HELP!! Yeast Issue

I purchased a vial of White Labs WLP400 WitBier Yeast yesterday from my LHBS. I plan on brewing on Sunday (tomorrow).

I accidentally forgot to put it in my fridge and sat out over night.

This morning, I put it back in the fridge. Should I be OK? The color of the yeast was still a nice light tan.

You could have just left it out of refrig. the entire time. A few days is nothing to worry about.

If you are worried, it is not too late to make a starter for Sunday.

So I can just take it back out of the fridge until tomorrow?

So I can just take it back out of the fridge until tomorrow?

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Yes if you want, if not, leave it in. Hot cold hot cold is not good for the poor yeasties.. You should just leave them in or out at this point.. If you chilled them just take them out tomorrow.

gruversm said:

So I can just take it back out of the fridge until tomorrow?

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As chillHayze suggested, I'd make a starter right away so that it's ready for Sunday. Not only will you confirm the viability of your yeast, you'll increase the cell count many times over. Those little WLP test tubes don't contain much. All you really need is a half cup of DME, a pint of water and some sort of sanitized jar.

+1 on what Lars and ChillHayze said, Putting them back in the firdge and taking them back out tomorow might have beaten them up a little bit so I would go with a starter.If I were you I would get in the habbit of making starters everytime. You will need them for Lagers and big Beers in the future.

I brewed my AG Witbier on Sunday and pitched the yeast at 70F at 5:00PM. When I woke up at 6:00 AM the next morning, it was bubbling away!

If my White Labs yeast work this great without a starter, why would I need one?

gruversm said:

I brewed my AG Witbier on Sunday and pitched the yeast at 70F at 5:00PM. When I woke up at 6:00 AM the next morning, it was bubbling away!

If my White Labs yeast work this great without a starter, why would I need one?

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It's not really that black and white. The end product will be different. There is also the chance the yeast was weak or mostly "dead". In a Wit, you might want a more stressed yeast for more traditional flavor profile. Here are some suggested pitching rates.

Essentially, the more yeast you start with, the less energy and time they need to expend in the growth/budding phases of life to achieve a proper concentration. This means less yeast growth byproducts and a cleaner beer in the end.

If you are interested in a deeper understanding of brewing, I'd recommend Miller's book, Homebrewing Guide. Amazon has them used for 6 bucks.

Prost!