1.080 imperial ipa - 2 smack packs and a dry yeast?

[mmonacel]

Hey guys,

I'm brewing an imperial IPA tomorrow (OG 1.080) and only have two smack packs of 1056 and no time to make a starter. Mr. Malty calls for 3 packs. I have a packet of SafeAle-05 handy. I'm thinking that these are relatively close to each other in terms of strains. Would I likely be doing more harm than good by pitching them all together?

 

[Bensiff]

No worries about mixing yeasts. That is getting to be a fairly big beer so make sure to oxygenate it and hit it with yeast nutrient too to help it along.

 

[Ryush806]

I'm sure it would turn out ok...but if it were me I would postpone brewing to make a proper starter. I'd rather know I'm making a great beer instead of worrying about it for weeks...

I've never had a stuck fermentation *knock on wood* but that would suck on a beer that could turn out absolutely fantastic (Imperial IPA is by far my favorite style).

 

[mmonacel]

Excellent - thanks for the feedback guys. Given I have a little one and a job kicking my @ss at the moment, my opportunity to brew just opened up out of the blue so I need to take what I can get. Nice tip on the yeast nutrient. Just picked some up for the first time yesterday so I look forward to using it for the first time!

 

[jigidyjim]

I just bottled my 1.092 IIPA, and just used a single pack of s-04... it fermented out super fast and made a huge mess (the blow out tube went into a small container, and the container overflowed with stuff coming out the tube).

 

[Newbeerguy]

I pitched 2 packs of Notty into my 1.074 IIPA and it took it down to 1.008. You should have no problems tomorrow.

 

[Calder]

Don't double up. Pick one and use it. Either a smack pack or the dried yeast. A single packet will work, it might take a little longer while the yeast get to sufficient numbers to do the work, but it will work.

No real need for nutrient. It will not hurt.

 

[vanceromance]

Couldn't you also make the wort, let it sit fdormant for a day or two while you make a starter?? I've never done it but heard it is possible.

 

[mchlhgn1]

I know you dont have time to fully get a starter going properly, but it only takes about 30 minutes to get one going. Could you possibly get it going right when you wake up on brew day and just pitch that in when the time come be it 3,6 or 8 hours in.

I know whats not enough to double the yeast, but it would do a good job of waking the yeast up and you would hit the ground running.

Also, I wouldnt think you would need much nutrient if any, because those smack packs have some nutrient in it.

Just my two cents.

 

[stjackson]

Don't double up. Pick one and use it. Either a smack pack or the dried yeast. A single packet will work, it might take a little longer while the yeast get to sufficient numbers to do the work, but it will work.

No real need for nutrient. It will not hurt.

Pitching one liquid yeast pack into a 1.080 beer is a fairly significant under-pitch. It will be a different beer than if you make a starter or use more than one pack to get the appropriate amount of yeast. I'm not saying it won't be drinkable, but it will result in some different flavors by doing it that way. The yeast will have to spend a lot more time reproducing, which will alter the final flavor of the beer. Again, it will still be beer, but it won't be the best beer you can make.

If you're sanitation is really good, I would go with Vance's suggestion and brew the beer, get it into your fermenter, and pitch in a day or so when your starter has had a chance to grow. Make sure you oxygenate well before you pitch, though.

 

[SwampassJ]

US 05 is the chico strain, drop it in and one of the liquid packets of 1056. If you're worried then go ahead and use all 3 but that is a lot of money in yeast for the smack packs.

 

[Sean]

I know you dont have time to fully get a starter going properly, but it only takes about 30 minutes to get one going. Could you possibly get it going right when you wake up on brew day and just pitch that in when the time come be it 3,6 or 8 hours in.

You have probably already done what you are going to do, but: The dry yeast has enough count to get the job done. If you rehydrate and do a 3-6 hour starter you will get it started quicker. I think adding the smack packs with the dry yeast is a total waste of money. I believe the dry packet has more yeast cells than all three smackpacks. ..Luck!

 

[Fletch78]

Unless I've been lied to by LHBS, a Wyeast pack has about 80 billion cells and a dry yeast like US-05 pack has 300 billion cells.

Pitching two Wyeast smack packs without making a starter is still less than half the cells you get with a single pack of US-05.

If you read the comments so far, the people who pitched dry yeast into big worts had no problems.

If it were me, I'd pitch the single pack of US-05, and save the liquid for another beer when you have time to make a starter.


Edit: In other words, I agree with Sean but didn't see his post yet.

 

[Fletch78]

Also, I think I remember reading that high gravity is bad to rehydrate yeast in, screws up their cell walls or some such....so do what Sean says and rehydrate it in warm water first, instead of the typical sprinkle-into-wort.

 

[likwidbliss]

I have never used more than one pack of yeast. I get fermentation and good beer.

 

[Minky]

+1 on Sean and Fletch78's advice. Rehydrate yeast in about a cup of boiled water that's cooled down to approx. 95-105 deg. Dried yeast has a hard time rehydrating in wort - especially high gravity. The shrivelled cell walls don't pop back out properly in the wort.