Pitching washed yeast with no starter - issues???

[eelgerg]

So, in haste, I decided to pitch a jar of washed Nottingham yeast into an Amber Ale this weekend. I actually split the 10G batch into two 5G batches for fermentation, and pitched a dry pack of S-04 hydrated into one carboy, and the washed notty into the other. For the notty, I pitched about 300 ml of milky slurry. I DID NOT make a starter.

The Notty batch got off to a slow start, and is still active after 48 hours. The S-04 is generally done.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1424840785.790323.jpg

Is this an issue? Will I have under-pitched the batch? Anything else I should do?

 

[schokie]

Should be fine. I do that all the time and have no issues. Liquid yeast tends to have a longer lag phase than the dry yeast, so it's not a concern that it's taking longer.

I don't make a starter for my washed yeast unless it's been in the fridge for a couple months. I don't even really wash, I just pour the yeast cake into a mason jar. I assume 1bil cells per ml of slurry, but that's probably a little conservative.

 

[eelgerg]

Good info - thanks shockie!

 

[eelgerg]

Another concern is that the notty batch is still quite cloudy and noticeably lighter in color than the S-04 batch. I'm assuming that it has different flocculation characteristics, and that when this extended active phase is over that will drop out. Interesting to do them side by side! Last batch I did the same with the original pack of Notty and S-04 and they both finished active ferm about the same time.

I love experimenting!

 

[Zeppman]

eelgerg - off topic but quick tip. You'll have better temp accuracy taping your thermocouple, insulated (on the outside) with bubblewrap or something similar to the carboy then having it sit in a cup of water a few feet away from your carboy.

 

[jahdub]

Do a lot of people put their probes in water? I didn't think most of those were completely water resistant.

 

[Zeppman]

Do a lot of people put their probes in water? I didn't think most of those were completely water resistant.

That, too.

 

[Gavin C]

eelgerg - off topic but quick tip. You'll have better temp accuracy taping your thermocouple, insulated (on the outside) with bubblewrap or something similar to the carboy then having it sit in a cup of water a few feet away from your carboy.

Definitely. The carboy temp can be controlled to the desired temp +/- the hysteresis setting on the controller (0.3C in my case). Wedge it between those two carboys in contact with both.

The freezer's ambient is a huge variable.

On topic. I just pitched a slurry of Wyeast 1028 into a stout (OG 1.055) the day after harvest. Out of curiosity I checked the gravity 3 days after pitching (1.017)

No washing or rinsing. Just collected the slurry in sanitized jars. Very easy and worked well.

 

[eelgerg]

eelgerg - off topic but quick tip. You'll have better temp accuracy taping your thermocouple, insulated (on the outside) with bubblewrap or something similar to the carboy then having it sit in a cup of water a few feet away from your carboy.

Thanks - I made this change yesterday and there was a huge difference!

 

[eelgerg]

eelgerg - off topic but quick tip. You'll have better temp accuracy taping your thermocouple, insulated (on the outside) with bubblewrap or something similar to the carboy then having it sit in a cup of water a few feet away from your carboy.

I made this change and I agree - huge difference! What was I thinking?!?-

 

[eelgerg]

Zeppelin yes I made the change to taping to the side of a carboy - what a difference!

 

[Gavin C]

Zeppelin yes I made the change to taping to the side of a carboy - what a difference!

Insulate the outside of the probe so that it will only read the carboys temp and not be affected by the freezer's ambient. Or wedge it between the two carboys in contact with both.

 

[eelgerg]

I taped it to the carboy and insulated with a bit of extra reflectix from my keggle insulating setup. Works like a charm, although it is reading the temp of the notty, which is probably mugger temp than the S-04 which is now done the active ferm stage. S-04 sticker temp says it is about 63, freezer set at 65.....

Good enough!

 

[Westermans]

Off topic but, What temp do you set you thermostat at when using the cup of water? What temp are you trying to hit?

 

[eelgerg]

I had it set at 68 but the carboy ferm sticker was showing 74 during the active fermentation stage. Obviously not working as intended. Since changing to the taped method, temps have been much more accurate - from what I can tell.