Should I pitch more yeast? Rookie errors

[Juicyipadrinkingdad]

Second brew. .. to be completely honest no idea what I’m doing.

Ordered morehaze double ipa extract kit and one pack gigayeast (200 billion cells).

Recipe was confusing and stated to add like a lb of sugar (pre measured bag) with ten minutes left in boil. I originally thought this was only for all grain so I didn’t do it but had second thoughts so as I started chilling wort I boiled sugar on stove for 10 mins and added it to still cooling wort.

Chilled wort appx 30 min after adding sugar. Waited until kettle was completely cool to touch (don’t know my actual pitching temp)

Transferred wort to fermenter (fermonster) pitched yeast without a starter (yeast was 3 mo old, theee days after started recommended date). I have to carry my fermenter down two flights of stairs so I counted that as oxygenating.

I have a bad o ring on my lid so I used Teflon tape on threads and put at 68 degrees in fridge.

Very slow start but definitely had krausen after 24-36 hrs. I’m between 48-72 hrs in and have not seen one bubble in airlock. Tried taping outside between lid and carbon to seal. Wort is moving, krausen isn’t as thick as it was before but it’s definitely fermenting to some degree. Original gravity (I’m horrible at reading gravity) i got 1.074...

Haven’t checked gravity yet. After I noticed my lack of bubbles I looked online and most recommend pitching 2x what I did. I ordered a different strain of the recommended yeast that should be here in a day or two.

Did I screw up by adding that sugar?
Should I pitch more yeast? It’s liquid yeast

 

[Tribe Fan]

No.
And you can, it won't hurt, but it probably won't help either.

If you had krausen, it's fermenting and you do not need to pitch more yeast unless you have a problem.

Wait about 5 days from when you initially pitched the yeast, take a gravity reading. Forget about airlock activity, gaps or seals. The gravity reading will tell you where you are at in the ferment.
Pitching a proper yeast count needs to be done at the pitch. Yeast divide and grow rapidly and will size their cell counts to ferment everything in the wort. The idea is to minimize the stress on them during this phase as that is when esters and off flavor are produced. You've gone past this stage to the fermentation, so whatever esters produced are there.
If the yeasts are stressed and have stalled you will see that in a gravity reading over a couple of days.

 

[Juicyipadrinkingdad]

Thank you for your reply. Is there any risk of contamination from whatever leak I may have? From most of what I’ve read it seems best just to relax and let it be.

The fermenter is definitely still active. Looks like a yeast tornado in there

 

[Soulshine2]

are you still fermenting at 68*F ? What yeast did you use and what is its working temperature range? When you think the fermentation has stopped , let it go a couple more days . I'm still fermenting mine I brewed Wednesday of last week and re-pitched Friday morning because I had zero activity. Sounds like we are about on the same schedule. I still see a couple bubbles in my airlock going on. Might be bottling as soon as Thursday or as far as Sunday (our 5 yr anniversary is early next week and we're busy Friday /Saturday). It can stand to sit a few days.
You can raise the temp a couple degrees to let the yeast finish up. Can you post a pic of what you have going on? Do you own a Hydrometer. If not , you need one . You should also have a good thermometer too so you dont have to guess what temp you pitched yeast.

 

[Tribe Fan]

Not much of a risk during a healthy fermentation, imho.

 

[Comfort_Zone]

More than likely you're probably fine

 

[micraftbeer]

Take a gravity sample. If you're old and experienced, you'll heed the advice and sit and wait for 5 days knowing there's really nothing to worry about. But since you said this is your second batch, take a gravity reading now. It will show you that it's gone way below your OG of 1.074 and then you'll have reason to relax. Make sure whatever you stick in to get your sample is completely sanitizied.

No bubbles in air lock means it has another way of pushing out the CO2 somewhere. It's not really a big deal unless it's a big hole where you could have bugs or random junk in the air floating in. If you've got a leak by an o-ring, no big deal. Purpose of the air lock is to give you a visual indication that you don't have any leaks somewhere else (that could be big), because the pressure inside finds the easiest path out is through your airlock.

And I second the advice of a thermometer. Even a $2 one from the grocery store is better than your "cool to the touch" gauge...

 

[Juicyipadrinkingdad]

This forum is amazing thank you. I have a thermometer I just was too lazy to use it. It started out as a fear of contaminating wort but I have it set up during the boil (had to rest at 146 for 15 min)... I guess I got complacent because my last batch went off so well. Next time I’ll throw my thermometer in sanitizer using the boil and bust it out for the chilling process.

Range for this brew was 65-72 for fermentation. I started at 66 and raised to 68 after 24 hours. My thermostat has a range of 1 degree before it kicks on.

Last brew was American pale ale. Way more simple and had so many bubbles coming out it was ridiculous. Had to use a blow off tube on that one.

I do have a hydrometer but the first batch I brewed I was reading it incorrectly. I think I’ve figured it out better now.

My setup is a premium kit from morebeer was about $350... 7 gal fermonster. The thermometer is a cheapie but I’ve been suspending it with some romex wires that hold it right in the middle. I also must admit I was enjoying possibly too many of the home brews from my last batch as they had just reached 2 weeks in bottles.

I appreciate all of the advice and it sounds like there’s a good chance this brew may not turn out perfect but could end up drinkable. I’m gonna wait a few days on a gravity reading and I’ll post my findings. The clear fermenter definitely reveals consistent activity so I’m encouraged at this point and know where to make improvements. Pitching The proper amount of yeast and filling out the recipe sheet with all of the information such as pitching temp, etc....

Hopefully the off flavors of the ester won’t hurt the beer too much. There’s a ton of dry hopping to do in this recipe as well

 

[Tribe Fan]

I wouldn't worry about it being undrinkable because you pitch one pack instead of 2.
What you are probably experiencing is a longer lag time for it to start because it's a higher gravity beer than your last one. It's took the yeast longer to divide and multiply. It will probably turn out just fine.

Lessons to learn though, higher gravity beers really require proper cell counts and they also require oxygenated wort. Make those improvements along with what you are already doing for temp control and you have the fermentation part licked.

And my own personal opinion is the temp control part is the most important. It's when you mix high gravity wort, under pitched yeast and high fermentation temps that you start to get into the undrinkable territory.

 

[Juicyipadrinkingdad]

Thank you tribe fan. I’ll upload some pics shortly

 

[Juicyipadrinkingdad]

So I just took out bung and airlock to dry hop. I dumped pellets straight in under the assumption they will absorb and sink. I understand that I may lose some volume because of “trub” I think you call it but I am going to use a filter when I transfer to bottling bucket. Instructions say to dry hop during secondary fermentation. I was planning (after advice from a friend) to go ahead and dry hop without transferring to a secondary. I am planning on using a grain bag or filter when I transfer to bottling bucket and pray my valve doesn’t get clogged in the process. I’ve heard about crash cooling at the end of fermentation and am planning on doing this as well. Planning on a 16 day ferment and a 2 day crash cool before bottling. Here are some pics. Keep in mind I live in the mountains so the temp dropped to 66 while o had the door open because t is cool up here. It’s set at 68.

 

[Soulshine2]

too lazy to use your thermometer? Thats one of your most crucial things in brewing is hitting temperatures. Especially pitching yeast. If you pitch too hot , you'll kill it. If you pour your hot post-boiled wort into your glass carboy , it can shatter. I wait until it is as low as 80 before I transfer to my carboy. As I let it splash in, it adds oxygen and cools at the same time. I'm still running my wort chiller as I transfer so the cooler wort is on top of the first drainings and continues to cool. After I'm done transferring , it sits (and settles)while I clean up ,by then its cool enough to pitch.

Hydrometer use- how were you not reading it right. Do you have the sample jar? Looks like a science class graduated cylinder but without the graduations. Its simple- first fill the cylinder with water so when you float your hydrometer you know the level at which it WILL float and you can grab it. I make sure I have almost an inch and a half of the stem above the top of the test jar. Mark that level AFTER you take out the hydrometer so you know how far to fill it with wort. When you take a reading , read the meniscus which is simply - the liquids lowest part of the surface tension around the hydrometer. Make sure you're reading the correct scale.
On either instrument - sanitize sanitize sanitize before you put it in any wort lower than 170*F .If you're putting the thermometer in your boiling wort ,no need to sanitize .

 

[Juicyipadrinkingdad]

Thank you soul shine. I appreciate all of the feedback.

Thermometer- no excuse I know how to use it and sanitize it. Won’t happen again

Hydrometer- was reading the wrong scale last brew (Brixx I think it’s called). Then this brew finally figured out that the 10 20 30 etc go on the hundredths decimal. So now I’m reading it correctly. I got 1.074 as a starting gravity.

Lack of airlock activity- when I dry hopped I noticed my o ring is the culprit. Everything is sealed so I’m not going to sweat that.

Did first round of dry hops last night. Pellets definitely absorbed water and seem to be chilling on top. There’s a lot of activity in there so I’m just going to leave it. Tomorrow will be day 5 so I’ll take a gravity reading to see how things are coming along.

Smells amazing so far.

Thank you all for your help. I’ll follow up as the brew progresses.

Cheers!

 

[Juicyipadrinkingdad]

I’m on day 8 and just finished my second round of dry hops. Fermentation appears to have slowed significantly but appears to be still taking place. I haven’t checked gravity yet, but I plan to take a gravity reading around day 14. I know that I want to have a consecutive gravity reading that is unchanging for at least three days in a row but what is a reasonable ballpark finishing gravity of starting gravity was 1.074

 

[Tribe Fan]

I’m on day 8 and just finished my second round of dry hops. Fermentation appears to have slowed significantly but appears to be still taking place. I haven’t checked gravity yet, but I plan to take a gravity reading around day 14. I know that I want to have a consecutive gravity reading that is unchanging for at least three days in a row but what is a reasonable ballpark finishing gravity of starting gravity was 1.074

Assuming you used Vermont IPA gigayeast GY054 the specs are:
Attenuation Medium Gravity*: 78% – 82%
Attenuation High Gravity*: 74% – 76% (10.0% – 10.6% ABV)
Temperature Range†: 62˚F – 75˚F
Flocculation: Medium/Low

Style Uses:

• India Pale Ale
• Pale Ale
• West Coast Amber
• American Wheat Beer
• Bitter
• ESB

* Attenuation was measured after 8 days with Ale yeast at 70˚F and Lager yeast at 50˚F. Medium Gravity is 14˚ – 16˚Plato. High Gravity is 23˚- 25˚Plato.

75% attenuation on 1.074 would be circa 1.018.

82% attenuation is 1.013.

You can take a reading any time now to compare later, notice the note on the specs that the measurements are taken at 8 days.

If this is not the yeast you used, google up the specs on the particular strain you pitched and do the math. And regardless of the specs, measure you're own batch. Consider the specs guidelines, not absolutes.

 

[jack13]

I have the same question as the OP.

Only grabbed one pack of US-05. No manufacture date, but "expires" in March, 2021 if that's an indication. I just wasn't thinking; if I were I'd have definitely grabbed two.

I brewed yesterday, about to pitch here momentarily (I'm rehydrating the yeast).

My question is: If it were you, would you roll with it or get a second pack of US-05 from your LHBS tomorrow and pitch that, too?

It's an ale, OG 1.086, about 5.5 gallons in the fermenter.

 

[Soulshine2]

I have the same question as the OP.

Only grabbed one pack of US-05. No manufacture date, but "expires" in March, 2021 if that's an indication. I just wasn't thinking; if I were I'd have definitely grabbed two.

I brewed yesterday, about to pitch here momentarily (I'm rehydrating the yeast).

My question is: If it were you, would you roll with it or get a second pack of US-05 from your LHBS tomorrow and pitch that, too?

It's an ale, OG 1.086, about 5.5 gallons in the fermenter.

my last and current brew I used 9 yr old yeast , you'll be fine .If you're worried , make a starter with it to check viability. Feed it well.

 

[Tribe Fan]

I have the same question as the OP.

Only grabbed one pack of US-05. No manufacture date, but "expires" in March, 2021 if that's an indication. I just wasn't thinking; if I were I'd have definitely grabbed two.

I brewed yesterday, about to pitch here momentarily (I'm rehydrating the yeast).

My question is: If it were you, would you roll with it or get a second pack of US-05 from your LHBS tomorrow and pitch that, too?

It's an ale, OG 1.086, about 5.5 gallons in the fermenter.

Personally, I would chill the wort as cold as I could get it and bring it up to temp in the morning and pitch the proper amount as soon as possible.

The risk in waiting is giving bacteria time to colonize before the yeast can defend the wort. I'd try to mitigate some of that by chilling the wort and take that risk over a stuck fermentation on a high gravity beer, but that's just me.

Pitching half tonight and half tomorrow is not the end of the world and will probably work, but underpitching dry yeast into a high gravity wort really reduces it's viability so you'll definitely be stressing that first pitch.

 

[anotherbeerplease]

You don't really need a thermometer.. of course it's better to use one but if it's comfortable to touch then it's probably not going to kill your yeast. And if the yeast don't die when you pitch then they will probably do a fine job so long as you keep the fermenter in acceptable temperature ranges. In any case I really wouldn't worry at all. Some fermentations take longer to start and so long as everything was clean and sanitized you should have no issues at all! Enjoy your beer!

 

[micraftbeer]

You don't really need a thermometer.. of course it's better to use one but if it's comfortable to touch then it's probably not going to kill your yeast.

I'm guessing this is probably an opinion based on years of brewing and using a thermometer. "Comfortable to touch" is obviously a range that can vary quite a bit from person to person. Not to mention that now you're sticking your hand in your wort to see if it's "comfortable"...

 

[Juicyipadrinkingdad]

So update on original post. Today is day 10 if fermentation with 1 pack gigayeast. I dry hopped pellets directly into wort. Did not pitch any additional yeast. Gravity is 1.016 and smells amazing. Took a sip out of the tube warm and slightly bitter but amazing flavor. I’m stoked. Gonna let her keep fermenting until Saturday, check gravity and probably crash cool for 24 hrs before bottling Sunday evening. Feeling pretty hopeful that despite my rookie moves, the beer gods are looking out for me

 

[Juicyipadrinkingdad]

Chilled it a bit and took a sip. Delicious!