Yeast Starter Smelling Like Parmesan Cheese?

[gjhansford]

Hi ...

I'm new to using liquid yeast but I have a question ...

I breweed my first AG brew with a liquid yeast London Ale III that RdeVjin gave me about 3 weels ago. It was ready to drink about 1 week ago and that's what I did ... it was great ... unfortunatly all gone .. just a couple of minutes ago! Sorry RdeVjin ... I only told you today to be quick if you wanted to try it!

I've just taken the two bottle of 'dregs' from the starters I had out of the fridge where they've been for 3 weeks. I added about 300ml of sterilised water to the dregs and stored them at below 10C. Now I'm warming them up to make a new starter ... both active ... however they both smell like Parmasen Cheese.

Do I have a problem?

Cheers :icon_cheers:

 

[Adamt]

Possibly, possibly not... step one up a little and smell and taste the actual starter.

 

[gjhansford]

Possibly, possibly not... step one up a little and smell and taste the actual starter.

Thanks for that ... that was my thought ... water on the boil for a small DME wort as we speak.

Cheers :icon_cheers:

 

[RdeVjun]

Blast! I snoozed, so I lose! Glad to hear that batch worked out well though, if the keg is dry already then its a pretty good indicator! (Sorry, won't be able to make it today BTW, committed to things here, so after Boxing Day it is!)

Anyway, yep it is a bit hard to tell, sometimes they'll smell a bit naff but will brew up fine. I'm no expert by any means, but I've tossed starters that I've been unsure about, only after smell and taste test failures though. I'm guessing the cheesy smell might be some autolysis, a hint of vegemite perhaps? If so, I'd be thinking just autolysis (cell death), which is a normal process. In a fresh starter it shouldn't be present, if it is then I'd be concerned.

Stepping it up will be a way to get some more indications of how it really is without risking a full- sized production wort, although you'd have to step up a dribble of starter dregs anyway. If it fails or is still too suspect, just toss it and I'll scoop out some vigorous West Yorkie topcrop for you.

 

[gjhansford]

Blast! I snoozed, so I lose! Glad to hear that batch worked out well though, if the keg is dry already then its a pretty good indicator! (Sorry, won't be able to make it today BTW, committed to things here, so after Boxing Day it is!)

Anyway, yep it is a bit hard to tell, sometimes they'll smell a bit naff but will brew up fine. I'm no expert by any means, but I've tossed starters that I've been unsure about, only after smell and taste test failures though. I'm guessing the cheesy smell might be some autolysis, a hint of vegemite perhaps? If so, I'd be thinking just autolysis (cell death), which is a normal process. In a fresh starter it shouldn't be present, if it is then I'd be concerned.

Stepping it up will be a way to get some more indications of how it really is without risking a full- sized production wort, although you'd have to step up a dribble of starter dregs anyway. If it fails or is still too suspect, just toss it and I'll scoop out some vigorous West Yorkie topcrop for you.

Thanks ... I've just boiled up a sterile wort and it's currently chilling. I'll make a 1 litre starter with one of the bottles tonight before midnight mass at 11pm. Never really understood that ... midnight mass at 11 pm? I'm sure it will be okay ... the starter .... not the mass ... I have to say the liquids are much 'smoother' than the dried yeasts. And we're loving it !

Cheers :icon_cheers:

 

[hoohaaman]

Thanks ... I've just boiled up a sterile wort and it's currently chilling. I'll make a 1 litre starter with one of the bottles tonight before midnight mass at 11pm. Never really understood that ... midnight mass at 11 pm? I'm sure it will be okay ... the starter .... not the mass ... I have to say the liquids are much 'smoother' than the dried yeasts. And we're loving it !

Cheers :icon_cheers:

Never really understood mass and religion,but I'm a lapsed catholic that may explain it?

As far as liquid yeasts go,don't think the church has an opinion yet,but give them time,I'm sure senator conroy and the ACL will ban both.

What yeast btw

 

[MHB]

There are a bunch of bacteria that produce Butyrates pretty sure you have at least one of them. Its infected throw it out.
MHB