I think my yeast died in transit

[Wingfan13]

It has been 100 degrees here. I had an order shipped to me with a smack pack. I brewed yesterday and there is no activity at all. I am doing a 2 1/2 gallon brew in a 3 gallon better bottle.

I smacked the pack early in the morning and 6 hours later it had not swelled at all. I read online that it doesn't mean the yeast aren't ready and since I have such a small batch and a ton of yeast I wasn't worried.

When the package arrived the yeast packet was very warm. I am thinking the yeast died from the heat. It has been over 24 hours. Should I expect to see some activity considering how much yeast I pitched ? Again, this is a clear better bottle so all I see is a cake on the bottom of the fermenter, no krausen and the airlock hasn't even lifted the plastic piece at all.

Yeast dead ? What do I do now ?

 

[MaltnHops]

Pitch a packet of dry yeast that you should always have on hand in case something like this happens.

 

[Wingfan13]

Pitch a packet of dry yeast that you should always have on hand in case something like this happens.

A smart person would have that on hand. Time to head to the brew store. Thanks

 

[jonmohno]

How long did it ship, and in heat its recommened to get ice packs and quicker delivery.What about using austin homebrew?

 

[Revvy]

DId you make a starter? Have you waited the 72 hours that yeast OFTEN needs before getting started, when it's perfectly healthy? How do you know your yeast is dead if it's only been 24 hours and you didn't first make a starter to prove viability?

 

[Wingfan13]

How long did it ship, and in heat its recommened to get ice packs and quicker delivery.What about using austin homebrew?

I go there all the time. I was just ordering something AHS didn't have in stock at the time and decided to make a small batch. It was in transit 2 to 3 days.

 

[Wingfan13]

DId you make a starter? Have you waited the 72 hours that yeast OFTEN needs before getting started, when it's perfectly healthy? How do you know your yeast is dead if it's only been 24 hours and you didn't first make a starter to prove viability?

No starter, since it was a small batch I didn't think it was necessary since I pitched the whole pack. I know it has only been 24 hours but this is my first brew where the fermentation is visible (new better bottle, usually ferment in a bucket) and just assumed I would see something going on. Maybe I am just not used to seeing it.

I was mostly concerned because of how warm the yeast pack felt when I received it.

 

[Revvy]

No starter, since it was a small batch I didn't think it was necessary since I pitched the whole pack. I know it has only been 24 hours but this is my first brew where the fermentation is visible (new better bottle, usually ferment in a bucket) and just assumed I would see something going on. Maybe I am just not used to seeing it.

Well, a starter PROVES viability regardless of how much yeast you need. In questionable yeast like that which is being shipped in summer, it's really kinda stupid not to, it would have eased your mind.

And also as the sticky says, fermentation can take 24 to 72 hours. Especially as it might be stressed from transit.

 

[Wingfan13]

Well, a starter PROVES viability regardless of how much yeast you need. In questionable yeast like that which is being shipped in summer, it's really kinda stupid not to, it would have eased your mind.

And also as the sticky says, fermentation can take 24 to 72 hours. Especially as it might be stressed from transit.

Well I guess I thought with a 2.5 gallon batch that if I made a starter I was risking over pitching. Is over pitching a concern ?

 

[zachary80]

You'd have to check it with the calculator, but you wouldn't be obligated to use the whole starter and would have verified healthy yeast

I recently got bad yeast online as verified by a starter. Definitely worth the extra effort

 

[jonmohno]

Give it a few days. Before proceding as Revvy stated, its too early to tell, but ordering yeast would be better in cooler temps then storing in your fridge next time,not a good idea to heat yeast in transit, i ordered some hop rizomes shipped from the west coast,later than i wanted but still thought it was ok, well they didnt make it int the 80 ish temps, maybe higher i dont know after a week travel, what a bummmer

 

[Dons]

I've heard it is very hard to overpitch. I ALWAYS use a starter. Given that, I ordered from Northern Brewer a few weeks ago a smackpak. I thought too late about the heat wave throughout the entire country at that time. I figure it was is 100+ heat for 8 days. Even more depending on how long it sat in the delivery trucks. I was worried sick and thought about tossing it, but it is over 3 hours RT to my local brewstore. So I used it with a starter and it worked great. (yes I ordered the cold pack, but there is little point to that over 8 days 100+ degrees)

 

[rmb]

I live in Florida... my cold pack turned into a freakin heat pack. Yes, I pulled it out and it was steaming hot... the cold pack became a heat pack... even after sitting in the shade.

I put it in the fridge.

Later I put it out and let it come back to room temp... then since bottling took so long... I put it back in the fridge.

Next day I took it out, and since my garage was 90 degrees, after I smakced it... it swelled. So I figured.. okay its good.

Then I pitched it in 80 degree wort... and since it is a belgian strong Wlyeats 1388 I was expecting crazy fermintation... I see nothing in my blow off tube though... my fridge is at 68...

So I wonder, did I stress out my yeast to the point where they all just committed suicide in my wort???

 

[rmb]

12 hours later... I now see big bubbles in my blow off container.

Man, yeasts are quite resilient.