IPA Yeast...Dead?

[jqstave]

My cousin and I made an American IPA and it's currently in the primary. Unfortunately, I'm currently in San Antonio, TX, and even with the AC blasting the temp got up to about 80 degrees. Now there is no yeast activity, no bubbling, etc.

What I've now done is put my bucket in a large tupperware container in the tub with cold water. (The bucket is not in direct contact with the water) I'm thinking I need to re-pitch the yeast, but I wanted to check with you guys first.

The IPA started in the primary on Saturday evening, so it's only been about 3 days.

 

[shawnbou]

80° is a bit high for an ideal fermentation temperature, but I don't think it's high enough to actually kill the yeast. I'm in Austin and have had to live with 78° fermentations in the past before I learned to control my temperatures. The beer wasn't perfect, but it was beer.

After 3 days, it is possible that the yeast have already done their work when you weren't looking. Especially at a higher temperature. Have you checked gravity? That is the only way to know for sure whether the wort is fermenting.

 

[Hernando]

What kind of yeast did you use? Some yeasts work faster than others. The yeast maybe doing it's thing still and it is just not in a stand out way you are expecting. I couldn't imagine that 80 degrees would kill off the yeast.

 

[jsweet]

There is absolutely no way in hell that 80F is going to kill yeast. Yeast don't start to die off until like >120F. It will likely produce some off-flavors in your beer, but it shouldn't make it undrinkable by any means.

What yeast did you use? Depending on the yeast strain, 3 days of very active fermentation, followed by a relatively quiet conditioning phase, is generally pretty normal. Especially at such high fermentation temperatures.

In any case, airlock activity is not an indicator of fermentation, use a hydrometer instead, yada yada yada...

 

[KoedBrew]

Yeah I agree with jsweet that yeast is not dead it went into overdrive when you hit 80 degrees and you probably got quite a bit of off flavors by going that high
But your yeast aren't dead and they can run most of their fermentation in 3 days if you pitched well!

Hydrometer will tell you when its done...not bubbles

 

[ThePearsonFam]

+1 to previous posts...

- no way they're dead
- probably already dead *** EDIT *** done, not dead... ugh
- specifically, high ferm temp will = esters and fusels

Don't sweat it, brew on...

 

[sgillespie]

Before you make a decision, take a gravity reading. I'll bet its just about finished

 

[unionrdr]

After it reaches FG,it'd be wise to let it sit for a week or so to clean up from those high temps. Then 3-4 weeks bottle conditioning. It works,I did that with initial ferment temps on my 1st batch. Turned out so good,even my wife liked it! Patience...:rockin:

 

[jqstave]

Right on, guys. Thanks for the advice.