Wort too cold before adding yeast!

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josephvaldes

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I just picked back up brewing after a couple of years and just made a Belgian Ale today. After the wort was done I put 14Lbs of bagged ice and chilled water to help with the chill time of the wart and the temperature ended up a very low 55 F. I had to boil a little water to get the temp up to 67 before I added the water based yeast, I know that the extra water I put into the wort will affect the beer, but will the low temperature have a negative effect on the fermentation process?
 
I just picked back up brewing after a couple of years and just made a Belgian Ale today. After the wort was done I put 14Lbs of bagged ice and chilled water to help with the chill time of the wart and the temperature ended up a very low 55 F. I had to boil a little water to get the temp up to 67 before I added the water based yeast, I know that the extra water I put into the wort will affect the beer, but will the low temperature have a negative effect on the fermentation process?

I typically shoot for 68F. 67 is right there. The main thing is keeping the temperature stable. Any fluctuations in the first few days can have adverse effects.

In addition, since it was quite some time before you pitched, it is a good idea to aerate prior to pitching.
 
You really didn't need to raise the temperature. Pitching at 55F won't hurt the yeast, and the beer will warm up to ambient/fermenting temperature on it's own over the next day or so. I deliberately pitch low - usually around mid 50s-60F. And here's the thing: it doesn't even slow the start of fermentation down! Additionally, it's probably improving the beer. Most ester production occurs during the growth/lag phase of fermentation. By starting the fermentation at a cooler temperature, you're helping to limit ester production.
 
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