it is fermenting, and the brown layer is normal. if it’s too hot the yeast will start to produce off favors. But a warm starter isn’t as much of an issue but pitching the starter into hot wort can be a problem
How hot did you add the yeast to the starter? How hot did you add the starter to the wort in the fermenter?
Starter was close to 105 I really had fear I cooked all my yest but its fermenting well photo was at 14 hours into the carboy. Pitched starter into the wort around 80 so I figure its was ok. Was really more worried about if I cooked my yeast in the starter. Thinking about a my next brew already lol
Next time add your yeast to the starter closer to 70.
And you REALLY need to pitch your starter into the wort colder than 80 degrees. Fermentation generates heat, so it could be fermenting at 85 or higher. For a good ale you want your wort to be in the mid to low 60s. It will still ferment at 80, but the yeast will produce a lot of unwanted biproducts at such high temperatures.
To help keep fermentation cool, search the forum and the Internet for ‘swamp cooler’
Yea I know I pitched hot tried to not pitch my wort so hot but was getting late so I did it anyway. Temps down to 68-70 range atm. Still maybe little warm but not to bad. Figure I will invest in a wort cooler for next batch. I just need to wait a little more next time. Got in a hurry when I should not have. Next time I will do better