Yeast starter question

[Croni486]

I was hoping to brew a Czech Pilsner tomorrow and in preparation I have made up a yeast starter that's been fermenting away on my stir plate in the fridge for the last few days at 12 degrees.

I have dislodged the temp sensor so that it was sitting outside the fridge and thus caused the heating element to be switched on.

Taking a quick temp reading the starter is now sitting at 21 degrees and i'm trying to cool it down to pitching temp ready for tomorrow.

Will the rise in temp cause any harm to the yeast?

Am i better of scrapping the starter and ordering fresh yeast and postponing the brewday tomorrow?

 

[IainM]

It should be ok. In fact, I would make a lager yeast starter at about that temperature anyway - the point of a starter it to maximise viability after all, not to make the spent wort taste nice.

 

[TheQuokka]

What he said.

In future make your starters at the higher temperature - it is not only quicker, it reduces the chance of infection getting a hold. Don't even bother decanting, you won't taste it in any case. Lager yeast will work well up to over 25C, as you approach 30C it might stress and bacteria will start to have an advantage.

 

[Croni486]

Thanks for the replies, I brewed the pilsner anyway, so lets hope the yeast is still nice and healthy. At least it gave me another brew under my belt.