Infected yeast starter....?

[JDW81]

If it was infected would the krausen still appear? What should I be looking for if it was infected. It certainly doesn't look like it.

If starters are infected they will still look as if they are fermenting normally. Smell can give you an indication, but some yeasts throw off some really funky smells during fermentation which is totally normal, others can taste a bit funky as well, given the number of yeast cells in the small volume of liquid (i.e. Kolsch yeast smells and tastes like vomit). That said, if something is really wrong you can generally tell pretty easily (especially once you've made a few)

I always smell and always taste, it is IMHO the best way to see what is doing. If I am unsure I chuck the starter and pitch a couple of packs of US05 as I'd rather waste a few bucks worth of yeast, than a whole batch of beer.

JD

 

[Dan Pratt]

Ok, I will give it a taste and see how it is. the smell is the normal American Ale yeast smell that i have smelt plenty of times and because its in my fermentation fridge when i open it to check you get a good aroma/smell of the fermented wort like when you check the FV during primary.

Im going to grab some extra US05 today and when i start the mash tonight, turn off the stir plate, let it settle out. pour off the wort and give it a taste....should taset like plain un hopped wort right?

 

[JDW81]

Im going to grab some extra US05 today and when i start the mash tonight, turn off the stir plate, let it settle out. pour off the wort and give it a taste....should taset like plain un hopped wort right?

Thats what I do. I usually put the starter in the fridge to let it settle really well, take out a few hours before I plan to pitch to let it come to room temp, decant the fermented beer off the top into a glass for a taste then if all is as it should be, I give the yeast slurry a swirl and tip into my well aerated wort. If it is suspicious I ditch it and pitch some dry yeast (or make a fresh starter if the wort is still in a sealed cube).

It usually tastes like thin, dry, unhopped beer.

JD

 

[Dan Pratt]

During the mash/boil I took the 1 litre starter of the stir plate and placed into fridge until it had settled out. removed that from fridge onto benchtop to bring to room temp.

There was no visible signs of infection on the wort surface so I removed the alfoil and took a smell, all good. no pungent or sulphurish smells.

Decented the wort into a glass and took a tase, plain dry un hopped wort. Good to go, swirled it up, aerated the wort and pitched it. this was at 11.30pm.

This morning i checked the FV, no fermentation has commenced yet? hoping by the end of the day (after work) its up and running.

 

[JDW81]

This morning i checked the FV, no fermentation has commenced yet? hoping by the end of the day (after work) its up and running.

There is probably fermentation going on, it just isn't really active yet. In my experience it usually takes 12-24 hours for a good krausen to appear. Also if the yeast was still a bit cool from being in the fridge they may take a little longer to fire up. If all is as it should be it will be chugging away nicely by the time you get home from work.

 

[Dan Pratt]

Krausen!