Yeast starter smells wrong but tastes ok

[bundy]

I have a starter underway from a split wyeast smack pack. It's a 3068 for a hefe. I split the pack about 4 weeks ago so hasn't been stored in the fridge too long. First batch using it turned out great so no issues there. Anyway the new starter has been on the stir plate for a couple of days and I took the foil off to take a sniff. It smelled horrible. Sort of like something was off.

Anyway before tipping it out I thought I should do a taste test. Just in case. Thing was it Tasted fine. Didn't taste horrid sort of a little tart but that's all. Certainly didn't want to make me vomit - as I first thought it would.

Now the only different thing I did with this starter that I didn't on the last one was add an old dry yeast pack to the boil to act as some nutrient. (Read that is useful to do)

Anyway what do it do, do I trust my taste buds or my nose? Are unusual / horrible smells from starters common?


Cheers

 

[elcarter]

Mine have always smelled yeasty - nice yeasty.
I'd dare say it's in the early stages of infection.

Guess you'll have to decide is the $10 worth risking the entire brew.
Is it to late to re-harvest from you last pitch?

 

[bundy]

I can't re harvest, but I do have 2 other vials sitting in the fridge I could try another starter with, if the consensus is it is likely to be infected.

I spose I just want to be sure before I ditch it, start another, and possibly end up with the same result.

Only my second starter with this yeast and I don't think I bothered tasting the first one as it was straight from the smack pack.

 

[breakbeer]

Didn't realise yeast starters EVER tasted good?

 

[elcarter]

Sounds like a little DME, water, heat and you on your way.

You might get a good result with the next attempt or end up making the call its the norm with this strain and pitch both starters.

Just keep in mind you still have the slight chance your next vials could contain the same issue.

 

[vykuza]

They don't smell or taste very nice, usually as there's no hop bitterness or balance, combined with high temperature fermentation. A taste test will tell you if it's off though. If it's actively revolting, chuck it and try another option. If it tastes like crappy beer, then you're good to go.

 

[manticle]

Sulphur? Farty egg? Not unknown for that yeast.

 

[bundy]

Thanks for all the replies. We'll I've had a second opinion on the smell from SWMBO (as good as anyone I guess)

Her comment "it smells yeasty".

So it might just be my nose fearing the worst, I was expecting more to smell like fermenting beer but as has been mentioned with no hops etc I may have been expecting too much. As it stands and thinking more about it, it's probably smelling more Iike bakers yeast and water. (Just a LOT stronger)

I think I will take the punt and pitch it.

As an aside is it worth chilling overnight and decanting off the liquid or leave as is and pitch the lot?

Thanks again.

Bundy

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

I would decant it that's what I do with old yeast packets.
I decant then make a new starter. That way the yeast is active at pitching time.
Takes time and adds another step but guaranties healthy yeastes.

I only do this last step if there is "sulphur" smells.

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

I went a very long time without really paying much attention to the smell or taste of my starters.

A few months back I had a second growth White Labs Dry English and for some reason I decided to smell and taste...very sour, almost lactic. Didn't seem great. I decided not to pitch it into my high effort RIS. I ended up pitching a hybrid of conical harvested Pacific Ale and not fully started Irish Ale (don't ask why long story) but I pitched some of the 'infected' starter into a 2l batch of the RIS in an oz top ferment.

The 'infected' starter finished more appropriately dry for a RIS, and I cracked a bottle the other night...all good, no infection.

Not to say your starter doesn't have problems, but with the amount of biproduct that can be produced in a high temp, bittering free extract only 'beer', it's bound to be less than stellar and potentially offputting.

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

I went a very long time without really paying much attention to the smell or taste of my starters.

A few months back I had a second growth White Labs Dry English and for some reason I decided to smell and taste...very sour, almost lactic. Didn't seem great. I decided not to pitch it into my high effort RIS. I ended up pitching a hybrid of conical harvested Pacific Ale and not fully started Irish Ale (don't ask why long story) but I pitched some of the 'infected' starter into a 2l batch of the RIS in an oz top ferment.

The 'infected' starter finished more appropriately dry for a RIS, and I cracked a bottle the other night...all good, no infection.

Not to say your starter doesn't have problems, but with the amount of biproduct that can be produced in a high temp, bittering free extract only 'beer', it's bound to be less than stellar and potentially offputting.

I went a very long time without really paying much attention to the smell or taste of my starters.

A few months back I had a second growth White Labs Dry English and for some reason I decided to smell and taste...very sour, almost lactic. Didn't seem great. I decided not to pitch it into my high effort RIS. I ended up pitching a hybrid of conical harvested Pacific Ale and not fully started Irish Ale (don't ask why long story) but I pitched some of the 'infected' starter into a 2l batch of the RIS in an oz top ferment.

The 'infected' starter finished more appropriately dry for a RIS, and I cracked a bottle the other night...all good, no infection.

Not to say your starter doesn't have problems, but with the amount of biproduct that can be produced in a high temp, bittering free extract only 'beer', it's bound to be less than stellar and potentially offputting.

+1 I've tasted and smelt a few "beers" directly off the starter. While only a few smell they all have tasted gross.
I've not got the hang of it I think.
Now I don't bother tasting and I've never had an infection.

 

[wynnum1]

Use some hops when making the starter and then it will have the hop smell.

 

[2much2spend]

I'm culturing a pacman yeast from wyeasts and I got a strong garbage type smell. I'm taking an uneducated guess that something is very wrong. This is the second time I've fired her up.

Has anyone else had this aroma? I'm use to yeasty cider type smell.