Question - Did I ruin my beer pitching to late

[rizman460]

I was brewing a Belgian Ale yesterday finished the wort at 60 minutes and brought the temp down to 80 degrees when I realized the yeast needed 3 hours in the packet to activate. So, I put the beer into the Carboy and then caped it and waited for 3 hours while my yeast activated. Did that destroy my beer or create off flavors?

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

It is fine. Pitching quickly is to get the yeast started before the unlikey event that you have something in there that will compete with the yeast.

 

[malkore]

Its totally fine. I've waited overnight to pitch my yeast before, no problem. If its clean and sanitized, your beer could sit for days without being pitched and have no ill effects.

 

[thunder]

I was brewing a Belgian Ale yesterday finished the wort at 60 minutes and brought the temp down to 80 degrees when I realized the yeast needed 3 hours in the packet to activate. So, I put the beer into the Carboy and then caped it and waited for 3 hours while my yeast activated. Did that destroy my beer or create off flavors?

make yourself a checklist on brew day so you do not forget things like that!

 

[Yooper]

Keep in mind that you don't have to wait for the package to swell, or activate. You can just pour the yeast in as long as the wort is cool enough.

I like to cool my wort to 70 degrees before adding yeast. 80 degrees is too warm anyway. It won't kill the yeast, but can cause some unpleasant flavors at that high of a temperature.

 

[rizman460]

Thank you all for the quick response. The temp was to 70 degrees by the time I pitched.