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As cold as you can, but not frozen. But ferm temp in a closed, well sanitized fermenter should be fine for a day. You just don't want wild yeast to take off before your yeast has a chance to establish itself.
The colder the better. 32F is better than 60F. Freezing is fine too in a brew bucket, just not in a glass or thin plastic fermenter.
Then warm up to pitching temps and aerate/oxygenate well before pitching yeast.
Now that yeast you're waiting for, is that dry or liquid yeast?
Then warm up to pitching temps and aerate/oxygenate well before pitching yeast.
Now that yeast you're waiting for, is that dry or liquid yeast?
As @Pappers_ said you want to prevent other microorganisms from taken a foothold.
If it's 24-36 hours before you can pitch, 60-70F would be fine as long as your sanitation is good.
If 36-72 hours, definitely toward the mid 30s to low 40s (F).
At least with dry yeast you don't need to make starter, which takes another 1-2 days.
If it's 24-36 hours before you can pitch, 60-70F would be fine as long as your sanitation is good.
If 36-72 hours, definitely toward the mid 30s to low 40s (F).
At least with dry yeast you don't need to make starter, which takes another 1-2 days.
Keep it sealed and you should be fine. Yes, colder is better, but worry about it. A decent pitch of yeast should work fine. I'd recommend pitching dry yeast if you have to delay the yeast; a vial of liquid will take a long time to get started, and a starter will just take extra time. A packet of dry yeast has a lot more yeast cells than a vial of liquid.
Why? What happens if wild yeast start the ferm? Then what if you then pitch ontop?
Is there a way to know if there are baddies in the beer?
If unintended wild yeasts (and/or bacteria) get a foothold, chances are they'll leave flavors and aromas in the beer that are undesirable, turn it sour, and most likely make it putrid. Once a microorganism prevails it makes it more difficult for others to compete, at least while it reigns, and your yeast pitch may not crowd them out or not enough. There's a very small chance it results in a wonderful beer, and definitely not what was intended. Wild brewers do some coaxing to capture or cultivate the right "bugs" to increase their odds on making yummy wild beer.
Not a matter of if. All beer contains "baddies," it's merely pasteurized, not sterile. It's only a matter of time for those baddies to multiply and reign, comparable to milk turning sour or worse. A good healthy yeast pitch as soon as possible will increase a brewer's odds of making the intended beer.
A microscope, streaking, plating, etc., as well as extended studies in microbiology can shine some light on what those "baddies" are.
