Is this normal?

[watersr]

Ok, so after several years of brewing I'm about to go all noob and post an "is my beer infected" post. I pitched a starter for an American lager last night and this morning It looks like this. The dark area is somewhat crusty like a krausen but it is very dark brown like chocolate and is concentrated more in the one are, not evenly around the flask. What the heck is that crap?

 

[BreezyBrew]

It's not letting me view that image... maybe you could attach it into the message?

 

[watersr]

Ooops, fixed

 

[BigFloyd]

It almost looks like bits of caramelized/burnt wort accumulated around the edge of the surface. Any chance that you singed it during prep?

 

[watersr]

Nope, boiled it in a different container.

 

[BreezyBrew]

What yeast was it?

 

[watersr]

White Labs American lager yeast

 

[WhiskeySam]

I was going to say scorch, but that got taken. This one is a blank for me.

 

[BreezyBrew]

Did you use any yeast nutrient? What type of water was it?

 

[watersr]

Used DAP and filtered and boiled tap water.

 

[jbaysurfer]

It's Krausen. And you should consider stepping up that starter

 

[Shooter]

It's Krausen. And you should consider stepping up that starter

One liter does seem a bit small for a lager starter, unless it's a pretty small batch.

 

[BreezyBrew]

DAP? Not familiar with that.

I will say the last starter I made for a wheat beer had flecks of dark stuff just like that. They were only flecks though. I used yeast nutrient and distilled water.

 

[watersr]

Yeah, was planning on stepping up to 4 liters from the liter. DAP is diammonium phosphate.