Did I pitch enough?

[SmithsonBrewer]

I just made a double IPA. My OG was right on at 1.080. I pitched a standard rehydrated pack of Safale US-05 (11.5g). I thought it would be fine as that's all that came in my kit. Now I'm a little worried I didn't pitch enough with this high gravity ale. Should I have pitched more? Is it too late to pitch another pack? I have a pack of Danstar American West Coast in my fridge.

 

[AVLbrewing]

Would need to know you volume of wort too. But assuming you pitched into 5gal you would need 1.3pks. Use the Mr. Malty yest calculator for future reference. It will help you with how much yeast starter to make with liquid yeast, and how many packages with dry.

http://www.mrmalty.com/yeast-tools.php

EDIT: I would assume your 1pk would be close enough to the 1.3pks not to worry. It just might start a little slower. Someone else with more experience with dry yeast and higher OG might be able to help more. I've used almost exclusively liquid yeast up to this point.

 

[SmithsonBrewer]

Would need to know you volume of wort too. But assuming you pitched into 5gal you would need 1.3pks. Use the Mr. Malty yest calculator for future reference. It will help you with how much yeast starter to make with liquid yeast, and how many packages with dry.

http://www.mrmalty.com/yeast-tools.php

EDIT: I would assume your 1pk would be close enough to the 1.3pks not to worry. It just might start a little slower. Someone else with more experience with dry yeast and higher OG might be able to help more. I've used almost exclusively liquid yeast up to this point.

Thanks. Sooo, what will the effects of this be? And yes it was a 5gal batch. Should I pitch a little more?

 

[unionrdr]

Rehydrating the dry yeast was a wise move. Especially if you pitched it within 10 degrees of wort temp. As an example,we brewed 2 pale ales once,& used an 11.5g packet of US-05 pitched dry in one. The other got a 7g Cooper's ale yeast rehydrated. They both started at very nearly the same time,& fermented out about the same time. About the only difference was the one with the US-05 tasted cleaner,as in no fruity esters like the Cooper's yeast produces. This is,however,comparing an English style yeast with a clean fermenting American one. But it just goes to show how rehydrating amps up a dry yeast when done correctly.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

I just made a double IPA. My OG was right on at 1.080. I pitched a standard rehydrated pack of Safale US-05 (11.5g). I thought it would be fine as that's all that came in my kit. Now I'm a little worried I didn't pitch enough with this high gravity ale. Should I have pitched more? Is it too late to pitch another pack? I have a pack of Danstar American West Coast in my fridge.

How long ago did you pitch your first pack? I pretty much use US05 for everything and I never rehydrate the yeast, which has never caused any issues. I would pitch another pack if you have more US05 otherwise I wouldn't mix strains. You should be fine without it but it would be better to pitch more. I use 2 packs on anything bigger than 1.060. The Chico strain is a beast but you want to avoid stressing any yeast and working it too hard on a low cell count.

 

[unionrdr]

My point was that rehydrating seems to make the yeast perform as if it were in a starter,which of course makes for larger numbers of yeast cells. Making dry yeast cells more vigorous by rehydrating seems to have a similar effect.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

My point was that rehydrating seems to make the yeast perform as if it were in a starter,which of course makes for larger numbers of yeast cells. Making dry yeast cells more vigorous by rehydrating seems to have a similar effect.

I've used US05 for about 90% of my beers and after trying both ways I haven't noticed any difference. It will rehydrate in the wort and get to work all the same.

 

[unionrdr]

The diference being that rehydrating in water makes for stronger cell walls during rehydration. Pitching dry has the effect of rehydrating dry yeast in wort,kinda like a starter. The yeasts' cell walls aren't as strong,they absorb more compounds before the cell walls build up enough resistence to only absorb what is needed. Thus there is some cell attrition,& basically leaves fewer cells to start the reproductive phase right before initial fermentation begins. So with lag time being increased,no big difference will be percieved. And thus,your conclusions.

 

[progmac]

fermentis has pretty pretty emphatic and clear that rehyrdrating is very beneficial.

i've only pitched dry yeast maybe once and that was in a cider. i'm just regurgitating what i've read from the manufacturer.

 

[SmithsonBrewer]

I pitched the yeast in to the wort at pretty much identical temperature. Around 70-75F. I pitched last night. About 14 hours ago. Nothing doing so far but I'm not really concerned with that yet.
So from what I gather my FG might be a little high? So slightly lower ABV. Is there potential for off flavours from under pitching?

 

[unionrdr]

Possibly. It depends on how shocked the yeast were to pitch temp & the gravity of the wort. It could stall,but again it depends on how many cells they produce during the reproductive phase vs how many were lost by pitching dry. This is why dry yeast packets contain more cells. Some are lost to pitching dry yeast into wort rather than rehydrating & pitching within 10 degrees of wort temp.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

The diference being that rehydrating in water makes for stronger cell walls during rehydration. Pitching dry has the effect of rehydrating dry yeast in wort,kinda like a starter. The yeasts' cell walls aren't as strong,they absorb more compounds before the cell walls build up enough resistence to only absorb what is needed. Thus there is some cell attrition,& basically leaves fewer cells to start the reproductive phase right before initial fermentation begins. So with lag time being increased,no big difference will be percieved. And thus,your conclusions.

I'm not saying there might not be some merit to rehydrating I've just tried rehydrating with water and wort vs straight pitching from the packet. In either case the lag times are the same and fermentation is just as strong. Having done this with at least 50 batches and reading of many others that have come to the same conclusion I just don't find it necessary anymore. My beers come out great and just as clean making no noticeable difference whether the yeast was rehydrated or not.

 

[SmithsonBrewer]

Possibly. It depends on how shocked the yeast were to pitch temp & the gravity of the wort. It could stall,but again it depends on how many cells they produce during the reproductive phase vs how many were lost by pitching dry. This is why dry yeast packets contain more cells. Some are lost to pitching dry yeast into wort rather than rehydrating & pitching within 10 degrees of wort temp.

The yeast rehydrated well and I used it at 30 mins after rehydrating. The wort and yeast temps were definitely with 10F. So I'm pretty sure I did all I could there. So I guess I just hope they don't get too stressed by the higher gravity. So would you say it's a bad idea to pitch the Danstar I have?

 

[unionrdr]

Depending on yeast viability to start with,rehydrated yeast has started sooner ime. In as little as three hours,& in as much as 12-15 hours or so. I think that has a lot to do with it,other than pitch temps & the like.