Re-pitching yeast

[biggerboat88]

I've brewed a couple batches with friends at school but we graduated and today was my first solo batch and I fear that I've screwed up.

I chose to rehydrate my dry yeast since that was how I had brewed before but this time I saw little to no activity in the water. I talked to some folks and pitched it anyways. I haven't seen any activity in the air lock nor any krausen in the carboy. I'm anxious about the whole thing since it's the first time I've done this on my own but I'm fearing the worst.

Is re-pitching the answer to this problem? If so, how long should I wait until I re-pitch?

 

[kcpaige89]

How long has it been? It can take 72 hours to show signs of activity. Did you take a hydrometer reading, and how long ago did you pitch? What kind of yeast was it? How did you "rehydrate"/proof. If it makes you feel better you can repitch, but it probably isn't necessary until you have all the information. Take a hydrometer reading, it is the only way to know for sure.

 

[biggerboat88]

At this point it has been about 18 hours. I didn't take a hydrometer, I guess one of my roommates took it because it wasn't with my stuff when I went to sanitize. I used a pack of dry Nottingham.

I rehyrdrated the way I had been originally told, boiling 1 cup of water, letting it cool down a bit until it is almost tepid then pitching the yeast in there with a little bit of sugar, then cover and wait. This experience has really turned me off of rehydrating, especially after reading up on the subject.

Is there a chance that I can wait too long for fermentation and then repitching wouldn't even help?

 

[BierMuncher]

Give it three full days before becoming concerned.

 

[JLem]

Give it three full days before becoming concerned.

+1 and you really need to take a hydro reading to know if fermentation is (or is not) happening

 

[biggerboat88]

Alrighty then, I'll sit on it. Thanks for the advice and I'll be sure to pick up a new hydrometer.

 

[KevinW]

Did you check the temp of the water you used to re-hydrate with?
I know yeasts are pretty hardy but I also know they only tolerate certain temp ranges too!
If the temp was a little too high you may have killed the "kids"!

Just a thought anyway!!

 

[kcpaige89]

Is there a chance that I can wait too long for fermentation and then repitching wouldn't even help?

Not as long as your sanitization is solid. And as for proofing your yeast, it probably isn't necessary, except maybe with old yeast. Again, just wait a couple days, buy a hydrometer, and take a reading.

 

[biggerboat88]

So I still don't have any activity at all, I was stuck at work all day but my girlfriend picked up some new yeast for me. If I end up repitching, do I re-aerate as well or just toss it in?

 

[Bizoune]

This is what I do all the time with dry yeast:

1. Boil a cup of water
2. Let cool to 100F
3. Sanitize dry yeast pouch and scissors then open it up
4. Sprinkle yeast in water.
5. Wait 15 minutes, the fold yeast in solution using a sanitized fork
6. At 30 minutes, stir everything in solution and pitch in carboy.

I would repitch as soon as you're finisher reading this. You should see activity in under 24 hours with dry yeast. And if you aerated well before, no need to do it again.

 

[JLem]

So I still don't have any activity at all, I was stuck at work all day but my girlfriend picked up some new yeast for me. If I end up repitching, do I re-aerate as well or just toss it in?

I assume that you also mean that there is no krausen forming? Remember that airlock activity, or lack thereof, is not an absolute sign of fermentation, or lack thereof.

If it has been 72 hours and there's still no sign of krausen, or foam, or little bubbles on the surface, you're probably not fermenting and I would rehydrate the dry yeast and repitch. I would not reaerate - if you haven't had any fermentation, not oxygen has been used up by the yeast and if you did get any fermentation, you don't want to introduce any oxygen now.

You still need a hydrometer though.