Under pitched my Red Ale

[AirRageous]

I brewed a 10 gallon batch of Irish Red Ale yesterday. OG was 1.055 The recipe was for 5 gals. so I doubled everything when I got the ingredients from the LHBS. Except I screwed up and only bought one smackpac of Wyest 1084. I did not realize this error until halfway through the brew day. I live 30 miles from the store so I just divided the pack between each 5 gal. fermenter. I checked this morning and no activity yet after 12 hours. I know that this is still early but my question is: Should I get more yeast and add it to the fermenters? I work near the store and can buy another pack today and pitch it when I get home tonight. Or should I just be patient and let it work?

 

[CPooley4]

My yeast calc tells me you would need about 382 billion yeast cells for that batch. You pitched about 100. If you don't want to build a starter I would suggest getting 2 more packets of the yeast and pitching one to each fermenter. That should get you close enough for a decent fermentation.

Good luck.

cp

 

[AirRageous]

Thanks for the advise CPooley4. I went to the LHBS after work to buy more yeast. But, they are out of 1084. After some hemming and hawing about mixing yeast types, we decided that I should just add some yeast nutrient and hope for the best. I got home to find both fermenters bubbling away like crazy. I added the nutrient anyway and this morning they are still getting after it. So, I guess I will just let it take it's course.

 

[CPooley4]

No problem. Hope it all works out well for you.

If you're an all grain brewer you should check out my Brew Chart (link in signature below). You won't have any issues with yeast pitch amounts any longer as it calculates what you'll need for the batch you're brewing.

Good luck.

cp

 

[AirRageous]

No problem. Hope it all works out well for you.

If you're an all grain brewer you should check out my Brew Chart (link in signature below). You won't have any issues with yeast pitch amounts any longer as it calculates what you'll need for the batch you're brewing.

Good luck.

cp

It wasn't a problem with not knowing how much yeast to pitch. I just screwed up and didn't buy enough. And then didn't realize the error until I started brewing.

I am going to start washing yeast with this brew and hopefully will soon have a good supply on hand for next time. I have also ordered a stir plate and flask to start doing starters.

 

[AirRageous]

Checked the SG yesterday. It is at 1.018 down from OG 1.046. So it looks like the little buggies have done their job OK. I racked one 5 gals. into secondary and left the other 5 gals. in primary. I'm doing a test to see if they will taste different. BTW, it taste really good right now.

 

[Calder]

Checked the SG yesterday. It is at 1.018 down from OG 1.046. So it looks like the little buggies have done their job OK. I racked one 5 gals. into secondary and left the other 5 gals. in primary. I'm doing a test to see if they will taste different. BTW, it taste really good right now.

You have 170 posts on here. You didn't read any that said not to rack so soon. You started with a low yeast and you just took it away from most of it's yeast. That baby is not done!

I don't know the recipe, but 28 points out of 46 is only 61% attenuation, that yeast should be capable of getting you more than that. Then if you have read many threads, you will see most people recommend leaving it for another week after to clean up; particularly diecetyl.

It's pretty much guaranteed that they will taste different.

 

[Apendecto]

That baby is not done!

Maybe.

 

[AirRageous]

You have 170 posts on here. You didn't read any that said not to rack so soon. You started with a low yeast and you just took it away from most of it's yeast. That baby is not done!

I don't know the recipe, but 28 points out of 46 is only 61% attenuation, that yeast should be capable of getting you more than that. Then if you have read many threads, you will see most people recommend leaving it for another week after to clean up; particularly diecetyl.

It's pretty much guaranteed that they will taste different.

Calder, while I appreciate your advice, don't make assumptions on how educated I am in the brewing arts and sciences and whether I have read this forum adequately. I see that you joined this forum in March of 2010. In that time I'm sure you have noticed that there are as many opinions on how to brew beer as there are members of this forum. In fact, there is actually MORE opinions than members because a lot of members don't even have one favorite method of brewing themselves.

In this case I had already decided to check out the argument between using a secondary or not with this split batch (another huge difference of opinion on HBT). I did mess up and not use enough yeast. Again, this will make a good experiment to see how different the two batches will taste and what their FG will be 2 or 3 weeks from now. Will I have 10 gallons of good beer or 5 gallons of good beer and 5 gallons of crappy beer? Maybe I will have two 5 gallon batches that both taste great ..... but different. We shall see.

 

[AirRageous]

Update: This has been going for 4 weeks now. The FG for BOTH batches has leveled out at 1.015. No difference! I did noticed that the one I left in primary is much clearer than the one I racked to secondary. Also, the primary only has slightly more hop bitterness and flavor. Both taste great! I am cold crashing them now and plan to bottle on Sunday.

 

[ksbrain]

Great experiment with surprising results! Generally people secondary to get clearer beer.

 

[AirRageous]

Great experiment with surprising results! Generally people secondary to get clearer beer.

That is part of the new thinking. Keeping it primary longer nets clearer beer. That is what happened here.

 

[AirRageous]

Well, it's been in the bottles for 2 weeks. I chilled one from each batch and did a sampling. They both are carbonating well and have a nice head and lacing. The primary only is slightly more hoppy. That is the only difference I can see or taste. They both have the same clarity. Oh yeah ... they taste great!!!

 

[ksbrain]

Slightly more hoppy... I wonder why? Extended contact with hops debris relative to the secondaried batch? Is it more bitter or more hop flavored or more hop smelling?

 

[AirRageous]

Slightly more hoppy... I wonder why? Extended contact with hops debris relative to the secondaried batch? Is it more bitter or more hop flavored or more hop smelling?

More bitter. And there was not much hop residue in the fermenters anyway. I use hop bags and strain the wort as it comes out of the kettle.