1.066 and single smack pack

[OKHopHead]

I brewed my third batch on Friday. It is a milk stout with OG 1.066. I was planning to use dry American ale yeast but the LHBS was out so I purchased a wyeast smack pack. I knew these were designed to be pitched in 5 gallons so I did not make a starter. After I pitched I noticed that the package said it could be pitched in wort up to 1.060. I know the lactose I used probably accounted for 6 points so I may be ok. Should I go buy another package of yeast on Monday and pitch it or should I just RDWHAHB? Fermentation appears to be pretty active already.

 

[CanadianQuaffer]

I would say if you have active fermentation you're ok. You're only a little over what the yeast is recommended for, gravity-wise. You just shouldn't use one of those packs if you were doing an imperial ale or similar, would be my guess, you'd want two in that case.

 

[944play]

Too late.

This article has good information on pitching rates.

 

[skyebrewing]

You underpitched. You may get some off flavors, but you made beer. Enjoy it when its ready.

 

[CanadianQuaffer]

I read in BYO mag that there is virtually no drawbacks for overpitching...if that's the case, why don't we overpitch all the time? I use dry yeast so it's cheap, maybe I should just be using 2 packets from here on out.

 

[BBKing]

I read in BYO mag that there is virtually no drawbacks for overpitching...if that's the case, why don't we overpitch all the time? I use dry yeast so it's cheap, maybe I should just be using 2 packets from here on out.

I've read somewhere on here that there are a couple drawbacks to overpitching, but I'll be darned if I can remember them.

What I do know is that the drawbacks of overpitching are nothing compared to the drawbacks of underpitching.

I'm a dry yeast fan. I ALWAYS use 2 packs. Its cheap enough that I can afford to do that.

 

[Beezy]

I read in BYO mag that there is virtually no drawbacks for overpitching...if that's the case, why don't we overpitch all the time? I use dry yeast so it's cheap, maybe I should just be using 2 packets from here on out.

I don't know about that. I think over-pitching can be just as bad and yeast is not that cheap unless you are harvesting. In some cases, hefewiezen for example, under-pitching is desirable. Best just to attempt to pitch the right amount. Take mrmalty with a grain of salt too, it's known by many as mroverpitchy. I would use it as a guideline but not the bible.

 

[SickTransitMundus]

Over-pitching can cause more fusel oils in big beers = more hangovers. Case in point - Brooklyn Brewery's Monster Ale Barleywine. I actually will overpitch Weizens to cut down on the banana esters, but that's just my personal preference.

 

[Beezy]

Over-pitching can cause more fusel oils in big beers = more hangovers. Case in point - Brooklyn Brewery's Monster Ale Barleywine. I actually will overpitch Weizens to cut down on the banana esters, but that's just my personal preference.

I have never had that Barley Wine but something similar was being mentioned about it at the watering hole. I am interested in tasting this now to see if I can pick it out but I don't want to spend money on a crap beer.

It's weird with Weizen. The one I made I just pitched a vial and I didn't get much banana at all then I pitched half of that cake in a dampfbier and it had HUGE banana. So much so that I am looking for for clove next round.

 

[biggc1]

Imo you will be just fine. I just used a 1056 smack pack on a Dragon's Milk clone with an og of 1.080 and it finished out fine. It also said up to 1.060 on the pack but thats what the recipe in byo called for.