need some help on correcting issues w/my first brew

Hey All,
I Started my first home brew on Tuesday, and I made 2 mistakes that i am aware of, well perhaps 3.

going from what i perceive to be less to more severe:

1) I did not filter my wort when moving it to the fermintor.
2) I pitched my yeast in the high 80s, low 90s
and 3) my yest was activated about 4 or 5 hours before i was able to pitch, because i did not anticipate it would take so long the wort would take to cool down.

The airlock showed a lot of activity initially, but now its pretty placid. just curious if I should start making my second beer now or if there is hope for this beer.
TIA

1. There are some people on the board here who don't filter, you should be alright.

2. As long as you were able to get the temperature down the yeast should be fine; it sounds like you got some fermentation out of it so that's good. In the future make sure you pre-cool the wort with either a swamp cooler or with ice cubes/ice-filled bottles. High fermentation temps will generally produce more esters and fruity smells which may not be for the best, depending on beer style.

3. I'm guessing that you used a Wyeast Activator pack. If that's the case then you're fine. I've pitched them without activating them before, all it is inside is a little bag filled with essentially wort and smacking it allows it break, providing food for the yeast and proof that they're viable. Don't sweat it.

Lastly, you're usually going to have a very active fermentation in the first 36 hours then the beer might slow down a bit. That's normal. Go ahead an make a second beer but remember about temp control. Good luck.

MeatyPortion said:

1. T

3. I'm guessing that you used a Wyeast Activator pack. If that's the case then you're fine. I've pitched them without activating them before, all it is inside is a little bag filled with essentially wort and smacking it allows it break, providing food for the yeast and proof that they're viable. Don't sweat it.
Good luck.

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actually it was just a packet of brewers yeast activated with warm water, by the time i pitched it was looking sad/flat.

popecrisco said:

actually it was just a packet of brewers yeast activated with warm water, by the time i pitched it was looking sad/flat.

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You're probably still okay. How many days did the beer show active fermentation?

through Thursday evening.

(thanks for being so responsive!)

That sounds pretty normal to me. Leave it in the fermenter as long as you can stand, 3 to 4 weeks would be good but at the minimum, 2 weeks. Use your hydrometer to verify that fermentation is over before you bottle it.

RM-MN said:

That sounds pretty normal to me. Leave it in the fermenter as long as you can stand, 3 to 4 weeks would be good but at the minimum, 2 weeks. Use your hydrometer to verify that fermentation is over before you bottle it.

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i was planning 2 weeks in the primary, one week in the secondary, then 2 weeks in the bottle (with a sample after one week).

i need to buy a new hydrometer though because the cheap one with the kit got destroyed when i knocked it off the counter top.

Agreed. Your fermentation is fine. Just go along with what RM-MN said and you should be fine.