Starter question

[Lawrence R]

I’ve been making starters for recent brews with greatly improved results on fermentation initiation and final results. I’m making a Blanche de chambray tomorrow (Tuesday) but had to be away over the weekend so made up a starter on Friday and left it on a stir plate in a temp controlled cabinet (ex-fridge and an ink-bird) over the weekend. Today (Monday) I was surprised to find a fairly solid yeast cake floating on top of the wort. I was expecting a degret of flocculation with the yeast settled under the wort which I would decant off the yeast. Err - what’s happened? Is it ok to use?

 

[crowcrow]

Did it over power the stir plate?

 

[Lawrence R]

Sorry, probably being thick - do you mean did it stop the stirring effect ?- no the magnet was still merrily spinning away at the bottom of the flask.

 

[foxbat]

That sounds weird. Do you have a photo?

 

[Lawrence R]

I suppose I should have done that but I didn’t. I’ve shaken it up, got a lot of froth. The wort is now turbid. I’ve dropped the temp right down to try and encourage flocculation. If all that fails v tempted just to pitch it and see. It certainly smells like a v active starter but I’m well confused

 

[Lawrence R]

Ok so I’ve worked this out. The stir plate stopped the yeast settling. What was sat on top was a thick heavy Krausen. Having shaken everything back together and cooled everything down without further stirring - the yeast started to settle. The krausen reformed and the whole thing was still v active despite the cooling - so I just shook it all together again and pitched it today. Obvious really but I’m sure I’m getting slower with age.