Did I kill my yeast?

[pmcquain]

Howdy,

I finally started my second batch last night, a basic APA. I picked up all my ingredients from my LBS and got White Labs California Ale Yeast in the pitchable liquid vial thing. After the wort was cooled and well aerated, i took the vial out of the fridge, shook it up and poured it in. Then I read the label

By not warming it up for a few hours at room temp, and just pouring it into the wort straight from the fridge, did I kill it? I've got no activity at all after 24 hours. My first batch used Coopers dry yeast and that took off quickly.

Should I grab some more yeast just in case it doesn't start within another 24 hours or so?

I hope all is not lost as this batch smells and tastes perfect (to me anyway)

Thanks!

-pete-

 

[Torchiest]

No, you didn't kill it, but I think you may have shocked the yeast a bit. The yeast will have a more difficult time adjusting to the wort, and your lag time will be fairly long, but I think you may turn out fine, and have activity in another 24hrs or so. Getting more yeast just in case isn't a bad idea. You can always leave it in the fridge until you brew another batch if this one comes out okay.

 

[BarleyWater]

I did a similar thing my first time. After I had cooled the wort to pitching temp, I took the vial out of the fridge and then read it. I didn't want my wort just sitting there for three hours, so I just warmed it up in my hands for a few minutes and shook the begeezus out of it. Had no problems, it was bubbling away the next morning.

I think you should be OK, and now you won't ever make that mistake again.

 

[david_42]

Give it 72 hours.

 

[zoebisch01]

Just an 'fyi', you should really worry about temperature extremes or really big temperature shocks....like going from the fridge to 105 water or something. Going to cooled wort is fine. Freezing is bad, but probably not as bad as excessive heat. They are pretty hardy them yeast is. Highly adaptive and strong for the most part. What sold me on this was some correspondence with White Labs. My concern was for yeast that had arrived and sat on my door step for over a day (I wasn't home) at fairly warm temperatures. They told me they ship internationally, and the brewers receiving the product having good success.

 

[pmcquain]

Checked this morning and I could tell that there was some pressure building in the airlock. Got home from work and lot's of bubbles and thick foam layer!

Once again, just need to be patient. BTW, here's the recipe I used:

American Pale Ale (5 gallons):
6lbs Golden DME
.5 lbs Crystal 10L
.5 lbs CaraPils
.25 lbs Munich
.25 lbs Biscuit
1oz Cascade bittering
1oz Cascade flavoring
1oz Amarillo aroma

According to QBrew it's at the high end of the color range for APA's at 11 degrees. It looks nice and coppery brown, and smells and tastes great!

Thanks for the advice!

-pete-

 

[Yooper]

Glad to hear it's fermenting.