First time using washed yeast

[jtp137]

This is my fist time using washed yeast in brewing. I followed the yeast washing illustrated thread and harvested WLP 530 yeast at the end of February. There is around 100ml of a compacted cake in a mason jar. From using the yeast calc site I figured out that I need to step up the starter three times to get my desired pitch rate. I have the first step on a stir plate for almost 24 hours. I smelled the started and it smells awful, like a stale beer. It smells nothing like a fresh vial starter. Should I use it or dump it? Why does it smell so bad

 

[Cyclman]

If it stinks, I would dump it. Could be infected, could be yeast dying after 2 months.

Not worth saving 8 bucks to potentially ruin a batch. My washed yeast has always smelled clean / yeasty. I typically only keep it 3 weeks, which is probably conservative.