**** - Early Brew Day Emergency- What Would you Do?

I just shattered my 2L Pyrex Flask w/ the Starter ready to go (Yes, I know I'm the clumsiest person on this board ). I had 2 starters that one and another for a 10 gallon batch I'm doing later today (in 2 5-gallon fermenters).

What would you do? I'm about 50 miles from a homebrew shop-- getting more yeast today or tomorrow isn't an option.

One of my concerns is that the bag of grains is already mixed and grinded...so pulling out half of the batch for each of my different grains will be literally impossible.

I would go to my fridge and grab a pack of "in case of emergency" dry yeast.

Since that isn't possible, I would brew today what ever you still have a starter for and stow the ingredients for the batch that has no yeast. It's no big that the grains are crushed...they will keep fine 'till you get some more yeast.

just a question-- if I made 2 5 gallon batches still, could i pitch my starter into one today and then just let that wort sit in a fridge for a week or two and pitch when I return? (I'm at a lake house about 2 hours away from the city)

brewt00l said:

I would go to my fridge and grab a pack of "in case of emergency" dry yeast.

Since that isn't possible, I would brew today what ever you still have a starter for and stow the ingredients for the batch that has no yeast. It's no big that the grains are crushed...they will keep fine 'till you get some more yeast.

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What about the fact that they won't be evenly disbursed throughout the bag?

While it's 80% US 2 Row, the LHBS also mixed in my 4 different specialty grains in there....and i don't know how evenly it is distributed throughout the bag.

pitch the one starter you have left in the 10 gallon batch, not ideal, but it'll work fine.

z987k said:

pitch the one starter you have left in the 10 gallon batch, not ideal, but it'll work fine.

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What do you think the main differences will be?

I also have kolsch yeast for another 10 gallon wheat beer I was going to do tomorrow....it wouldn't be a good option to pitch some of that into one of my pale ale fermenters...right? (i know it'd change taste....)

Stevorino said:

What about the fact that they won't be evenly disbursed throughout the bag?

While it's 80% US 2 Row, the LHBS also mixed in my 4 different specialty grains in there....and i don't know how evenly it is distributed throughout the bag.

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I don't follow...You're doing a 5 gallon batch and a 10 gallon batch and both are the exact same grain bill, all milled and in one bag? How were you going to do the 10 gallon batch later today?

brewt00l said:

I don't follow...You're doing a 5 gallon batch and a 10 gallon batch and both are the exact same grain bill, all milled and in one bag? How were you going to do the 10 gallon batch later today?

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He's doing one 10-gallon batch in two 5-gallon fermenters (had one starter for each fermenter).

I also vote to split the remaining starter.

Stevorino said:

I had 2 starters that one and another for a 10 gallon batch I'm doing later today (in 2 5-gallon fermenters).

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Stevorino said:

I had 2 starters, that one and another for a 10 gallon batch I'm doing later today (in 2 5-gallon fermenters).

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Stevorino said:

I had 2 starters, that one and another, for a 10 gallon batch I'm doing later today (in 2 5-gallon fermenters).

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Punctuation DOES matter!

I guess I would split the starter between the two fermenters, but honestly?

There's no excuse for not keeping a couple packets of dry yeast around. US-05 and S-04 will, in a pinch, brew up pretty much anything except hefes. Belgians, and lagers.

the_bird said:

Punctuation DOES matter!

I guess I would split the starter between the two fermenters, but honestly?

There's no excuse for not keeping a couple packets of dry yeast around. US-05 and S-04 will, in a pinch, brew up pretty much anything except hefes. Belgians, and lagers.

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Sorry, Dad. :cross:

This is my first time brewing at this location. During the winter/spring months I brew in the city.

Bike N Brew said:

He's doing one 10-gallon batch in two 5-gallon fermenters (had one starter for each fermenter).

I also vote to split the remaining starter.

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In that case there are a couple options:
Splitting the remaining starter
Stepping up the remaining starter over a couple days and brew
Step up the remaining starter, crash, brew & pitch next weekend

What yeast strain are we talking about and how healthy do you reckon the remaining starter is?

With out knowing anything about the recipe, anticipated SG, yeast strain or health, I'd prb just brew your tomorrow batch today and step up the remaining starter for a later brew session.

brewt00l said:

In that case there are a couple options:
Splitting the remaining starter
Stepping up the remaining starter over a couple days and brew
Step up the remaining starter, crash, brew & pitch next weekend

What yeast strain are we talking about and how healthy do you reckon the remaining starter is?

With out knowing anything about the recipe, anticipated SG, yeast strain or health, I'd prb just brew your tomorrow batch today and step up the remaining starter for a later brew session.

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The broken strain is California Ale (White Labs liquid Vile). I made them a bit zealously at about 1400ml and have been shaking them very often except when I slept last night. I'm essentially brewing Sierra Nevada w/ my own twist...so probably right under 1.050 SG.

I like the idea of stepping it up later this afternoon and then just brewing it all tomorrow.

I want to brew them one after another so that I can gain some time efficiencies.

I won't be up here again for 2 weeks, so that's coming into play.

the_bird said:

There's no excuse for not keeping a couple packets of dry yeast around. US-05 and S-04 will, in a pinch, brew up pretty much anything except hefes. Belgians, and lagers.

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+1 Absolutley no excuse what so ever. The old Boy Scout in me makes me always want to BE PREPARED! :cross:



I had a neighbor call me to let me know his Strong Ale kit from AHS had not taken off yet. After 3 days, I came by with a packet of Nottingham. By morning it was blowing its top.

EdWort said:

+1 Absolutley no excuse what so ever. The old Boy Scout in me makes me always want to BE PREPARED! :cross:

I had a neighbor call me to let me know his Strong Ale kit from AHS had not taken off yet. After 3 days, I came by with a packet of Nottingham. By morning it was blowing its top.

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lol, that looks like a sex addict's medicine cabinet

Nah, it looks exactly like my fridge, minus the Montrachet!!!

Question, wouldn't 1400ml be potent enough for a 10gal batch of 1.050? Jamil's calculator recommends 1.53 liters, 1.4 is really close! I would just brew the 10g and pitch the single flask.

chriso said:

Nah, it looks exactly like my fridge, minus the Montrachet!!!

Question, wouldn't 1400ml be potent enough for a 10gal batch of 1.050? Jamil's calculator recommends 1.53 liters, 1.4 is really close! I would just brew the 10g and pitch the single flask.

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I ended up just stepping up by adding another liter of wort and breaking my one into two starters.

I was very close to just splitting the two...but then the rain clouds came in and I decided if I was going to brew tomorrow anyways, it'd be best to step up and be safe

Stevorino said:

I ended up just stepping up by adding another liter of wort and breaking my one into two starters.

I was very close to just splitting the two...but then the rain clouds came in and I decided if I was going to brew tomorrow anyways, it'd be best to step up and be safe

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I'm a little late, but that would be my recommendation too. I tend to brew low ABV beers and my starter is just four cups of water to one cup of DME. For larger beers, I've never bought more than one pack of yeast. Just step it up until you get the amount you need.