Rookie mistakes; over hopped and underpitched?

[AaronB]

I made my first non-kit batch last week, our basement has been sitting at ~58F all winter and I decided I wanted to do a California Common before the ground temp started climbing.

I made my recipe with BrewSmith, was planning on ~1.051 OG and 34 IBUs using 4 Gallon Extract equipment profile. At the last minute, I ended up borrowing an 8 gallon pot from my brother and doing a full boil.

Of course, being a rookie in a rush (with 3 kids) I failed to recalculate the hop additions until almost a week later, looks like I'm going to be somewhere around 45 IBUs. That, I can live with, I'll just tell myself it's an English IPA with lager yeast.

In researching yeast after discovering that error, however, it appears I've probably grossly under-pitched. I used 1 Wyeast 2112 smack pack. From what I've been reading it looks like for a 1.052 ale I'd probably want twice that much, and for a lager probably close to twice that.

1 week in the air lock is still going, about 3+ solid bubbles a minute. I'm wondering if I should pick up and toss in another pack of 2112 right away? Pick one up and toss it in when I transfer to the secondary? Or just let it ride and deal with it?

Thanks for any feedback

 

[ChshreCat]

I made my first non-kit batch last week, our basement has been sitting at ~58F all winter and I decided I wanted to do a California Common before the ground temp started climbing.

I made my recipe with BrewSmith, was planning on ~1.051 OG and 34 IBUs using 4 Gallon Extract equipment profile. At the last minute, I ended up borrowing an 8 gallon pot from my brother and doing a full boil.

Of course, being a rookie in a rush (with 3 kids) I failed to recalculate the hop additions until almost a week later, looks like I'm going to be somewhere around 45 IBUs. That, I can live with, I'll just tell myself it's an English IPA with lager yeast.

In researching yeast after discovering that error, however, it appears I've probably grossly under-pitched. I used 1 Wyeast 2112 smack pack. From what I've been reading it looks like for a 1.052 ale I'd probably want twice that much, and for a lager probably close to twice that.

1 week in the air lock is still going, about 3+ solid bubbles a minute. I'm wondering if I should pick up and toss in another pack of 2112 right away? Pick one up and toss it in when I transfer to the secondary? Or just let it ride and deal with it?

Thanks for any feedback

I've used a single smack pack with beers with a higher OG than that. You probably should have made a starter, but I usually don't and they come out fine. I wouldn't go pitching more yeast after the fact, especially in secondary.

 

[amandabab]

leave it alone.
see how it works and adjust the next batch for problems that really exist in the finished product, if any.

 

[AaronB]

Cool, thanks for the quick responses

 

[Hogarthe]

would definitely have been better to make a starter, or pitch 2 packs. it won't help any now, the flavor profile would be set after the first couple days of fermentation. That said, 2112 is probably the most forgiving lager strain, so it will hopefully still be drinkable. when I've used that yeast, I didn't make as big of a starter as I make when using other lager strains, and the beers come out good.

 

[Cyclman]

It'll be fine. If it was a true lager it might be estery, but for a CC it will still be delicious.