Yeast Starter Blow Out!

Northern Brewer General
1

Hey All,

First time poster!

So I prepared a yeast starter this morning and encountered an interesting outcome. I followed the yeast starter instructions as I have in the past. Everything seemed alright until this afternoon when I went to check on my starter. I gave it a quick swirl to aerate it a bit and it was so carbonated that the foam stopper blew off and it spilled out everywhere.

I’m guessing the stopper wasn’t letting any co2 out? Is this bad? Should I not use my starter?

Thanks!

2

Here is what it looked like shortly after the blow out…

3

You should use the starter its should be good but in the future do not use that stopper you should use aluminum foil loosely so that co2 could escape

4

Foil FTW.

I’ve had a few explosive bubbling events when I’ve walked by and given the flask a swirl.

two easy swirls is better then one big swirl…

5

I had my first starter bllow out when I made my last batch. I made a Dead Ringer IPA. Using a 1056 smack pack. First off I have never had a smack pack expand so quickly or to such extent. I thought that the packaging was going to give out, it was that tight. But other than that variable I just made my starter like normal and pitched my yeast when the wort was cool enough, put it on a stir plate and went to bed. Next morning I checked it and the foam stopper didn’t completely blow off but it was cocked just enough to let some of the blow off out. What a mess.

That was the only episode like that I have ever had. I will tell you that my IPA fermented like a monster. Blow off tube on my fermenter was much appreciated on that batch.

6

I use a foam stopper and have had several blowouts. No big deal. I spray it with a little starsan and pop it back in. No issues.

P.S. Get a stir plate. It will help cut down on over foaming. Of course when you make a 2L starter in a 2L flask… that’s another story.

7

Foam or foil, it shouldn’t make a difference. Just use a bigger vessel for the starter. Gallon milk jugs (thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, of course) work well.

A 500 mL starter is tiny, FWIW.

8

Thank you everyone for the posts! I ended up pitching the yeast last night and today I’m getting some good activity.