I think I killed the yeast

[Corbono]

So I brewed my first batch yesterday and everything went as planned. The temp of my batch was a cool 68 degrees before I added the yeast. I measured the OG at 1052, added the yeast sealed the lid and put it away.

Today not a bubble and the OG is still 1052. Where I think I went wrong is, during my sanitizing process I used HOT water and put the yeast packet in the water for a few minutes (duh).

My question is do you think that I killed the yeast and if so what should I do now?

Thanks in advance!

 

[phuff7129]

What kind of yeast?

 

[Corbono]

The yeast is Safale US-05. Here are all the specs on my brew:

SCBS Amber Ale

Style: American Amber Ale
Type: Extract Calories: 171
Rating: 0.0 Boil Size: 5.83 Gal
IBU's: 025.00 Batch Size: 5.00 Gal
Color: 12.4 SRM Boil Time: 60 minutes
Preboil OG: 1.045
Estimated Actual
Brew Date: - 10/14/2012
OG: 1.052 1.050
FG: 1.014 1.014
ABV: 05.00 % 4.72 %
Efficiency: 70 % 123 %
Serve Date: 11/17/2012 / /

Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp Estimated Actual
Primary 7 days @ 65.0°F 10/14/2012 10/14/2012
Secondary 14 days @ 65.0°F 10/21/2012 -
Bottle/Keg 14 days @ 74.0°F 11/04/2012 -

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
7.00 lbs 93.24 % Briess Amber LME 60 mins 1.036
8.00 ozs 6.66 % Weyermann Caramunich III 60 mins 1.037
0.12 ozs 0.10 % Dingemans Cara 45 60 mins 1.032

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
0.75 ozs 37.79 Columbus (Tomahawk) 60 mins 14.00
0.25 ozs 2.46 Cascade 15 mins 5.50
0.25 ozs 0.00 Cascade 0 mins 5.50

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg Safale US-05 Fermentis US-05

Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
1.00 oz Whirlfloc Tablet 15 mins Boil


www.iBrewMaster.com Version: 1.531

 

[freisste]

How hot is HOT? Like max temp of your water heater? Or did you put it in nearly-boiling water off of the stove?

 

[kh54s10]

How hot was the water?

The top of your fermenter may be leaking = no bubbles. It could still be fermenting normally. You may also be having a longer lag time. If the water was not too hot I would not worry for at least another day.

 

[jerrodm]

Point number 1: yeast don't like hot temperatures. But you'll remember that from now on anyway.

Point number 2: depending on how long it's been since you pitched, how hot the water was, and how long you left the yeast packet in there, you may still be fine. I wouldn't worry unless it's been at least 24-48 hrs and you haven't seen any activity. Sometimes the yeast just need a little time to get going. Generally dry yeast are hardier than liquid yeast in this regard, so my guess is you'll be OK. If you haven't seen activity at the 48 hr. point, you might want to think about repitching. Or, if you're paranoid about infection occuring during the lag, you can always get another pack of dry and pitch right now, it won't hurt anything and the worst case scenario is you'll be out the cost of another packet of US-05.

Either way, it's all good, RDWHAHB.

 

[BamaRooster]

point number 1: Yeast don't like hot temperatures. But you'll remember that from now on anyway.

Point number 2: Depending on how long it's been since you pitched, how hot the water was, and how long you left the yeast packet in there, you may still be fine. I wouldn't worry unless it's been at least 24-48 hrs and you haven't seen any activity. Sometimes the yeast just need a little time to get going. Generally dry yeast are hardier than liquid yeast in this regard, so my guess is you'll be ok. If you haven't seen activity at the 48 hr. Point, you might want to think about repitching. Or, if you're paranoid about infection occuring during the lag, you can always get another pack of dry and pitch right now, it won't hurt anything and the worst case scenario is you'll be out the cost of another packet of us-05.

Either way, it's all good, rdwhahb.

+1 rdwhahb

 

[sweetcell]

Today not a bubble and the OG is still 1052. Where I think I went wrong is, during my sanitizing process I used HOT water and put the yeast packet in the water for a few minutes (duh).

how hot was the water? freshly boiled, or just really warm? could you have put your hand in it and kept it there?

assuming that it was too hot and you killed the yeast, you only option is to pitch new yeast in there ASAP. hit the homebrew shop today and get some new yeast in there. don't wait for some other bug to set up shop in there.

 

[Corbono]

I could put my hands in it but it was hot. It came straight from the hot water heater not to the boiling point. Will it hurt anything if I pitch another packet of yeast?

 

[Revvy]

Remember, an airlock is NOT a fermentation gauge, it's a vent to release excess co2. Not bubbling doesn't mean fermentation isn't happening, just that co2 is NOT going out of the airlock with enough strength to do anything. It doesn't MEAN anything.

The only gauge of fermentation that is accurate is a gravity reading.

But at only 24 hours it's too soon to worry about. Did you not happen to notice THIS STICKY at the top of this section of the forum? Fermentation can take 24 to 72 hrs to show visible signs. (And by visible signs they DON'T mean airlock bubbling).....

It's talking about you.

Relax, modern yeast rarely doesn't work for us....That's one of those old wive's tales.

 

[menerdari]

as far as the hot water for sanitizing, I assume you are using a sanitizing agent of some kind since hot water from your water heater is not hot enough to sanitize.
That said. I use only cold water with any sanitizer that I use. Sanitizers rely on chemicals to do their job, not heat and in fact hot water is not good for some sanitizers.
The yeast? with hot water tank temp water on still dry yeast you will probably be ok. Did you rehydrate the yeast or just pitch it dry? dry pitching can take just a bit longer to get active fermentation going.

 

[unionrdr]

Seems to me hot water tank temp is something like 120F. Def too hot for yeast. It should be properly re-hydrated in water of 90-105F according to what I've been reading on PDF's on midwests' site. Above that & you shock or kill them. Especially if it's also dumped into chilled wort that's 70f or lower,also according to these PDF's.
Guess I should've read those before doing my PM last week Tuesday. Mine dropped 10 points & the yeast went belly up. I figured they were gonners,but some said they do that before sinking in to get to work. Don't remember ever seeing that one before,but?...
I re-pitched as well (US-05). Being new to partial mash made me feel like a noob again. Terra Incognita ya know. Now if I'd just not absentmindedly scraped the sides gently stirring the new yeast past the bit of krausen...Darn crud on the sides may come back to haunt me. I hope not,as it's still holding pressure,just a bit less with one week mark tomorrow night.
So learn from me,& check those re-hydration water temps too. & be careful stirring it into the beer if you pitch dry (or second pitch is dry). You look back & wonder sometimes,whodawtf???