Liquid yeast

[dhelegda]

So yesterday I did an all grain brew, after it was cooled I added white labs liquid British Ale Yeast WLP005. This morning, while getting dressed I noticed that there was no activity in the airlock. I popped open the fermenting bucket and nothing...I have a packet of Safale US-05 dry ale yeast. If I added that would it screw up the beer? This is my second time using liquid yeast and the second time it's been a bust!

 

[pfredop]

i make starters when using liquid yeasts to increase the cell counts b/f pitching. make a "mini wort" with malt (lme or dme) and boil for 15 mins. hit 1.040 og in 1L. ...i used lme and it wad about 2/3 cup. research on this forum will lead you. after you have the wort in a sterile container, cooled, aerate and pitch the liquid. leave it for ~ 14 - 16 hrs swishing whenever you think of it. after the time, decant off the liquid leavibg as much of the cake as possible and pich this "upped" yeast into your brew. attach a blow off if you did it right! as far ad re-pitching, you may want to wait a bit. tge yeast is just multiplying now and will be hungry after. give it anothet day and asssess it then. gl!

 

[pfredop]

...sry for the typos...stupid fat fingers...

 

[golfish67]

+1 for waiting. I've had to wait up to 72 hours before. Yeast don't wear watches. They work at their own pace.

 

[boydster]

It can take up to 72 hours to see visible signs of fermentation like krausen, especially with an underpitch. Your beer will probably be just fine. Try checking out a pitch rate calculator like YeastCalc or Mr. Malty to get an idea of proper pitch rate based on starting gravity and batch size.

 

[Jayhem]

One vial or smack pack of liquid yeast is not enough for 5 gallon batches. It will work, yes but it is underpitching and will take longer to start showing signs of fermentation.

When I use yeastcalc.com to build the correct starter size I get active fermentation within 8 hours and high krausen within 12-16 hours.

 

[dhelegda]

Wow, that is something that I have never heard before. So right now is it save to assume that since I only used one vial of yeast that it is probably busy multiplying and not fermenting yet?

 

[TangoHotel]

Wow, that is something that I have never heard before. So right now is it save to assume that since I only used one vial of yeast that it is probably busy multiplying and not fermenting yet?

Correct. I try to make a starter a few days ahead of time with the yeast I want to use. If I brew on Saturday, I'll start a starter on Wednesday and step a 500ml then a 2L starter. My yeast typically is rolling away in a matter of hours with high krausen the following day at the latest. My recent Black IPA was bubbling in 5 hours, (pitch at 2am, but bubbling at 7 am), and high Krausen around 7 am today. I used 1056.

 

[dhelegda]

All righty then, I am going to leave it sit in my walk in closet for a few days and see what happens. I mentioned that I have a packet of dry yeast standing by. If they fermenting process does not that off in a few days what risks could I face if I add the dry yeast, flavors clarity?

 

[dhelegda]

And thank you for the advice!

 

[pfredop]

only off flavors...maybe...if you care about that. the brew just wont be 100% "to the style". who knows, maybe it'll be the best brew ever! let it go for a couple days and see what happens.

 

[dhelegda]

Well as long as the off flavoring doesn't mean ****ty tasting!

 

[ColumbusAmongus]

Your brew will prob have more esters than it should and maybe some more oxidation as it sits around waiting for the yeast to soak the O2 up. Did you aerate well? If not, you should throw the dry yeast in to save the day. If you under pitched and didn't aerate your yeast are going to be stressed pretty hard.

 

[dhelegda]

48 hours and no fermentation, looks like rusty water now, I gave in an threw in the dry yeast and hoping for the best. Off to work I go hope to see some action when I get home from work!