Dark spots in starter

[Rueben]

So I’m new to these forums /wave.

I’m brewing my first beer this Saturday and desided to make a yeast starter (white labs 001) for my first batch of beer it didn’t look that hard and meh why not I’ve got a packet of dry yeast on standby if things went south. I made it last night, swirled it and shook it often till started to ferment like crazy and it went from a funky vinegar smell last night to something more like beer this evening. When I was looking at the bottom because well I can’t leave it alone, I see a nice white cake forming and there is some dark almost black spots in it maybe 6-10? Is that infection or hot break from the boil or… something normal? I figured I’d just taste the stuff I decanted off on brew day if it tasted some what like a non-hopped beer it’s probably okay if it’s sour toss it and go with the dry yeast.

Of course I’m not sure what yeast starter or unhopped light dme beer is even supposed to taste like.

~Rueben

 

[malnutriton]

Making a starter on your first brew...Doing right from the begining...NICE. I get that darker junk on the bottom of my starters all the time, probaly just break material. It sounds like you got the right idea with decanting a bit of the spent beer and tasting it on brew day. IMO the spent beer almost tastes like old, hand pumped, warm, day old, cheap, light, keg beer. If you see anything growin on the top of the liquid and it stinks of...well ass toss it and use the dry.

 

[Rueben]

Thanks for the quick response much as I love a good day old warm flat bud light, I’ll keep something handy to chase the flavor of the decanted starter.