Pitch more yeast?

[ImperialDrHops]

I brewed an IPA yesterday that had an OG of 1.080 and simply pitched a smack pack of Wyeast 1968 that had swelled. No starter. I know, I know.. always use a starter. I pitched at 3pm yesterday and this morning there is activity in the airlock, but I'm concerned that at such a high gravity, the yeast is stressed and not enough viable cells. Carboy temp is about 67 degrees.

Should I go to store today and get another pack and pitch? Or simply let it ride and see what happens?

 

[Syke]

Yay, my first post. So you know I have no idea what I'm talking about yet, but I'm learning.

5 gallon batch? 1 yeast pack with a 1.080 wort sounds way too little. Toss in another pack.

 

[ImperialDrHops]

Well, having a snow storm here and roads aren't great. And the store is closed on Sundays so I'm out of luck until Monday. And I just checked the primary and the Krausen blew the airlock out so I made a blow off tube. The yeast is obviously working fine. I'm thinking the worst case is potential off flavors.

 

[Syke]

Your temp looks good, so you might be able to avoid off-flavors. Did you give it tons of oxygen to start? That's what you need for good growth at the beginning so there's enough yeast to finish the job.

 

[DurtyChemist]

Do you have a way to warm it up if needed? If so you could start warming it up Monday to help the yeast finish. You could also pitch a second pack of yeast Monday.

 

[JonM]

That's a great yeast, but it can be finicky even under ideal conditions with a starter and O2. It really helps to warm it up as soon as fermentation activity starts to slow down. Otherwise, it can stop early.

It's a fast starter too. I think since activity has already started, the damage may be done, i.e., any off-flavors from underpicthing are established. I guess just see how she does.

 

[RM-MN]

Once your yeast have started making bubbles in the airlock or pushing up krausen, I don't think pitching more yeast will have much effect.

http://brulosophy.com/2015/04/20/yeast-pitch-rate-single-vial-vs-yeast-starter-exbeeriment-results/

 

[ImperialDrHops]

Did you give it tons of oxygen to start?
I shook the crap out of it for 5 minutes. By 12-15 hours there were bubbles in airlock at a constant rate, and by 24 hours-ish, the krausen blew the airlock out and made a mess of my walls.

I've honestly never made a beer with this high of OG before and the blow off tube in sanitizer sounded like a constant stream of blowing bubbles, very loudly. It provided great humor for the kids!

This morning, around the 36 hour mark, it's back down to a constant light bubbling. Probably ready to put the airlock back on and warm up to 70 degrees in a couple of days.

 

[JonM]

If fermentation activity is slowing, you should warm it up right now. Most yeasts you can leave at a constant temp for weeks, but 1968 and the White Labs version, 002, need to warm up as soon as they start to slow down or else they can stop early. With my beers, sometimes 1968 can start to slow 18-24 hours so 36 hours sounds about right.