WLP500 second stage starter: am I about to have a mess on my hands?

[BrewCityBaller]

So last week I did a 1500 mL starter, 1g DME/10mL, of WLP500 Abbey in a 2L flask. During that time I got some bubbles, but nothing in the line of krausen. Today I brewed up stage two, and it ended up around the 1800mL mark. After two hours this is what it looks like...



I don't have any FermCap on hand. Am I about to have a big mess? Is there anything I can do if I am? Any help would be appreciated.

And this may be a little time sensitive...

 

[Munchkin]

ive found keeping the starter on the stir plate keeps the krausen in line and ive never had a mess. Without the stirplate was another story. If your worried about it maybe try putting the flask in a thin plastic bowl that wont affect your stirbar?

 

[BrewCityBaller]

I definitely agree, but one time I had a Hefe starter on the stir plate with a 1500mL starter and the thing ended up all over my kitchen. After another hour things look pretty good, so you may be right though. I'm gonna see what kind of bowls I have...

 

[BrewCityBaller]

Thanks for all the moral support, but the starter made it through the night without incident. Should have RDWHAHB. Or perhaps I had already had too many...

 

[QuercusMax]

In my experience 500 doesn't blow off like crazy; 530 on the other hand... hoo buddy.

 

[BrewCityBaller]

In my experience 500 doesn't blow off like crazy; 530 on the other hand... hoo buddy.

Good to know! I was on the fence between 500 and 530, now I am glad I went with the former.

On an unrelated note, my starter smells like a banana farm. Which is pretty sweet.

 

[Gus_13]

That's a ton of WLP500! haha What size batch are you making?

I get worried when I do a starter in my smaller 1000mL flask. Luckily I haven't had anything happen yet. *knocks on wood*

 

[BrewCityBaller]

That's a ton of WLP500! haha What size batch are you making?

I get worried when I do a starter in my smaller 1000mL flask. Luckily I haven't had anything happen yet. *knocks on wood*

It's a six gallon batch of a 1.066 dubbel. Based on the viability, Mr. Malty says I actually needed a 3.2 L starter. It seems like a lot, but I intend to harvest some of the yeast from the starter, so I went ahead and did the whole 3L.

 

[Gus_13]

In my experience 500 doesn't blow off like crazy; 530 on the other hand... hoo buddy.

I will second this haha. 530 will go apesheizer. My kitchen knows first hand.

 

[Gus_13]

It's a six gallon batch of a 1.066 dubbel. Based on the viability, Mr. Malty says I actually needed a 3.2 L starter. It seems like a lot, but I intend to harvest some of the yeast from the starter, so I went ahead and did the whole 3L.

I like to harvest from starters as well. That does seem like a lot for a Belgian yeast as I like to under pitch it but you can never really go wrong going by what Mr. Malty says. I would probably have done a 1200-1800mL starter probably. Sounds like it will be a tasty dubbel! I love that 500. Very nice flavor profile. I'd use it more if I didn't have 540 constantly spinning. I used it a lot last year and then fell in love with 545 before being able to keep 540 on hand.

 

[BrewCityBaller]

I like to harvest from starters as well. That does seem like a lot for a Belgian yeast as I like to under pitch it but you can never really go wrong going by what Mr. Malty says. I would probably have done a 1200-1800mL starter probably. Sounds like it will be a tasty dubbel! I love that 500. Very nice flavor profile. I'd use it more if I didn't have 540 constantly spinning. I used it a lot last year and then fell in love with 545 before being able to keep 540 on hand.

What would you say are the biggest differences between 500 and 540? Flavor, aroma, or otherwise.

 

[Gus_13]

What would you say are the biggest differences between 500 and 540? Flavor, aroma, or otherwise.

For me it's a bit of mouthfeel (the 500 is slightly fuller and a little more "sticky" if you will), flavor (500 is definitely fruitier), and aroma. 540 has it's own aroma. It's fruity, hint of spice, floral almost and has all the dark fruit flavors and aromas I like without being too fruity for my preference. 540 dries the beer out great for me. I took a 1.090 beer down to 1.002 with it. It's amazing because it doesn't create a thin mouthfeel even after finishing so low. That beer is conditioning right now.

I would almost say that I prefer 540 for quads/strong darks and the 500 for dubbels. 540 also gives a spicy flavor that hints at star anise when it is pushed in temp. I really like that. It's sweeter than 530 but not quite as sweet as 500. Gives a good plum, almost prune flavor without going all the way to the sweet grape that I get with 500.

Sorry if an overload of info/rant haha. I'm just a sucker for all things Belgian and Saison being as that's pretty much all I brew.

 

[BrewCityBaller]

For me it's a bit of mouthfeel (the 500 is slightly fuller and a little more "sticky" if you will), flavor (500 is definitely fruitier), and aroma. 540 has it's own aroma. It's fruity, hint of spice, floral almost and has all the dark fruit flavors and aromas I like without being too fruity for my preference. 540 dries the beer out great for me. I took a 1.090 beer down to 1.002 with it. It's amazing because it doesn't create a thin mouthfeel even after finishing so low. That beer is conditioning right now.

I would almost say that I prefer 540 for quads/strong darks and the 500 for dubbels. 540 also gives a spicy flavor that hints at star anise when it is pushed in temp. I really like that. It's sweeter than 530 but not quite as sweet as 500. Gives a good plum, almost prune flavor without going all the way to the sweet grape that I get with 500.

Sorry if an overload of info/rant haha. I'm just a sucker for all things Belgian and Saison being as that's pretty much all I brew.

No this is awesome! Exactly what I was looking for. It seems as though I asked the right guy the right questions. Also sounds like I picked the right yeast for my dubbel. I am looking forward to see how it turns out. And now I kinda wanna make a quad...

 

[kcmobrewer]

I just slip a big plastic ziploc bag over my stir plate. Really thin so it doesn't effect the magnets at all. Works like a charm, just need a big enough bag.

I don't like to use fermcap, so mine overflow from time to time.

 

[Gus_13]

No this is awesome! Exactly what I was looking for. It seems as though I asked the right guy the right questions. Also sounds like I picked the right yeast for my dubbel. I am looking forward to see how it turns out. And now I kinda wanna make a quad...

Ha ha that just means more brewing! I'll give you a hint on the quad I've learned. Using lots specialty grains will give an amazing flavor that needs a LONG time in conditioning. At first it can be sort of medicinal almost. That's why I switched to a couple specialty grains with my base malt and using Belgian candi syrup. Shortens the time needed for the beer to mellow and be great. That may not be the same with everyone but it is with what I've done. That syrup is amazing stuff!

 

[MaddBaggins]

I did a stepped up starter of 500 recently. 2L then another 2L. I used a 1g growler for it. No issues with krausen and I don't have a stir plate.
It was a big Quad, ended up at 10.4%abv.

 

[BrewCityBaller]

I did a stepped up starter of 500 recently. 2L then another 2L. I used a 1g growler for it. No issues with krausen and I don't have a stir plate.
It was a big Quad, ended up at 10.4%abv.

That's impressive! I ended up not having any issues either, it just looked scary for a minute there...

 

[andrewmaixner]

I made a 1.8L 1.040 starter of WLP500 this week, and it made a mess. I even added a drop of sillicone anti-foam when it started to get close to going over, which took the krausen down immediately, but the next day it was all over the place.

 

[BrewCityBaller]

I made a 1.8L 1.040 starter of WLP500 this week, and it made a mess. I even added a drop of sillicone anti-foam when it started to get close to going over, which took the krausen down immediately, but the next day it was all over the place.

Damn, that's a shame. I ended up being okay with mine, but it definitely made me nervous for a little while.

The only time I ever had an issue was with Heffe yeast. Yowza that thing covered my kitchen!

 

[andrewmaixner]

Damn, that's a shame. I ended up being okay with mine, but it definitely made me nervous for a little while.

The only time I ever had an issue was with Heffe yeast. Yowza that thing covered my kitchen!

Related: the cider (no adjuncts) into which I pitched the WLP500 starter also made a big mess all over with the S-airlock after the first day, then I attached a blow-off tube.
Other yeasts (belle saison, WL3711, s-04, nottingham) in ciders have not even created a layer on top, but WPL500 made a very bubbly layer and blow-out, similar to foamy star-san. Temp was about 68F.

 

[HuskerBrewer]

Wow, it would have been awesome to have read this thread before I opened the cabinet door to find my 1L WLP 530 starter going out the top of the airlock. Still plenty of healthy yeast to get that fermentation going, and at least I got a heads up to use a blow-off tube.

 

[secondbase]

I've never experienced an explosive fermentation with 500. Mine smelled like a banana factory and the finished beer (chimay blue clone) was a fruit bomb for the first two months in the bottle before rounding out and turning the corner into that beautiful, complex dried stone fruit flavor with just a hint of earth and spice. Beautiful yeast.