Did i screw it up

[DougQ]

OK everyone, this was my first brew and i think my yeast is bad (or i messed up). I am making an Irish red ale from northern brewers and i received dry Nottingham ale yeast. I followed the directions to re-hydrate my yeast, but it has been two days and my wort isn't doing anything. Did i ruin it some how or do i have to wait longer, what are my options?

 

[res291que]

What temp was the wort when you pitched your yeast? What temp is your fermenter sitting at now? Was the yeast in date? What was your start gravity? Probably just need to get some more yeast and repitch, and you should be ok.

 

[DougQ]

What temp was the wort when you pitched your yeast? What temp is your fermenter sitting at now? Was the yeast in date? What was your start gravity? Probably just need to get some more yeast and repitch, and you should be ok.

My wort temp was 78, my fermenter is at 66, i didn't check my yeast date and my gravity was 1.044. i didn't know i could repitch a new yeast batch. Wouldn't that make my beer taste yeasty?

 

[Frankiesurf]

Just do a gravity reading. If it is lower than the OG then you are fine.

 

[Maxkling]

How hot was the water you used to re-hydrate?

 

[res291que]

My wort temp was 78, my fermenter is at 66, i didn't check my yeast date and my gravity was 1.044. i didn't know i could repitch a new yeast batch. Wouldn't that make my beer taste yeasty?

If your yeast was no good and you pitched new, you shouldn't get off flavors from the yeast. Also like someone else said above check gravity to see if there was any change first.

 

[DougQ]

How much longer should I wait to take a gravity reading?

 

[res291que]

If it were me I would go ahead and take it now, just be sure anything that touches the inside of your fermenter is clean and sanitized, you can use a turkey baster if you don't have a beer thief.

 

[DougQ]

Before i re-pitch the yeast do i have to aerate the wort again?

 

[Yooper]

Before i re-pitch the yeast do i have to aerate the wort again?

No, just add the yeast by sprinkling it in through the top.

 

[WhiskeySam]

How hot was the water you used to re-hydrate?

This makes the most sense. Dry yeast has a ton of available yeast cells. Your gravity is right in the wheelhouse of where good, clean fermentation happens. Makes me think you cooked your yeast in the hydrating water.

 

[DougQ]

No, just add the yeast by sprinkling it in through the top.

So i don't have to re-hydrate it first, I can just sprinkle it in?

 

[Yooper]

So i don't have to re-hydrate it first, I can just sprinkle it in?

Right!

 

[WhiskeySam]

There was an article about this in BYO a couple issues ago that concluded that hydrating dry yeast is not at all necessary.

 

[DougQ]

Everyone,
thanks for the advice. I pitched new yeast last night and when i came home from work i heard a sweet sound. Blurp,Blurp

 

[Bernie Brewer]

So i don't have to re-hydrate it first, I can just sprinkle it in?

In fact, don't bother re-hydrating dry yeast ever again. Just sprinkle it in like you did when you re-pitched. Glad to see you have gotten your beer off of life-support.

 

[DougQ]

I just took a hydrometer reading right before i transferred to my secondary and it seems off. The first one was at 1.040 and now its at 1.008 it has been fermenting since 29 April and today is May 8th, my temp is 68 degrees and the kit is an Irish red ale. Is there something wrong?

 

[eeebigeee]

1.008 is a pretty low actually. It doesn't have to go all the way to zero to be finished...

Irish Red on the BJCP site:
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.044 – 1.060
IBUs: 17 – 28 FG: 1.010 – 1.014
SRM: 9 – 18 ABV: 4.0 – 6.0%

Give it a sample, I bet it is delicious!