DryCowntyBrwr
Member
My first yeast Harvest.
I followed the guidelines from Palmer's "How to Brew" on how to properly yeast ranch. I decided to attempt to corral some yeast from a few bottles of Belgo that I enjoyed at least a few months back, let's say 3 months. During it's suspended state in my refrigerator, the jar froze, and then defrosted about a week before I decided to make a starter.
I made a starter on Tuesday for a Belgian Pale Ale recipe I came up with. I plan to continue to repitch more starter wort until I have enough slurry for around a 2L starter. However, I have noticed that the color is concerning. There appears to be half of the yeast cake that looks like a normal dark tan color, but there is also quite a lot of grey colors to the bottom of the cake. I also noticed quite a few grey colored floaties are starting to rise to the top. Also, I want to note that some beer liquid from the bottom of the source bottles did end up in the mix and thus ended up in the starter. One last note, the cake is more perforated at this time than when I have made starters of vials or smack packs.
Here are my thoughts, and hopefully someone can shed a little more light:
1) This is the first pitch of the starter, and with the longer suspended time (ie: >2 months), I'm probably just noticing some sort of by product and need to continue to try to grow healthy yeast in greater numbers than the visible by-product.
2) I waited too long to try to grow the yeast and now I should avoid pitching this foul microorganism I am growing in anything I plan to enjoy.
3) I may be growing unwanted bacteria from some sort of contamination and should just thow this away and make a starter of the WL Trappist Ale I have in my fridge.
I will try to post pictures if anyone should want to see.
I followed the guidelines from Palmer's "How to Brew" on how to properly yeast ranch. I decided to attempt to corral some yeast from a few bottles of Belgo that I enjoyed at least a few months back, let's say 3 months. During it's suspended state in my refrigerator, the jar froze, and then defrosted about a week before I decided to make a starter.
I made a starter on Tuesday for a Belgian Pale Ale recipe I came up with. I plan to continue to repitch more starter wort until I have enough slurry for around a 2L starter. However, I have noticed that the color is concerning. There appears to be half of the yeast cake that looks like a normal dark tan color, but there is also quite a lot of grey colors to the bottom of the cake. I also noticed quite a few grey colored floaties are starting to rise to the top. Also, I want to note that some beer liquid from the bottom of the source bottles did end up in the mix and thus ended up in the starter. One last note, the cake is more perforated at this time than when I have made starters of vials or smack packs.
Here are my thoughts, and hopefully someone can shed a little more light:
1) This is the first pitch of the starter, and with the longer suspended time (ie: >2 months), I'm probably just noticing some sort of by product and need to continue to try to grow healthy yeast in greater numbers than the visible by-product.
2) I waited too long to try to grow the yeast and now I should avoid pitching this foul microorganism I am growing in anything I plan to enjoy.
3) I may be growing unwanted bacteria from some sort of contamination and should just thow this away and make a starter of the WL Trappist Ale I have in my fridge.
I will try to post pictures if anyone should want to see.
