At what point should I repitch?

I brewed a three gallon batch of Pale Ale on Saturday. I pitched 7 grams of Safale US56 that had been rehydrated in 95 degree water. Unfortunately, I overcooled the wort, and pitched at around 60 degrees. I know this is not ideal. Overnight the temp rose to about 76 degrees.

The next day, there was a layer of Krausen, and I started to see airlock activity about 16 hours after pitching. At the fastest, I got one meager bubble every eight seconds or so.

The next day (today), I'm still seeing a bubble every 8 - 10 seconds or so. It seems to me that I should be seeing more activity.

Should I hold out for the bubbling to stop completely before pitching more yeast, or should I go ahead and do it now? I don't mind if it ferments slowly as long as it attenuates fully, but my gut is telling me that this one is going to turn out mighty sweet and have very little alcohol if I don't take action.

Opinions? If I was to repitch, how much dry yeast should I add?

Thanks, all.

I'm not sure why this is coming up so much today, but if your wort is actively fermenting I can't see any reason to pitch more yeast. It may have fermented quickly while you were asleep or at work and has now slowed down to its current rate. I also don't see any reason to resign yourself to pitching more yeast at some point until you've taken a gravity reading after fermentation has stopped. I'd say there's a 99% chance your beer will ferment out just fine the way it is and you can save the yeast for your next batch

My very first batch took off like crazy the next morning after I pitched. By the time I got home from work at around 7pm. It was bubbling once every 20 seconds. The beer came out fine. I just let it go for the week and took hydro readings for when it was done.

voodoochild7 said:

My very first batch took off like crazy the next morning after I pitched. By the time I got home from work at around 7pm. It was bubbling once every 20 seconds. The beer came out fine. I just let it go for the week and took hydro readings for when it was done.

Click to expand...

My first batch did much the same (this is my second). Unfortunately it ended up tasting rather like a clove cigarette.

I left this batch in a warm spot overnight just to get it going, figuring I'd move it to a cooler spot the next day. I may have missed the boat. I'll have to take a gravity reading once the bubbling stops completely.

samuelzero said:

My first batch did much the same (this is my second). Unfortunately it ended up tasting rather like a clove cigarette.

I left this batch in a warm spot overnight just to get it going, figuring I'd move it to a cooler spot the next day. I may have missed the boat. I'll have to take a gravity reading once the bubbling stops completely.

Click to expand...

I'm with the Baron. What you are describing sounds perfectly normal to me.

If it is still bubbling like you say, it is still fermenting. No need to repitch.

Dude said:

I'm with the Baron. What you are describing sounds perfectly normal to me.

If it is still bubbling like you say, it is still fermenting. No need to repitch.

Click to expand...

My original point is that I never saw it bubble more than once every 8-10 seconds or so, though it's entirely possible it went nuts while I slept.

I hope this is not the case, as my main goal for this batch was to avoid fusel alcohols...

samuelzero said:

My original point is that I never saw it bubble more than once every 8-10 seconds or so, though it's entirely possible it went nuts while I slept.

I hope this is not the case, as my main goal for this batch was to avoid fusel alcohols...

Click to expand...

I am confused. You are worried about fusel alcohols because of the quick fermentation? Or the fact that the temp rose during the night? if that is the case, you won't get fusel alcohol unless the temp was higher than 80°.

Dude, RDWHAHB.

Dude said:

Dude, RDWHAHB.

Click to expand...

Talking to yourself allready today?

Dude said:

I am confused. You are worried about fusel alcohols because of the quick fermentation? Or the fact that the temp rose during the night? if that is the case, you won't get fusel alcohol unless the temp was higher than 80°.

Dude, RDWHAHB.

Click to expand...

Perhaps I'm in the clear. I don't believe the temp rose above 78, and once I saw them up that high, I moved the fermenter to a cooler spot.

I assumed the fast fermentation was as a result of the higher temperature.

UPDATE: The bubbling had stopped completely when I got home from work today. I took a gravity reading for the heck of it, and it is 1.022 from an OG of 1.050. I was hoping for 1.015.

It's only been two days, and I suppose I could get a few more gravity points by the time I transfer to secondary, which is scheduled for a week from tonight.

I swirled the bucket around to rouse the yeast a bit, but still no bubbles. There is still plenty of krausen floating on top.

I tasted my gravity sample, and though it's hard to tell from the green hop bitterness, I didn't detect any clove or banana. I think it tasted pretty good for two day old beer.

So I wonder, in the collective opinion of the revered homebrew talk community, what would you folks do? Leave it for the rest of the time in primary and hope it ferments a bit more, or try to play God and sprinkle some more Safale US 56 in there if the gravity hasn't budged in a few more days? Right now, it's only pushing an ABV in the 3% range. All in all, though, I'd prefer beer that tastes good with a low ABV to getting a bit more alcohol along with some funky flavors.

I appreciate all of your input.

p.s. - If any of you think I should add more yeast, please advise as to how much. It is a three gallon batch that I pitched 7 grams into originally.

Three days is not a lot of time in my experience and in what I've read. And if you have kreausen it is still fermenting. And you can always wait for the kreausen to fall siphon to secondary and pitch yeast in the secondary. If the yeast in the primary is done and you want yeast to keep on working I don't think it makes sense to pitch into a brew that's still has kreausen, as it still has viable yeast actively going, I think the better option would be to siphon to a secondary then add yeast after the kreausen is gone. I think you should wait until a week or so then take a gravity before you pitch more yeast. I think I had this same conversation with this forum a while back though I'm no expert only about 12-13 brews under my belt this forum was my resource every step of the way. Heed the advice exercise patience, check the gravity after a week then decide.

I wouldnt repitch. I dont see the point. The yeast you have are working, its only been two days, there is still krausen on top...

You may not get it down to 1.015, but it is sure to drop a bit from where you are now.

Did you aerate the wort before pitching? This will help the yeast do their job more efficiently.

my $0.02

- magno

Yes, I did aerate it. I stirred and splashed it around with a slotted spoon for 1-2 minutes. Also, the wort was poured out through a strainer, and I topped it off with bottled water, which I heard has plenty of oxygen in it (though I don't know if this is actually true.)

Can they yeast still be doing their thing with no bubbles in the airlock?

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'm going to leave well enough alone.

As always, I appreciate the advice!

Hi all. Here's an update.

I transferred to secondary on Monday, and the gravity ended out at 1.018, which I can live with.

I dry hopped with some whole leaf Columbus hops, and it smells damn good!

Let me be frank. I just brewed last Sunday. I wanted to add two packs of dry yeast to the primary ferment. The "guys" at the beer store kept me from doing that. I left with out a fight with my 1 pack of yeast. I have read that you could pitch more yeast at the secondary stage. This is what I must doooo.... I think I must because I went big with the malt and the yeast is slowing by the third day. If this is good I will try it, if this is a god for saken mistake....I must try it. Unless anyone knows??? If you don't "pipe down" and then I will let you know how it went!

"Keep on brewing because it works and if it works it must be beer that I made. BBBIIITTTTTCCCHHHHHEEEEESS" dr. f

Dr. Franknbrew (my sight name)

Dr. Frankbrew said:

Let me be frank. I just brewed last Sunday. I wanted to add two packs of dry yeast to the primary ferment. The "guys" at the beer store kept mhttps://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/images/smilies/rainfro.gife from doing that. I left with out a fight with my 1 pack of yeast.https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/images/smilies/occasion14.gif I have read that you could pitch more yeast at the secondary stage. This is what I must doooo.... I think I must because I went big with the malt and the yeast is slowing by the third day. If this is good I will try it, if this is a god for saken mistake....I must try it. Unless anyone knows??? If you don't "pipe dohttps://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/images/smilies/offtopic.gifwn" and then I will let you know how it went!

"Keep on brewing because it works and if it works it must be beer that I made. BBBIIITTTTTCCCHHHHHEEEEESS" dr. f

Dr. Franknbrew (my sight name)

Click to expand...

https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/images/smilies/rockin.gif
https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/images/smilies/drunk.gif
You Rock Frank N Brewdude:rockin:

dr frankbrew is right about what dr frankbrew had to say!

hear hear!

I don't know who you are and I don't want to sound fruity or nothing but would you like to brew w/ me?

you highjacked someone else's thread. start a new thread back at the beginning numbnuts

If you guys are done now. Does anyone know if it could work. Hypothetically it should word. After transfering to secondary and adding a new strand of yeast should work beacuse there is still plenty of yummy yummy sugar to start the new yeast back up adding flavor and bing the gravity down more.