Red Baron
Well-Known Member
I have a question I'd like some feedback or answers on from the great brains trust that is AHB.
Currently I'm culturing up a starter of S-189 from the dregs of one of my bottles. I don't have a stir plate, so have been doing it in a juice bottle and shaking it every time I walk by. Starter wort is made from 10% weight LDME and boiled water, allowed to cool in the fridge in a sterilised container.
Steps so far are: 1. dregs to 10ml in tallie
2. added 45ml still in tallie
3. added 200ml and transferred to sterilised juice bottle
4. added 1L
The yeast is kicking along nicely, and I have it fermenting at ambient (currently 30/32deg during the day in CQ).
Today when I opened the lid to allow some oxygen in, I noticed it smelled very much of a warm Hefeweizen (big banana, slight clove). Curious, I tasted it. It tastes fruity, with a small clove linger at the end. Apart from that it finishes quite well- no other off flavours discernible.
I know clove can be a phenolic indicator and point towards infection, but my question is this:
Can the banana and clove flavours be purely from fermenting this lager yeast 20deg above it's normal range, meaning the starter will be good when the beer is decanted and yeast pitched at an appropriate temp, or is it likely infected and chuck it?
Thanks for your help,
RB
Currently I'm culturing up a starter of S-189 from the dregs of one of my bottles. I don't have a stir plate, so have been doing it in a juice bottle and shaking it every time I walk by. Starter wort is made from 10% weight LDME and boiled water, allowed to cool in the fridge in a sterilised container.
Steps so far are: 1. dregs to 10ml in tallie
2. added 45ml still in tallie
3. added 200ml and transferred to sterilised juice bottle
4. added 1L
The yeast is kicking along nicely, and I have it fermenting at ambient (currently 30/32deg during the day in CQ).
Today when I opened the lid to allow some oxygen in, I noticed it smelled very much of a warm Hefeweizen (big banana, slight clove). Curious, I tasted it. It tastes fruity, with a small clove linger at the end. Apart from that it finishes quite well- no other off flavours discernible.
I know clove can be a phenolic indicator and point towards infection, but my question is this:
Can the banana and clove flavours be purely from fermenting this lager yeast 20deg above it's normal range, meaning the starter will be good when the beer is decanted and yeast pitched at an appropriate temp, or is it likely infected and chuck it?
Thanks for your help,
RB