Yeast starter- still good?

[FlapjackAM]

So, I was going to just let this ride because I'm sure it's fine, but my natural anxiety got the better of me, so here I am. I made a 2L starter, California ale WLP001, last night and it turned into a volcano. Looks like this is pretty common so I just let it ride. But I was losing so much down the sides I decided to just drain .25 liters to make a tiny bit more room.

Now I'm wondering if I just dumped all the krausen and way more active yeast than I should have. It's still very milky, plenty in suspension, and a little has begun to accumulate at the bottom; if I just dump the whole thing tomorrow should it be good enough? Can't be less than the liquid vial I started with. The other problem was I just didn't give my starter enough time to do it's thing and chill; I may still dump another .25 right before I pitch if it looks like it's settled some.

Oh, I'm making a 1.064 OG IPA. I'm perfectly willing to just go buy another pack; I've taken the foil off of the starter more than is probably recommended too.

Advice?

 

[Revvy]

It still will be fine... If you want you can always feed it again now, and maybe have it at high krausen tomorrow when you brew. Pitching a yeast starter at high krausen is usually the best way to do it, but often hard to time.

 

[FlapjackAM]

It still will be fine... If you want you can always feed it again now, and maybe have it at high krausen tomorrow when you brew. Pitching a yeast starter at high krausen is usually the best way to do it, but often hard to time.

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately I have to go to work soon. If I throw it in the fridge tonight, would enough settle to be able to decant a tiny bit more? Or should I just leave it at room temp in the hopes of getting a few more cells?

 

[Revvy]

I'd leave it at room temp, but other folks will probably tell you to crash it.... But I rarely crash mine (because if you crash you trade off having to wait for the yeast to come out of the lagtime you put them in.) So it's up to you.

 

[Twotaureanbrewing]

I'd leave it at room temp, but other folks will probably tell you to crash it.... But I rarely crash mine (because if you crash you trade off having to wait for the yeast to come out of the lagtime you put them in.) So it's up to you.

Agree 100%! Never crash mine. Why freeze the poor guys and then warm them back to room temp? My feeling is it takes them longer to metabolize.

 

[FlapjackAM]

So I assume you dump the whole starter in? I've done it that way before and never had a problem. 2L just seemed like a lot. Since I dumped some of it though I don't want to take the chance of wasting any more yeast so I'll just leave it out overnight and pitch it all. I just hope I didn't let any nasty bacteria in playing with it all day.

 

[Revvy]

So I assume you dump the whole starter in? I've done it that way before and never had a problem. 2L just seemed like a lot. Since I dumped some of it though I don't want to take the chance of wasting any more yeast so I'll just leave it out overnight and pitch it all. I just hope I didn't let any nasty bacteria in playing with it all day.

Usually I decant off the liquid, except about a quarter inch above the flocculated yeast, even pouring away the yeast on top, there's still billions and billions remaining after making a starter. Some times I dump it in too...it really depends on how flocculant the yeast is.

 

[FlapjackAM]

Usually I decant off the liquid, except about a quarter inch above the flocculated yeast, even pouring away the yeast on top, there's still billions and billions remaining after making a starter. Some times I dump it in too...it really depends on how flocculant the yeast is.

I guess I'll just take a look in the morning and see if it's settled decently. First brew in a year so I'm more paranoid than usual. Anyway, thanks for your help. I'll just have to remember WPL0001 is an energetic one!

 

[CA_Mouse]

I guess I'll just take a look in the morning and see if it's settled decently. First brew in a year so I'm more paranoid than usual. Anyway, thanks for your help. I'll just have to remember WPL0001 is an energetic one!

It just means that your pure pitch/vial was very fresh and your starter was just at the right sugar level. If you want really active yeast, try WLP090 San Diego Super Yeast or WLP007 Dry English Yeast. These two are beasts when it comes to starters and wort that is 1.072+