[blair.streit]

I use a sheet of aluminum foil.

That seems doable. Still I get his point that the area around my stove is probably suboptimal in several other ways.

I'll spread the aluminum foil over my toilet instead ;-)

[Phil_M]

I used soft scrub on the counter with a clean sponge, which was then used to get enough liquid up that the rest air dried. As far as my hands, I just made sure my fingernail were neatly trimmed and that they were well scrubbed.

Some of that may change, Saccharomyces' routine has piqued my paranoia about sanitization techniques.

[klickitat jim]

Bumped for fun.

Reading this over... I guess I've been doing active starters for about 4 years now. Time flies

I no longer use 2 active starters for lagers. Everything gets just one, even huge beers.

[Stevie]

I’ve been doing this since my stir plate died. I follow a two step process with a 2qt starter that I allow to ferment out, crash and split. This gives me a little extra insurance that my yeast is good before I make my shaken starter brewday morning.

[klickitat jim]

I’ve been doing this since my stir plate died. I follow a two step process with a 2qt starter that I allow to ferment out, crash and split. This gives me a little extra insurance that my yeast is good before I make my shaken starter brewday morning.

Cool idea. I donate to the cause at my lhbs lol

[Stevie]

I still buy yeast every few batches and do this step with the new yeast as well. Too many brewdays where my starter didn’t take off. Happened with the stir plate as well. I think that is why many still feel the need to make a starter days in advance.

I’m also horrible with scheduling and often buy yeast and let it sit. I have three sour cultures, a Brett, and wlp810 that I’ve been meaning to use for months now. Infants aren’t very understanding of hobbies.

[klickitat jim]

I'm lucky to have a yeast factory in the neighborhood. They don't sell to individuals, but I can get less than 7 day old packs every Tuesday at my LHBS. I shoot him an email with a will call list, and add Kellers to my wife's shopping list. Rarely use yeast over a month old

[Philbrew]

I'm lucky to have a yeast factory in the neighborhood. They don't sell to individuals, but I can get less than 7 day old packs every Tuesday at my LHBS. I shoot him an email with a will call list, and add Kellers to my wife's shopping list. Rarely use yeast over a month old

I may have to try that.  Kellers is cool.

[coolman26]

I'm lucky to have a yeast factory in the neighborhood. They don't sell to individuals, but I can get less than 7 day old packs every Tuesday at my LHBS. I shoot him an email with a will call list, and add Kellers to my wife's shopping list. Rarely use yeast over a month old

Wow, you are lucky. When I buy local it almost always 3 mo old. It doesn’t bother me. I just spent the last few weeks waking up all my yeast that was a year old. The WY products woke right up. Had some slow starts from the other in the new packaging. One day I’ll give this a try. I could see your fresh yeast being an advantage.


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[filipp]

How can you see if a shaken starter is infected? You could taste the one made on a shaking plate after a cold crash.

[denny]

How can you see if a shaken starter is infected? You could taste the one made on a shaking plate after a cold crash.

Why would it be infected?

[tommymorris]

How can you see if a shaken starter is infected? You could taste the one made on a shaking plate after a cold crash.

I taste SNS starters. They are at high Krausen and have yeast in them but they taste like beer. I pour a small amount into a shot glass and taste it.

I have never had one be infected but I do that just in case. I really don’t know if I would taste the infection or not...

[erockrph]

How can you see if a shaken starter is infected? You could taste the one made on a shaking plate after a cold crash.

Why would it be infected?

Exactly. If infected starters are an issue, then you have bigger problems to deal with. A SNS starter takes off pretty quick, so you would likely need significant contamination to end up with an infected starter.

[denny]

How can you see if a shaken starter is infected? You could taste the one made on a shaking plate after a cold crash.

Why would it be infected?

Exactly. If infected starters are an issue, then you have bigger problems to deal with. A SNS starter takes off pretty quick, so you would likely need significant contamination to end up with an infected starter.

Even if was infected, which is highly doubtful, I don't think there would be any signs of it in 24 hours.

[ynotbrusum]

Has anyone ever experienced an infected starter?  If the yeast starts out infected, then I can see an infected starter, but if typical, reasonably healthy yeast is used I think it would be a very, very remote outlier....