I've seen plenty of posts regarding someone's yeast starter smelling like vinegar. Seems more often than not, it sounds like if the liquid is decanted, there is not as much concern.
However, these posts are for making a starter to ferment an entire batch. I made a yeast starter to propagate yeast for bottling and I'm getting some of those aromas. Would it be a bad idea to pitch this yeast with my priming sugar?
This yeast is 2nd generation (batch wise). Made a single a while back with 3787/530, harvested yeast from that and used that to make a Belgian Dubbel.
I made the dubbel back in May. Harvested yeast (around 68F) during fermentation and sealed away in the fridge to use for bottling. I ramped the temp up and the beer got as hot as 84 over the course of 7 days. Wanted to get as much of this yeast out of suspension because it fermented hot, so I lagered it. It ended up sitting for six weeks before I've been able to get around to bottling. I pulled a sample of this before transferring to a keg (which I bottle from) and it tasted great. Note--even when bottle conditioning, I use the keg as a "bottling bucket."
My harvested yeast has been sitting in the fridge since May so I decided that it would be a good idea to make a small starter---500ml with yeast nutrient---to make sure the yeast is good to go. I threw it on the stir plate and activity started fairly quickly. Normally my starters run two to three days, on average, before all krausen or activity drops (if I'm lucky to see it). This thing sat for 6 or 7 days and still had some visible krausen (thin)--all around the edges and around the vortex/funnel. I figured this had been on there for too long and wanted to take it off before any more/other bugs get introduced. So I took it off the plate, poured into mason jars, topped with distilled water and crashed.
They've been crashed for a week and I decanted this morning because I want to bottle today. After decanting, I smelled the yeast and the little starter beer that was left with it and got vinegar with a hint of oxidized beer. I have not tasted it yet but may run home for lunch to see if it tastes like vinegar.
With me pitching for priming purposes, should I have any concern with this harvested yeast ruining my batch? My dubbel is around 8% ABV. Would hate to alter the trajectory of this beer.
However, these posts are for making a starter to ferment an entire batch. I made a yeast starter to propagate yeast for bottling and I'm getting some of those aromas. Would it be a bad idea to pitch this yeast with my priming sugar?
This yeast is 2nd generation (batch wise). Made a single a while back with 3787/530, harvested yeast from that and used that to make a Belgian Dubbel.
I made the dubbel back in May. Harvested yeast (around 68F) during fermentation and sealed away in the fridge to use for bottling. I ramped the temp up and the beer got as hot as 84 over the course of 7 days. Wanted to get as much of this yeast out of suspension because it fermented hot, so I lagered it. It ended up sitting for six weeks before I've been able to get around to bottling. I pulled a sample of this before transferring to a keg (which I bottle from) and it tasted great. Note--even when bottle conditioning, I use the keg as a "bottling bucket."
My harvested yeast has been sitting in the fridge since May so I decided that it would be a good idea to make a small starter---500ml with yeast nutrient---to make sure the yeast is good to go. I threw it on the stir plate and activity started fairly quickly. Normally my starters run two to three days, on average, before all krausen or activity drops (if I'm lucky to see it). This thing sat for 6 or 7 days and still had some visible krausen (thin)--all around the edges and around the vortex/funnel. I figured this had been on there for too long and wanted to take it off before any more/other bugs get introduced. So I took it off the plate, poured into mason jars, topped with distilled water and crashed.
They've been crashed for a week and I decanted this morning because I want to bottle today. After decanting, I smelled the yeast and the little starter beer that was left with it and got vinegar with a hint of oxidized beer. I have not tasted it yet but may run home for lunch to see if it tastes like vinegar.
With me pitching for priming purposes, should I have any concern with this harvested yeast ruining my batch? My dubbel is around 8% ABV. Would hate to alter the trajectory of this beer.