Did I screw up?

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mjn12

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Alright, this is my second batch but first with a vial of liquid yeast and I just need a little reassurance that everything is going to be ok (or not?).

I picked up a new digi thermometer to monitor my temps with, and for some reason this batch seemed to take forever to chill down to pitching temp (while in a bathtub of cold water. Eventually I RDWHAHB'ed too much and woke up on the couch this morning while the yeast was sitting in the closet where I had taken it out of the fridge to get to temp the night before. Turns out the thermometer was ~15 degress high so that is why I had to wait so long. I pitched the yeast anyways, despite sitting out all night figuring a little extra time at room temp wouldn't kill it.

So i guess I have a few questions:
1) Will 12 hours at room temp royally eff my yeast up? I'm just expecting a higher lag time, esp for my beer with O.G. of ~1.06
2) Does anyone know of a reliable digital thermometer for brewing?
3) Is my wort ruined because it sat in a sealed, sanitized fermenter for way too long?
 
Well I am new also but I have used White Labs liquid yeast on both of my brews. If I am not mistaken it tells you on the label that up to 24 hrs (?) at room temp is beneficial. I am guessing that when the yeast and the wort are at the same temp when pitched there is no shock to the yeast and fermentation will start sooner because of it. I have been leaving my yeast out over night and have seen fermentation start in less than a day both times.
 
I think my package said 3-6 hours but I've come to learn whats written on a lot of labels and whats true can be very different.

The length of time that the wort sat was what really worried me but I'm assuming its not really any different than someone having bad yeast, letting it sit for a few days and repitching - as long as its sanitized all should be good.

Id RDWHAHB right now but I'm putting in a few extra hours at work right now. We only get to drink at work on Thurdays :mug:
 
Naw, you're fine. When I brew, I take all my yeat out of the fridage at one time. Sometimes I brew up to 5 batches in a day, so the yeast is out for 14 or so hours. No worries.
 
The main thing with the wort sitting as well as fermentation taking a long time to start is that other organisms get the head start in the beer. As long as the lid is on though I would say no problem. I had to dig into my second brew to get the rubber stopper out right after I poured the wort. Took me 15 minutes and I forgot to sanitize the spoon. There is no sign of infection though and it is good to go. Everyone here has convinced me to rdwhahb and so far so good. Besides there is only one way to find out....
 
24hrs still no signs. After sanitizing my hands as well as the area around the bucket lid I took a peak to see if any kraussen was forming - nothing unless you count the light colored, extremely thin layer of foam on top much like if you mix iced tea. Maybe I'm wrong and that is the kraussen starting.

I know it can take up to 72 hours - problem is I'm leaving for a week friday night so If I want to re-pitch with a starter I need to get the yeast today or tomorrow, maybe weds at the latest.

Could the grated peels of 4 oranges (sounds like a lot but its what papazian calls for) be causing an increased lag due a more acidic environment, not to mention the higher gravity (1.064)?

I know, I'm too anxious. The last beer that I did with a dry yeast just sort of started like I threw a match in gasoline. I talked to a brewer at work who uses liquid yeast (no starter) and he said his stuff always takes off like that too so that made me even more worried. First batch was so much easier for some reason.

EDIT: No response necessary to this post. i know its typical noob nonsense - but venting concern alleviates a lot of it. This is me telling myself to shut up and quit worrying.
 
24hrs still no signs. After sanitizing my hands as well as the area around the bucket lid I took a peak to see if any kraussen was forming - nothing unless you count the light colored, extremely thin layer of foam on top much like if you mix iced tea. Maybe I'm wrong and that is the kraussen starting.

I know it can take up to 72 hours - problem is I'm leaving for a week friday night so If I want to re-pitch with a starter I need to get the yeast today or tomorrow, maybe weds at the latest.

Could the grated peels of 4 oranges (sounds like a lot but its what papazian calls for) be causing an increased lag due a more acidic environment, not to mention the higher gravity (1.064)?

I know, I'm too anxious. The last beer that I did with a dry yeast just sort of started like I threw a match in gasoline. I talked to a brewer at work who uses liquid yeast (no starter) and he said his stuff always takes off like that too so that made me even more worried. First batch was so much easier for some reason.

Back away from the fermenter. I'd venture it's 90+% likely everything's just fine, and you're more likely to cause problems by ****ing with it.

Dry yeast ferments like gangbusters because you've got very high cell counts, meaning lots of yeast. Ditto for liquid yeasts at high enough pitching rates. Liquid yeast without a starter is likely to take a while to get a good ferment going, particularly if you're starting with mildly stressed yeast.

A vial of White Labs yeast is just barely enough to get a 5 gallon batch of 1.050 wort going well -- under optimum conditions. Personally, I never use liquid yeast without a starter. That said, the best thing you can do now is leave it alone. Go on your trip, and check a gravity when you get back.
 
Back away from the fermenter. I'd venture it's 90+% likely everything's just fine, and you're more likely to cause problems by ****ing with it.

Dry yeast ferments like gangbusters because you've got very high cell counts, meaning lots of yeast. Ditto for liquid yeasts at high enough pitching rates. Liquid yeast without a starter is likely to take a while to get a good ferment going, particularly if you're starting with mildly stressed yeast.

A vial of White Labs yeast is just barely enough to get a 5 gallon batch of 1.050 wort going well -- under optimum conditions. Personally, I never use liquid yeast without a starter. That said, the best thing you can do now is leave it alone. Go on your trip, and check a gravity when you get back.


What he said!!!
 
So you wouldn't even recommend touching it if there are no signs of fermentation by the end of the week? Not even take a gravity reading before I leave?
 
So you wouldn't even recommend touching it if there are no signs of fermentation by the end of the week? Not even take a gravity reading before I leave?

Go to your LHBS, and buy two packages of Nottingham or Safale US-05 dry yeast, and put them in your refrigerator.

If at 72 hours after pitching, there are no signs of activity, then visually evaluate it and take a gravity reading. If it's fermenting, let it be. If you gravity hasn't changed, pitch the dry yeast, attach a blowoff tube, and go on your trip.

It's always a good idea to have some dry yeast on hand, but I'd really be pretty surprised if you weren't getting something going by then. A few hours at room temperature shouldn't have hurt the liquid yeast.
 
That sounds a lot like what I was going to do - except I was going to go and get another vial of the white labs california ale yeast that they sold me and do a starter (today or tomorrow) and if an SG reading weds evening showed not changes just pitch the starter. Worst case (assuming the wort isn't hosed for some insane reason) I wasted the starter and don't need it, best case the starter kicks it in the butt and I get beer. Unless theres some reason not to repitch with a starter...

Why do I have the feeling the beer gods are going to teach me a lesson about worrying and I'll get home to see kraussen flowing out of the airlock and all over the carpet.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I moved the beer out of my much cooler room (64-68) into the warmer living room (68-72) to at least help everything get started this morning.
 
Don't waste that liquid yeast, man. Patience, it will be fine. Buy another bucket and brew up another batch. That will distract you.
 
Why do I have the feeling the beer gods are going to teach me a lesson about worrying and I'll get home to see kraussen flowing out of the airlock and all over the carpet.

Because that is the case in 99% of n00b created "is my beer ruined threads?" on here. What you have is a mental illness we call n00bitus...;)

You didn't happen to notice this sticky BEFORE you decided to start the thread did you? It might have alleviated your worries...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/think-you-ruined-your-beer-set-your-fears-aside-74520/

:mug:

of course this one would have addressed the same issue...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-start-43635/:drunk:
 
You know, you read through both of those and you still don't feel good enough. It takes the personal touch of revvy telling you to shut up and be patient to really drive the point home.
 
Haha, Thats why I brewed this one. My first batch is 8 days in the primary, this is only my second brew. I won't get to brew again until I move home Dec 19th or possibly back to school in mid january. For some reason moving a full ale pail with living yeasts does not seem appealing for me or the fungi involved.
 
i have a mead brewing with lemon peels floating in it, and i noticed that all the peels have migrated to one half of the surface in the fermenter

the half that has peel floating in it has no foam on it at all, while the other half has a good amount of thick foam on it

something about the citrus peel, maybe the oils in it (?) are killing the foam in my mead, so maybe the orange peels are doing the same in your beer

ps- i know what you mean about moving- going home after 4.5 years at U of I, ive got four cornies and four six gallon glass carboys to move with me
 
I've actually got a whole semester left. I'm on a co-op right now (extended, well-paid internship for those who aren't familiar) and I graduate this spring. Fortunately I went with plastic only and everything should fit within the original box my kit came in - well except the new beer.

Happy to report that I'm getting slow bubbling so I'm confident something is happening now. Starters from here on out. This delicous peat-smoked scottish ale is helping me with the RDW part of brewing.

I never really appreciated a beer with peat-smoked grains until I started drinking scotch. Now I realize the incredible dimension that it adds. I don't think I can get enough.
 
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