Dead yeast help

[Chris Grubb]

Finally able to squeeze in a brew day yesterday. Made a wheat that I meant to make a month ago. When I ordered the Wyeast smack pack it was pretty blown up when I received it. I put it on the refrigerator, that was about 2 months ago. Pulled it out yesterday morning and felt all around and thought the inner pack had been popped. Throughout the day it expanded some, but didn’t really blow up. I didn’t have time to make a starter, so when I went to add it to the wort, I saw the inner pack had not been popped. I didn’t know what to do at that point and popped the bag and added it to the fermenter. Now 24 hours later there is no activity at all. I’m thinking there won’t be as the OG was at 1.060, and I’m afraid it won’t get started.
I have Safe ale 04, some London fog and red star wine yeast, and Nottingham here. Would any of those be any kind of replacement for the kolsh yeast that isn’t working?

 

[JimRausch]

Yep, you should have done a starter the night before, just to see if it was viable. It MAY still be OK, just a low # so it's taking longer to build up numbers. But if it doesn't show some signs by tomorrow, I'd repitch.
None of those yeasts you list are good substitutes for a kolsch yeast. If you do have the opportunity to pick something up and can't find your original yeast or a German Ale yeast like WY1007, then US-05 would be my choice. But if you're stuck with what you have on hand, I'd go with the S-04 and ferment cool to cut down on ester production. The Notty and London Fog tend to throw more esters IME. And the wine yeast- NOPE, just Nope.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

It'll get started, but might be sluggish. Did you give the wort plenty of oxygen? That'll help with a good ferment as well. I wouldn't worry about it until three days after pitching.

Notty would be the best of the other options if nothing happens after 3 days as long as you can keep ferment temperatures down in the low 60's. Wine yeast is never suitable for beer as they don't ferment maltose.

 

[Chris Grubb]

It'll get started, but might be sluggish. Did you give the wort plenty of oxygen? That'll help with a good ferment as well. I wouldn't worry about it until three days after pitching.

Notty would be the best of the other options if nothing happens after 3 days as long as you can keep ferment temperatures down in the low 60's. Wine yeast is never suitable for beer as they don't ferment maltose.

Yes! I did oxygenate it well when I pitched it. I will give it another day or two before I have to punt