Starter blow off loss

[dannyboy58]

Building a starter for a pilsner with WLP800. I usually use WY2001 for my pils but couldn’t get it on short notice.

I did a 4L and all went well. Pitched the second stage this morning, another 4L around 78 degrees and had a huge blow off that erupted out of the top of the 2 gal jug.

Hard to estimate how much yeast I may have lost. I was planning on stepping it to a 6L or actually 2- 3L steps next. This would have given me a pretty strong overpitch of yeast.

My target pitch was 833b cells and this 3 stage starter would have given me 1177b according to brewer’s friend. So almost 300b cells overpitch.

Anyone think I should do more than the 2-3L starters to compensate?

[flars]

I wouldn’t even try to guess how much yeast may have been lost. Sort of a non reply to your question.

Thinking about the situation last night. Would it be practical to have two, two gallon jugs for simultaneous starters working. Pour half of the yeast from the first starter into a second jug and add new wort to both. According to the calculators the growth factor would be higher with less total volume. A step up could be done with one starter jug or both to meet the total cell count needed.

Less yeast and less volume in each of the starter jugs may prevent eruptions.

[dannyboy58]

Third stage plan is to split the yeast and do 3L per 2 gal jug. I’ve just never had a 4L starter blow off in a 2 gal container before. So I was a little surprised. Definitely seems more active than my usual Urquell strain.

Luckily I checked on the starter about an hour after pitching, to swirl it. When I did the foam was already into the neck and about an inch from the top. So I set it in a big bowl. After cleaning up I’d estimate less than half pint of liquid and foam escaped.

[sneezles61]

Maybe I’m the ditzoid here, 4 litres is how much? About 1 litre under a gallon? Sneezles61

[dannyboy58]

4 liters is a little over a gallon. 1.06 or so.

[sneezles61]

See… , So with that known, on some yeasts I’ve found that if the container is got a good bit of volume, and no way to vent as fast as it is off gassing, seems that to be the norm. You must’ve had some very good yeast to push the envelope. I’ve had that problem with the german ale yeast… I always got a locker rocket. What a mess… Sneezles61

[flars]

I had the same question two days ago. 1500 ml in a 2 liter flask. WY 1332 was calculated at 71% viability. Really took off the first night. Chunks of yeast up into the neck of the flask and running down the side.

Decanted to 1100 ml and harvested 275 ml instead of original 385 ml calculated and pitched the remainder this afternoon. Used yeast nutrient in the boil just in case some help would be needed.