Yeast starter cold crash question/when

[earwig]

I created a 2L starter On Wednesday night. I want to brew tomorrow, Saturday. Today when I left work at 7:30am the starter was still churning and producing lots of krausen; bubbling up through the airlock. I planned on cold crashing the starter tonight before bed and decanting tomorrow afternoon to pitch.

Is it OK to cold crash the stater if it hasn't finished fermenting out?

Thanks.

 

[MalFet]

It sort of defeats the purpose of a starter by cutting yeast production prematurely, but it's not necessarily harmful beyond that. I typically wouldn't crash a starter less than 24h before brewing, though.

 

[KevinW]

It sort of defeats the purpose of a starter by cutting yeast production prematurely, but it's not necessarily harmful beyond that. I typically wouldn't crash a starter less than 24h before brewing, though.

I agree!

 

[earwig]

Why the heck is this still going? I read so many places that making it on a Wednesday for a Saturday brew was acceptable! Ugh.

So, do you think cold crashing 20 hours before pitching is acceptable... or still not enough time?

Thanks again.

 

[MalFet]

Why the heck is this still going? I read so many places that making it on a Wednesday for a Saturday brew was acceptable! Ugh.

So, do you think cold crashing 20 hours before pitching is acceptable... or still not enough time?

Thanks again.

Unless it is a super-light beer style, I'd let it keep fermenting and then just pitch the whole starter. 20 hours would probably be fine, but some of that depends on the yeast strain.

 

[bootney]

I give my starters 3 days on the stir plate. Is it indicated? Nope. My experience is most of my starters are done within 24 hours but I leave them there any way. I cold crash the starter for two days. I use wyeast at all times and some yeast settle out quicker than others. After two days I let the starter warm to pitching temps, decant, and pitch. Works like a charm for me.

 

[earwig]

Thanks... I used a White Labs vial and this isn't going to be a big beer so I'm sure I'll have enough yeast for the brew... I'm just concerned with giving it enough time to cold crash so when I decant I am not throwing away the good yeast still in suspension. I'd rather not pitch 2 liters of un-hopped beer into this brew so I definitely want to decant. I guess I know for next time... create the starter on Monday or Tuesday for a Saturday brew.

Thanks.

 

[Runyanka]

It depends on what time tomorrow. Give it until late night and it might have settled.