advice please... I messed up.

[bizmarky]

First off I'm very new to brewing...but that's not my point. I made a very stupid decision.

So I'm working on my second brew, a strong belgian ale. Everything is going great. Only until I have to put my yeast in. I never used Wyeast before. I got excited and just opened the pack with out reading directions, only to realize there was a pack inside that I was suppose to pop. I read the directions and freak out a little. I put the yeast in a sanitized measuing bowl and pop the package over the top.(Yeah, I was not thinking. A mess was made.) And to continue on with my ignorance, I figure the yeast doesn't need the 3 or so hours before I add it to the beer. Dumped it in. I woke up in the AM only to find no activity in my carboy.

Now I'm wondering if the yeast is even going to be strong enough to start fermenting? I did some research and am afriad the the lagged fermentation is going to mess with the flavors.

Some backround:

My attempt at this recipe:
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/walkin-man-strong-belgian-ale/

I'm using Wyeast 1214 Belgian Abbey.

I will update again in the morning...hoping to see more activity.

 

[RM-MN]

Stop worrying. The nutrient pack isn't really needed for the yeast to go to work. If you only used the package of yeast and didn't make a starter from that, it may take a little longer to get started as the yeast will need more time to get the proper amount of cells for fermenting.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

What was your gravity? Was it 70, like the recipe? If so, you underpitched a lot.

Good thing it's a Belgian! Lol!

Give it time. It'll start up soon. You could also drop another smack pack in there if you want. It would probably be beneficial. Or you could just let it ride... for Science!!!

 

[Brauer]

It will be fine. The activator in the wyeast pack is just to get the yeast woken up and start reproducing. Give it time and try to control the fermentation temp the best you can. You may get some off flavors due to the yeast being stressed but it will still be beer when all is said and done. If you can get another pack of yeast and pitch it would be good but if not don't worry too much. We all make mistakes. I can guarantee you won't do that again.

 

[Talgrath]

The beer will certainly ferment, but it might be a bit more estery than expected or it might not ferment all the way. Technically speaking, even if you followed instructions you under pitched the yeast by a fairly significant amount, missing approximately 50 billion cells (about a fifth of what you need). Really you should have built a starter to properly pitch for a 1.070 beer. But again, it will be beer by the time the yeast is done with it, it will still probably taste okay, but it should have been given the nutrients and allowed to replicate in the bag and you probably should have made a starter.

 

[Jimmeh-James]

I did the similar mistake of under pitching my 1.070 beer this past weekend as well. I smacked first though, my brew has been in full ferment for the past 3 days. It's still gunna be beer at the end!!

 

[bizmarky]

No choice but to let it ride right now. OG was 1.056, not what i was aiming for but whatever.

 

[bizmarky]

So I'm not sure this is recommended... But if it stupid and it works, then it's not stupid. Right? I can't explain how I came up with this, I might have seen someone else do it. But I sat down and put my carboy in my lap and gave it a good swirl to get everything moving. I went to no activity what so ever to now seeing fermentation beginning to take place. After the swirl I ate dinner and watched to shows...so it was probily around two hours. Bubbling about every 10 seconds right now. Hope has been restored.

 

[sky4meplease]

I'm not sure if that is recommended or not either but if it is it was probably before you added the yeast and if its not it's because if that thick glass (assuming your using glass) carboy breaks in your lap under pitching may be the least of your worries.
Since your relatively new to this I wouldn't worry too much about starters but get some advice here or at the local brew store so you get a proper pitch of yeast for future brews and for the love of God read the directions

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Swirling the carboy is common practice. Gets everything re-suspended.

Usually, I just set it on a towel, grab it by the neck, and roll it around on the bottom edge about 5 or 6 times just to get a swirl going. Saves your back from injury.

Good luck!