Pitched liquid yeast w/ no starter - HELP!

[MountainGoatBrewing]

Ok, regarding a topic being discussed in another thread ( https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/london-esb-1968-a-278933/ ), I need some advice ASAP!

We pitched one packet of London ESB 1968 into our wort last night without a starter. It looks like 2 packets would've been the correct move, or having used a starter, which we didn't have time for on this batch.

If fermentation doesn't happen or is super slow, what course of action should I take? Is it possible to add more yeast at this point? Should I add another pack of ESB, or can I add a generic dry yeast? Has anyone ever mixed dry and liquid yeasts before?!?!

The store is closed now, so I wouldn't be able to add anything until tomorrow afternoon, approximately 36-48 hours after we pitched the first one into the wort Saturday night.

Any and all advice on this would be greatly appreciated - I want this beer to live!

 

[Seven]

If it were me I would just ride this one out and see how the first packet does. It will probably turn out fine.

 

[BrewerinBR]

Did you pitch and activator or a propagator? The Activator will be enough, but the propagator wound not be. I would just give it time.

 

[jetmac]

Your yeast will live and you will make beer.

The deal is that is an ale yeast so you don't need quite as much yeast. And depending on your OG it may or may not have turned out better. I know wyeast says one pack up to a certain gravity. But that's prolly 95%+ viability.
Don't worry, it will be fine. Leave it alone. Maybe not quite as good as it could have been but ....

 

[MountainGoatBrewing]

I'm 99.9% sure that it was indeed the Direct Pitch Activator pack. OG was ~1.060.

Thanks for the votes of confidence - would hate for this not to turn out.

 

[BainbridgeBrewer]

You should be fine. I use to just use single smack packs and had some great beer come out of them. They tended to take a little bit to get rolling.

 

[MountainGoatBrewing]

well, I'll be a cat's ass - word from my cousin is that airlock is bubbling...1 to 2 per minute. You guys were right -> guess I won't stress quite as hard from here on out!

 

[Matty22]

I have never made a starter. Just rehydrate and pitch, works every time.

RDWHAHB

 

[Brewnoob1]

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I just finished my pumpkin ale yesterday. OG 1.062. 1 11g packet of Notty and it's fermenting in about a 66-68 degree room. Almost 24hrs since I pitched and no bubbles, no krausen. Just looks like some yeast rafts or something floating all over the top. It's easier said than done not to be feeling some anxiety that something is not going to happen. Oh, I did rehydrate the yeast in about 80 to 85 degree water about 20 minutes before pitching into the wort.

 

[MountainGoatBrewing]

^What temperature was the wort at when you pitched?

Rehydrating dry yeast in previously boiled warm water is what I did with the kit recipes I made...no issues with that. But it seems that in regards to wort temperature, and I'm certainly no expert, there's a widely varying range of temps in which it's ok to pitch your yeast...one recipe I saw said 90º was ok, some guys have said they've done it at 80 with no problem, but I'd guessing the yeast likes it closer to 72º...other than that, I'll leave it the guys with much more experience in these matters!

 

[daksin]

Yea, you should be fine. I made a very tasty ESB of similar gravity with just a single packet of 1968. Just make a starter next time.

 

[Brewnoob1]

To rehydrate, the package said up to 90. I did it closer to 80. As for the wort, it was around 65

 

[MountainGoatBrewing]

I'd repost in a new thread w/ title specific to "no krausen/no activity" or something like that - should grab attention faster!