Looks like you've got plenty of yeast in the bottom. Part of the lower flocculation yeast population is still in suspension. As long as you cold crashed it for 2 days before you decant, you've gotten most of them.

Next time, add one drop of Fermcap-S to your starter wort before you boil it. It prevents foaming, boil overs, and blow offs in your flask while on the stir plate. Storing the Fermcap in the fridge is best. Do not freeze.

For making ready to pitch starters from White Labs or WYeast cultures (~100 billion cells at packaging, much less when you get it), you really need to go to 2 liter size. Use a yeast calculator, like Brew United's or Yeastcalc.

Agree with @flars, 1500-1600 ml is about the limit in a 2 liter flask. With Fermcap you can go a bit higher, 1800ml perhaps, as there is way less foaming.