Too hot. Too late?

[Neco]

I had trouble with my second batch of "kit" beer. I brought the steeping temperature for the wort well past the recommended 170 degree for this red ale. Also, I wasn't able to cool it down quickly to the recommended 64 to 72 degree before adding the yeast (it was still at about 100 degrees when yeast was added and overnight past is currently about 78.) What can I expect? Did I just pour $38.00 down the drain?

 

[mlg5039]

Due to the high steeping temps, expect your FG to be slightly higher than expected, but not by much. They were just specialty grains not base malts right?

As far as pitching yeast at 100 degrees, I imagine you didn't kill all of the yeast, but you probably shocked them. I would expect them to produce some off flavors and maybe take a little extra time to takeoff. What yeast did you use??

 

[neovox]

mlg5039 is right on. As far as pouring $38 down the drain. I don't think you have to worry about that. Pitching the yeast at the hotter temp is more of a deal than the high steep temp. You could always pitch more if it doesn't start or you think the temp was hot enough to kill off a significant amount of the yeast.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

May be the best beer you ever make (but I doubt it).

Over heating the grain a bit isn't a good thing (you didn't say how much, so I assume just a bit).
In my opinion, the bigger problem is pitching the yeast to warm. That can stress the yeast and cause off flavors.

The reality is, there is nothing you can do about it now. Just relax and let it do it's thing. This will be a good lesson... when it's finished, you'll know the impact of this combination of mistakes. Once you make ALL the mistakes and learn to prevent them you'll probably be the only guy here that doesn't make some kind of mistake on every batch.

BTW... Welcome to HBT.

Ed

 

[Calder]

No big deal on the steeping grains. There will not be less fermentables because you were steeping and not mashing. You have probably extracted some additional tannins from the grain, but I bet you will be unable to notice it. I have a book called "Brewing beers like those you buy", Dave Line, 1978. His method for brewing leaves the steeping grains in the wort for the entire boil. We know better now, but this indicates it should not be a big deal.

The yeast is the big issue. 100F is the recommended re-hydration temperature for a lot of dry yeasts, so you should be OK. I would recommend you get a spare pack of dry yeast and be ready to pitch it tomorrow morning if the current yeast doesn't show any signs of life. If it starts, everything will be OK, and don't worry about any off flavors, chances are you will not notice them anyway. You are making your second batch, you want to make drinkable beer, and that's what you should get.

 

[pjcampbell]

I pitched some wyeast 1968 yeast at 80F yesterday knowing the ambient temp was cold and would bring it down quickly. 12+ hours later no sign of activity. Fermometer is at 68F now. The OG was right at 1.06 and the Wyeast packet was completely puffed up. There is a lot of settlement at the bottom of the carboy. Should I expect to see activity within another 12 hours or did I kill something?

 

[Ohio-Ed]

I pitched some wyeast 1968 yeast at 80F yesterday knowing the ambient temp was cold and would bring it down quickly. 12+ hours later no sign of activity. Fermometer is at 68F now. The OG was right at 1.06 and the Wyeast packet was completely puffed up. There is a lot of settlement at the bottom of the carboy. Should I expect to see activity within another 12 hours or did I kill something?

It can take up to 72 hours for fermentation to begin.
Bubbles in an airlock are not a good indication as to whether fermentation has begun.

Relax, sounds like you did everything required to give the yeast the proper opportunity to do what it does best.

Ed