Bad Yeast? - Need advice on Ringwood Ale substitute

I made a Wyeast Ringwood Ale starter, refrigerated and decanted it. After pitching the slurry into my Dogfish Head India Brown Ale I checked the gravity of my fermented starter wort and got a 1.045. Since I was trying for a 1.040 OG for my starter wort I am concerned that my yeast (mail ordered and left on a hot porch) was no good. Sixty hours later I have reasonable fermentation going on but it's not taking off at all like it did the last time we made this recipe with the same yeast. I've checked the two LHBS and their is no RIngwood Ale yeast to be found. The OG for the DHIBA was a 1.074 so I don't want to screw around with a weak fermentation. Can someone help me out with a suggestion for a common yeast that I could use to supplement my weak Ringwood Ale Yeast? All I have on hand is dry S05? Barring a better idea I will probably rehydrate and pitch the S05. All suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

I'm sure more experienced guys will chime in but in my experience Ringwood doesn't show crazy fermentation and takes a little longer to run its course. How big was your starter and what temp are you fermenting at? And as Revvy would say every fermentation is unique. Just check your SG weekly and see how its coming along. RDW....

The starter was 1.5 liters and we're fermenting at 68 degrees. The last time we brewed this recipe we just used the smack pack without a starter and had a much more violent fermentation. With the use of a starter I expected even more this time. The fact that my starter finished after 72 hours at 1.045 is what has me worried. I could have botched the starter and made something of higher gravity. Even if I did, I think the starter should have finished lower if the yeast was good. I think I'll wait for another day or two and see what happens but I'd still like to have a backup plan for adding additional yeast if it comes to that.

I advise patience over trying to pitch another yeast. There is no adequate substitute for Ringwood (one of my favorite yeast). Ringwood is unique, but I also love Wyeast #1968 in in that style...both yeast strains are quite versatile.

Edit: for spelling error

Old thread, but....

After chilling to decant, did you let the yeast slowly warm back up to pitching temps or did you decant right out of the fridge and pitch?

Pitching a cold yeast slurry could be the reason it was a slow starter.

in my experience Ringwood doesn't show crazy fermentation and takes a little longer to run its course.

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This is quite the opposite of what this yeast is like. Its a quick fermenter to glass type yeast.