White Labs yeast tube explosion - add more yeast?

[stricklandia]

Here I am, finally feel like I know what I'm doing when I'm brewing, the whole brew day goes great till the very end, when I'm ready to pitch the yeast. My first time using White Labs yeast, and after having the tube out of the fridge for several hours, I shake it well as directed and open it up. FFFFIIIIZZZZZZZ!

After the fact, I've searched the forums and read all about this, but if I'm following the directions on the package, why would I have thought to search on this topic beforehand? Unless this yeast performs like a champ, I may go back to Wyeast.

QUESTION: So I did my best to salvage the stuff, and I had sanitized my hands and the yeast tube first. I lost probably two-thirds of the yeast, but got the rest in the fermenter. Is this going to be a viable enough quantity to get the job done? Or do I need to go get more and repitch? It's the next morning after brewing, and usually by this time I'm already seeing fermentation starting.

Should I keep waiting to see if it starts? Is there a short window of time by which I can pitch more yeast if needed? Or can I safely wait as long as a couple of days, and then pitch more yeast?

 

[TyTanium]

What's your starting gravity and batch size? 1 vial is usually underpitching, so 1/3 of a vial is almost certainly underpitching. If it were me, I'd add more yeast. Even if you see signs of fermentation, those few cells will be overworked and can throw off some undesirable flavors.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

No hard adding a neutral yeast into the mix this early on, just in case. For the WL yeast, when it says shake it doesn't mean vigorously. I give a slight roll and shake to get the yest loose so it will all pour. My father in law took a vial, shook the hell out of it, and before I could stop him he cracked it open, spraying everywhere. Still had plenty to pitch and ferment with though.

 

[kh54s10]

Well, right on the vial it says "open cap carefully"

You should make starters when using liquid yeast. I would get more yeast as soon as you can and pitch it. The yeast may ferment the beer eventually, but underpitching by that amount I would be very worried about unwanted flavors.

The yeast will be very stressed trying to reproduce to cell counts large enough to ferment the wort.

 

[ScoRas]

Lol, same thing happened to me with my first vial yesterday. Luckily I was pitching to a 1L starter, so I'm not worried about lost yeast.

 

[stricklandia]

Fermentation has started, and seems to be doing fine. Am I okay, and have nothing to worry about? Or should I add more yeast even if it seems to be fermenting quite well?

TyTanium, why do you say 1 vial for a 5-gal batch is underpitching? I've never heard that, and the recipes don't call for multiple vials.

Edited to add:

And if adding another vial is advised, is it okay to add it at this point? (active fermentation in progress)

Brew is a Dale's Pale Ale clone. My beer log is at home, but I think the OG was around 1.046 or thereabouts.

 

[Tall_Yotie]

Fermentation has started, and seems to be doing fine. Am I okay, and have nothing to worry about? Or should I add more yeast even if it seems to be fermenting quite well?

TyTanium, why do you say 1 vial for a 5-gal batch is underpitching? I've never heard that, and the recipes don't call for multiple vials.

The worst thing you can do to a brew is to mess with it. I would not worry about it. Give it a few days and check with a hydrometer.

As far as the starter goes, you really don't need one for an OG of 1.060 or less. Granted, healthy happy running yeast is better, which you get from a starter. I don't worry about starters usually unless I have a beer with a higher OG. They can help towards making notes of the brew slightly better, and are needed in some styles (Belgians for one), but by no means are needed for it.

So check your gravity in a bit (once major fermentation has settled) to see if you are getting towards the expected FG. If not, there are some options. And 1 vial works for a batch of standard beer, many of us don't worry about starters (for me I don't find the time to make one ahead of brew day) and make excellent beers.

So in general: RDWHAHB

Cheers!

Edit for your edit:

Especially for a Pale Ale, which has a very neutral yeast, you don't have to worry about a starter. No need for big yeast character, just hops and malty goodness!

 

[cbren723]

This exact thing happened to me tonight while breweing a strong scotch ale. Becasue my predicted OG (1.075) was high the guy at the brew store told me I need to tubes of the Edinburgh yeast. I found my OG (which was 1.085), then I shook the first tube and it exploded, I salvaged the small amount remaining in the tube and then carefully put my other Edinburgh yeast in. Should I be concerned?

My current fermentation temp is at 68, should I raise that to get the yeast going and then lower after a few days back to a normal strong scotch ale fermentation temp?

 

[unionrdr]

One thing to always remember about yeast tubes is they have co2 pressure from the yeast in them. It's just like opening a 2L of pop too fast. You have to crack the lid slightly to release some pressure. Then when it's getting close to coming out,close it quick. Repeat this proceedure till all the gas is burped out. Then open.
I'd leave the temp where it's at,cbren. It'll get going when it's done with the reproductive phase that usually shows no visible signes of fermentation.