AHS Bavarian Hefe - How Many Yeast Vials?

[PGEduardo]

I have the Bavarian Hefe Extract kit from Austin Homebrew, and I didn't plan (ahead) a yeast starter. I planned to go buy 1 or 2 vials of WPL300, but is 2 vials overkill?

I want to brew this evening so a starter is out of the question. Should I pitch 1 or 2?

I also plan to ferment at 70*F.

Thanks!

 

[Wolfhound180]

I personally would just pitch one. It might stress a little but I believe that it would add some nice esters to the product.

If you really want a cleaner hefe, which fermenting at 70 would do, pitch 2.

 

[PGEduardo]

The store only had one vial so I just bought a Danstar Munich packet. Rehydrated and started fermentation around 66*. I plan to let it warm up to 68* in the first 24 hrs and hold it below 70* for a week...

 

[Fat_Maul]

WPL300 will be fine with just 1 for a 5 gallon batch. I'd also highly recommend a blow off tube.

 

[atoughram]

WPL300 will be fine with just 1 for a 5 gallon batch. I'd also highly recommend a blow off tube.

X2 - WLP300 is quite vigorous... These were pitched at one tube per bucket and fermented around 70f

It might even overflow the blowoff!

 

[Fat_Maul]

Yeah this was my situation after I went down the basement to find my airlock cake dup and the top of my fermenter domed and ready to blow.

 

[atoughram]

Yeah this was my situation after I went down the basement to find my airlock cake dup and the top of my fermenter domed and ready to blow.

You cant see it on the picture above but both buckets launched the airlocks and sprayed the walls with fermenting goodness... :rockin:

 

[PGEduardo]

Well damn. Should have just bought the one vial with no starter.

I think I started fermentation too cold as the re-hydrated dry yeast packed I pitched formed a nice krausen layer, but didn't get anywhere near the airlock (I just cover with foil for the first few days.)

I pitched around 65*F and let it warm to 68*F over the next couple of days. I imagine it'll reach 70* today or tomorrow. We'll see...

 

[Fat_Maul]

I wouldn't worry if it didn't go nuts either. I think it goes nuts on the higher end of the temp scale. I think I pitched and held it around 72.

 

[Fat_Maul]

Also, Jamil's hefe and dunkel recipes say to pitch and hold at 62 with that yeast so I don't think you were in any way too cold.