Starter Question

I took my starter out of the cold crash ~4 hours ago. It now looks like it’s firing up again (ambient temp is ~65).

My wort is still a bit high to pitch, probably going to wait another 1-2  hours or so to pitch.

Should I crash the starter again, or let it sit?

What style of beer? If its got lots of flavor, like IPA or stout, maybe pitch the whole thing active

That’s what it looks like AFTER the cold crash?  If so, then you cold crashed way too early.

Pale Ale

Yeah, get that back on the stir plate and pitch it tomorrow. Unless it’s a really delicate beer, you can pitch all of a 1 L starter.

No, this is 5 hours or so after the crash, left it sitting out in ambient temps.

I don’t have a stir plate.

Update…my wort is ready to be pitched, the starter is acting wild per the picture. Should I just cold crash this again for the night and pitch in the AM?

If your wort is cooled and ready to pitch and your yeast starter has active krausen on top then by all means pitch the whole thing into your wort.

+1

I just want to make sure… That’s what it looks like after you pitched the starter, let it (supposedly) ferment out, crashed it, and warmed it back up?

Either it hadn’t finished fermenting, or (much less likely) there’s some kind of massive contamination going on. I’d let it ferment until it calms down and you can smell/taste it. Even if it isn’t contaminated, you may not have the cell count you want yet.

Hmmmm, well I’ll just let it ferment a bit more. Just to clarify, I haven’t decanted this yet. (Confused)

Right, let it ferment out about 22 hours. Cold crashed overnight. Took out of the refrigerator for about 4 hours and there it is.

Just pitch it.  No decant this time.

I tend to decant as soon as I take it out of the fridge.

Same here but my timing was way off today

Really? Thought that made for a foul tasting beer.

Decant would have been preferable, but I’ve followed along with your starter and brewday and at this point I’d pitch it.  It’s happened to me more than once, and more than once those beers took medals.  It won’t make your batch foul tasting.

Haha. I’m in no rush so if it helps things to let it ferment, crash, and decant again I can do that.

Up to you.  Either way, don’t forget to aerate your wort.