Dead Yeast?

I've been brewing all-grain for a few months now but I'm still relatively new to this whole game. Yesterday while I was brewing I'm worried that I may have killed off my yeast. I usually dunk my smack packs into my sanitization tub for a min or two before I pitch them but for some reason I put it in way early. It sat submerged in the tub for about 20 min before I realized what I had done. The water in the tub is usually around 140 degrees and when I pulled the pack out it was pretty warm. I guess I'm really worried that I may have killed yeast. I normally would just sit back and wait for a few days but I'm going out of town tomorrow for 5 days and if it is dead I'll have to repitch either tonight or tomorrow. Does anyone out there have similar experience with this?

I usually make starsan in room temp distilled water. Is it supposed to be that hot? Did the smack pack expand?
They may be dead at 140.

I would think you'll know by this evening if you killed 'em. I doubt that you did though. Good luck!

Yeast viability starts to decline at prolonged temps of about 90F, and they start to die at about 120F and the whole colony is typically instantly dead at 140F.

You should probably get a new yeast pack.

TopherM said:

Yeast viability starts to decline at prolonged temps of about 90F, and they start to die at about 120F and the whole colony is typically instantly dead at 140F.

You should probably get a new yeast pack.

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+1, I would repitch. It wont harm anything, if anything it will make it better.

You should probably listen to the other guys & not me. :fro:

Thanks for the advice and quick responses. I ended up getting another smack pack after work and pitching before bed. I woke up to the site of my airlock bubbling away. Looks like it's going to work out.

a suggestion on this matter, if you order your supplies and do not have a homebrewshop close... it's good to keep a few "just in case" packs of dry nottingham or us-05 in the fridge.. they last a long time and if something like this happends where you can't get your hands on the right liquid yeast, you can at least save the brew with a dry yeast....