Making 1st batch ever, may have killed the yeast - help?

My friend and I are making our first batch ever, I poured 1 cup of water in our sanitized measuring cup, heated it to 120 by accident, let it cool to 100 or so, then poured in the yeast and stirred, and 40 minutes later it hasn't foamed over, just a little bit of foam on the edge. Did I kill the yeast? Anything we can do? I would be really mad as this seemed like a pretty easy part of the process and we just followed the instructions on How to Brew - By John Palmer - Brew Day. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

100 or so? Yeast dies around 120f. The best thing to do is keep a few extra packets of dry yeast around for just such an occasion. If you don't have any extra I guess the only thing you can do is pitch what you've got, then get to a LHBS as soon as you get a chance and pick up some yeast just in case.

Is there any way to tell whether or not the yeast died?

Not really a good way to tell. Go ahead and pitch once it has cooled down and set up your airlock or blowoff tube. Go get some more yeast on the next day the brew shop is open and pitch that too.

Fermentations can take a very long time to start. Just keep everything sanitary and pitch the second pack of yeast when prepped.

It's unlikely you killed all the yeast. You'll know after a couple days when you see if your beer is fermenting. Welcome to the HBT!

You did add sugar/malt extract/something fermentable to the yeast right?

Nope we didn't, i'm proofing it right now

Chucklz said:

You did add sugar/malt extract/something fermentable to the yeast right?

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I don't think he was making a starter. Just re-hydrating dry yeast.

You will not see much foam re-hydrating yeast. Foam/no foam at that stage means absolutely nothing.

100F won't kill them, either.

When using dry yeast, there has been discussion on whether rehydrating is that big of a benefit. Sure its a fact that is easier on the yeast cells. I use one pkg. of dry yeast to ferment 7.5 gal. batches and I only sprinkle the yeast on top of the wort and have never had any problems. Just 1 more thing to screw up, so I don't do it.

Willy Boner said:

When using dry yeast, there has been discussion on whether rehydrating is that big of a benefit. Sure its a fact that is easier on the yeast cells. I use one pkg. of dry yeast to ferment 7.5 gal. batches and I only sprinkle the yeast on top of the wort and have never had any problems. Just 1 more thing to screw up, so I don't do it.

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"Never had any problems" does not mean the same thing as "couldn't possibly be improved". I used to think rehydrating was unnecessary for the same reason. Now I get much faster starts.

I'm not going to say a word. If you threw your dry yeast into 100 degree water, you're fine.

For punishment in being so impatient, you need to send a bottle of the beer to everyone who's posted in this list (hence my post!).

TheFlatline said:

I'm not going to say a word. If you threw your dry yeast into 100 degree water, you're fine.

For punishment in being so impatient, you need to send a bottle of the beer to everyone who's posted in this list (hence my post!).

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Well if that's the case put me on the list.

In some of the kits I have used the instructions specify heating the water to rehydate the yeast to 100 degrees. If this is dry yeast you are using there is not meant to be any foaming over. Just pitch it and forget it for a few days. You're fine.

waterse said:

In some of the kits I have used the instructions specify heating the water to rehydate the yeast to 100 degrees. If this is dry yeast you are using there is not meant to be any foaming over. Just pitch it and forget it for a few days. You're fine.

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Bread yeast routinely wants you to activate the yeast at 90-110 degrees. Most of the dry yeast for brewing states flat out 100 degree water.

ur yeast will be fine...it is pretty hard to kill dry yeast from what i hear....as long as it was no hotter than 110 i think you will be fine

Welcome to homebrewing.
I rehydrate if the package says to. Otherwise I don't.
The yeast may be shocked going from 100F down to whatever, so they will take more time to get to work but you should be fine.

OK, so this happened 3 or 4 days ago now. What is going on in the fermenter? Do we have fermentation and happy little yeasties or what?
Follow up please...

brewer1222 said:

My friend and I are making our first batch ever, I poured 1 cup of water in our sanitized measuring cup, heated it to 120 by accident, let it cool to 100 or so, then poured in the yeast and stirred, and 40 minutes later it hasn't foamed over, just a little bit of foam on the edge. Did I kill the yeast? Anything we can do? I would be really mad as this seemed like a pretty easy part of the process and we just followed the instructions on How to Brew - By John Palmer - Brew Day. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

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We've all assumed this was dry yeast. Was it? If so, then you're fine, as other folks have pointed out. Fermentis says to rehydrate in 80° (27°C) water. Randy Mosher suggests closer to 100°F. Let sit for 20-30 minutes, stir, let sit a while longer. The rehydrated yeast usually forms a thick, creamy head that you stir back into the rehydrating water.

If you pitched liquid yeast into 100° water, you may have given them a bit of a surprise. Rapid temperature changes (with the exception of cool yeast into warm wort) slow down initial activity.

So what's happening in the fermenter?

Chad