Yeast Starter Smell

[melloweyelids]

Hey There Ya'll,

I am getting ready to brew my 3rd batch. The yeast was approaching its "expiration" date of 4 months after manufacture. It has been in my fridge for a couple months. Independence A15 Ale yeast. I made a starter using a Propper can. I sanitized everything but the propper can top (I forgot). Starter has been on a stir plate all night. Might have pitched the yeast starter at too high of a temperature, around 76 degrees. When I checked this morning it has a slight apple cider, slightly sour, perhaps slightly vinegary smell. I don't have the best olfactory sense so I can't quite narrow it down. Mostly apple cider smell I would say. I tasted a small amount and it seems to taste fine; slight apple cider taste maybe. Went down a small rabbit hole and got some conflicting information, ranging from "its fine" to "possibly infected." I am guessing it is fine but want to see what ya'll thing? Might be hard to get feedback since you obviously can't smell it yourselves. The starter also seems less active with less krausen than my last starter (made with Omega West Coast Ale I). Do you think this starter is okay to use? Or should I abandon ship? What are the chances it infects my batch? I don't want to do a whole brew day for nothing. But I suppose that is how it goes sometimes. I attached a picture of the starter if it helps. Picture is about 11 hours after pitching and starting it on the spin plate.

The brew is going to be a partial mash pale ale. 1.050 OG. 5.0% target alcohol when finished.

My only other option is to use a refrigerated bag of Omega West Coast Ale I. However, this bag arrived slight warm and swollen. Manufacture date is June 18. However, if I were to use this, I would not have time for a starter.

I took the day off work to brew, so my options are as follows:

1. Run with my yeast starter as is.
2. Pitch my Omega West Coast Ale I yeast despite it being 3 months from manufacture and arriving slightly warm and swollen (no time for a starter)
3. Call off the brew day altogether.

Any and all advice is appreciated. Still reading some other posts, but figured I would make my own thread in the meantime.

 

[wepeeler]

Loaded question! Your starter does look ok to the naked eye, but since we can't see these microscopic beasts, I'd err on the side of caution. Some yeast does have a slightly apple cider vinegary aroma, BUT my last Kolsch yeast starter smelled that way, and I dumped it. The next starter from a fresh package of yeast did not have that aroma. I hear you loud and clear on not wanting to waste a brew day and end up with sub-par beer. The refrigerated pack that swelled a little is probably just fine to pitch, but why not spin up another starter with that one? Postpone brew day a day or two and feel more confident in the final product. That's my 2 cents. (Google often returns info ranging from "perfectly fine" to "dump it". I'm just going by personal experience!

 

[melloweyelids]

Loaded question! Your starter does look ok to the naked eye, but since we can't see these microscopic beasts, I'd err on the side of caution. Some yeast does have a slightly apple cider vinegary aroma, BUT my last Kolsch yeast starter smelled that way, and I dumped it. The next starter from a fresh package of yeast did not have that aroma. I hear you loud and clear on not wanting to waste a brew day and end up with sub-par beer. The refrigerated pack that swelled a little is probably just fine to pitch, but why not spin up another starter with that one? Postpone brew day a day or two and feel more confident in the final product. That's my 2 cents. (Google often returns info ranging from "perfectly fine" to "dump it". I'm just going by personal experience!

I took today off work to brew. Would feel like a waste of a day off to not follow through. But so would brewing a bad batch. I think I might just try to pitch the refrigerated pack and hope for the best. Maybe others will chime in before I get started. Appreciate your input!

 

[wepeeler]

I took today off work to brew. Would feel like a waste of a day off to not follow through. But so would brewing a bad batch. I think I might just try to pitch the refrigerated pack and hope for the best. Maybe others will chime in before I get started. Appreciate your input!

You'd be perfectly fine pitching the refrigerated pack in a 1.050 beer, as long as you make sure to warm it up to room temp first! Omega gives you 50% more yeast per pack.

 

[melloweyelids]

You'd be perfectly fine pitching the refrigerated pack in a 1.050 beer, as long as you make sure to warm it up to room temp first! Omega gives you 50% more yeast per pack.

Thanks. I have a 1 year old and time is scarce right now. Gotta use the day while I have it. Appreciate your help dude!

 

[BeerNsteadofH2O]

My .02- it's the reason I keep a few packets of dry S04,So5 , WLP 001 in the fridge, Having those on hand can save the day when in doubt.

 

[Deadalus]

Picture looks normal.

If you pitched it at 76 and it was that temp up til now, it's going to behave as the yeast would if pitched and fermented at 76 into a batch. This would include perhaps some off flavors and or smells. So chill and decant before using.

I don't always remember to starsan the yeast pack but have not had any specific issues afterwards.

 

[Deadalus]

"Independence is the strain for bringing some new character into your hop-driven beers. Higher in esters than Flagship, this yeast will give some fruity character.. While it shines in hoppy ales, Independence is a great all-purpose strain and will also work well in stouts and English ales."

 

[Deadalus]

Fermentation range-Min temp is 60 and max is 72. At 76, it was simply producing esters I'd say.

 

[melloweyelids]

My .02- it's the reason I keep a few packets of dry S04,So5 , WLP 001 in the fridge, Having those on hand can save the day when in doubt.

Good advice. Will be doing this moving forward.

Picture looks normal.

If you pitched it at 76 and it was that temp up til now, it's going to behave as the yeast would if pitched and fermented at 76 into a batch. This would include perhaps some off flavors and or smells. So chill and decant before using.

I don't always remember to starsan the yeast pack but have not had any specific issues afterwards.

What do you think about using the refrigerated yeast that I have without a starter instead? Would I be better off going that route or using this starter? Probably not a question you can really answer confidently.

I just saw your new message. Are esters associated with an apple cider vinegar smell? I had looked up the yeast and it said to expect citrus contributions, which is why the apple cider threw me off. Anyway, I am still new at this and I appreciate your help!

 

[Deadalus]

Yes, I have seen apple used in ester descriptions. I haven't used that yeast, so I had to look to see its specs but it saying it produces esters was very encouraging. I would use the starter.

I would not use the swelled pack without making a starter but I wouldn't switch even if the west coast arrived normally. I think perhaps your west coast might be partially dead because it was swollen. I'd make a starter for it ahead of time and have an option ready if the west coast was dead completely.