Black specks in yeast starter- (first brew)(pics)

[Straykiller]

Hey everyone just had a question about my yeast starter as this is my first brew. I made a starter with wlp090 that had a sg of 1.046 with a volume of about 1300ml. The yeast seems to be doing well and multiplying. There is almost no action if left sitting but when shaken a lot of co2 is released. Before I shook it this last time I looked at the yeast layer underneath the flask and saw some black flecks I didn't notice before. What could this possibly be? The flask was cleaned and rinsed with starsan and the foil was sprayed with starsan and loosely wrapped around the flask. Thanks for the help I am brewing my first batch tomorrow and want to make sure everything is Good to go. Sorry for the photo, it wasn't easy to get the camera to focus.

Black Speck-

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After a quick shake-

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[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

How did you prepare your starter wort? Boil in the flask or in a pot and transfer? The only thing I can think of is a) coffee grounds in the pot (????) or b) bits of burnt extract from lack of stirring during boil.

 

[Straykiller]

I boiled DME in a pot for 10 min then transferred to the sanitized flask. I didn't stir a ton during the boil so maybe it is burnt DME

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

The other thing is to make sure the little black specs don't have wings and legs (fruit flies). That would be bad news.

 

[Summers]

This is odd I saw the same thing in my starters last night, one was a wlp051 and the other was wlp090. Both have the same small specks. The only thing I could think was my DME is about a year old, but its been in a Tupperware container. It was no longer loose it was kind of hard packet, I know that my Tupperware is not air tight. Quick question to the OP was your DME older. I thought the specks might be due to age of the yeast both were date December 2016, so I am having to do a few step ups before this weekend.

 

[flars]

Completely normal with some yeasts. Used to have a link to the explanation on the White Labs site, but gone in the new and improved site.

 

[Straykiller]

This is odd I saw the same thing in my starters last night, one was a wlp051 and the other was wlp090. Both have the same small specks. The only thing I could think was my DME is about a year old, but its been in a Tupperware container. It was no longer loose it was kind of hard packet, I know that my Tupperware is not air tight. Quick question to the OP was your DME older. I thought the specks might be due to age of the yeast both were date December 2016, so I am having to do a few step ups before this weekend.

Not that I know if I hade just purchased it 2 days prior from my LHBS, the yeast was a month old if I remember correctly.

 

[Dcpcooks]

Its just caramelized extract. Nothing wild looks like that.