Stuff in my starter

[SDJay]

I am making a 1.5 L starter for WLP 300 using wheat DME. I boiled water/DME/yeast nutrient for 20 min, cooled to 70 degrees and put in cleaned/sanitized magnetic and pitched one vial of yeast (best by October 7, 2015). After 16 hourson the stir plate, there are dark brown flecks circulating in the starter. I think they likely are small pieces of scorched DME from the boil, but were wondering if anyone else had a different thought. The starter o/w looks & smells fine.
(Edit: I just noticed some old threads that specifically addressed this issue. Sorry.)

 

[flars]

Dark specks in a starter is normal for some yeasts. The long boil of the starter wort is over doing it. A few minutes is more than enough. Very good thread on the topic yesterday, but I can't remember the title.

Does the starter wort smell scorched? edit: Oops on aroma.

The thrread on starter wort boil time.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=544212