7 replies to this topic

[djinkc]

Made another AG starter yesterday.  Look at it today and an ant is swirling around in it - dead.  I have another mason jar with enough yeast for a starter but......  

 

I've been using crimped aluminum foil forever to cover my erlenmeyer flask with no problems.  I doubt it got in after the boil but who knows. Smells OK.  I think all the shops are closed.

[Poptop]

Not trying to be ambivalent but an ant in a starter, before the pitch, the. A healthy fermentation for a starter, wouldn’t that be okay? Just curious

[djinkc]

I would be it's probably OK.  Maybe I'll end up using it and buy yeast   to start another run of this strain - or switch it up with another.  I get spoiled brewing in the basement.  All kinds of stuff gets in the wort when brewing outside and I forget that sometimes.

[Poptop]

Sometimes I tap a cigar ash I’m my mash for no reason. There, I said it

[Stout_fan]

At least it's not a diaper.

Brew it, if it sux, call it a Belgian.

Seriously, unless you like wasting time, I wouldn't chance it.

Edited by Stout_fan, 26 March 2020 - 11:05 AM.

[jimdkc]

Be sure to do a protein rest...

[djinkc]

After reading a few things about ants in starters (yeah it shows up on google) it seems that they keep themselves clean and sanitized more than one would think.  I'll use it tomorrow or Saturday - did not reserve any for the next starter this time.  So it goes..........

 

Back when I was still using DME for starters I had one with multiple bugs in the DME.  Didn't know until it started spinning.  Turned out fine.

[Stout_fan]

If you are doing a blond high gravity ale, do second runnings and get the gravity to about 1.040 and can the batch for instant sterile starters. No need to boil the wort in the BK, canning will do it all for you, just keep headspace in the jars and use anti-foam.

 

So I bought some Jaggery in an Indian food store once. They had it in powder and cubes. The cubes were cheaper and I could just pitch a small one in a cup of tea. So guess what I picked. Noticed a black dot on one and gave it no thought. After stirring I found 3 very large ants in my tea. I know, they didn't drink much. Checking the others, they all had black dots on them.

 

Mentioning this to my Indian neighbor he says, "Of course, that's why you ALWAYS by the powdered form. Everybody knows that!"

 

Edited by Stout_fan, 27 March 2020 - 07:41 AM.