Under pitching of yeast if settlement from starter didn't make it to fermenter?

[lxlahr3]

Hey all,

I brewed a Russian imperial stout yesterday and because of the high (1.090) OG decided it'd be best to make a starter. I should also say that it was the first time I ever used a starter.

I used a wyeast 1056 smack pack and let it sit for the recommended 4 hours before adding it to half a quart of "wort".

20 hours later when it was time to pitch, it was still showing activity. The folks at my LHBS recommended I not decant and just pitch the whole starter because of nature of the beer I was making. So that's what I did.

I cooled and aerated my wort and pitched the starter, promptly taking a hydrometer reading (1.086 @ 72 with a hydrometer calibrated to 60) and sealing up the fermenter.

I cleaned up and later realized that there was a small amount of sediment (1/8-1/4") at the bottom of the growler I used for the starter that got washed away and didn't make it into the wort.

So now I'm paranoid that I under pitched. 16 hours after pitching the airlock started going nuts and now,
31 hours after pitching it's still bubbling.

What do you guys think? Pitch more yeast? Let it be?

Thanks,
Alex

 

[Singletrack]

I would let it be.

 

[Gameface]

Hey all,

I brewed a Russian imperial stout yesterday and because of the high (1.090) OG decided it'd be best to make a starter. I should also say that it was the first time I ever used a starter.

I used a wyeast 1056 smack pack and let it sit for the recommended 4 hours before adding it to half a quart of "wort".

20 hours later when it was time to pitch, it was still showing activity. The folks at my LHBS recommended I not decant and just pitch the whole starter because of nature of the beer I was making. So that's what I did.

I cooled and aerated my wort and pitched the starter, promptly taking a hydrometer reading (1.086 @ 72 with a hydrometer calibrated to 60) and sealing up the fermenter.

I cleaned up and later realized that there was a small amount of sediment (1/8-1/4") at the bottom of the growler I used for the starter that got washed away and didn't make it into the wort.

So now I'm paranoid that I under pitched. 16 hours after pitching the airlock started going nuts and now,
31 hours after pitching it's still bubbling.

What do you guys think? Pitch more yeast? Let it be?

Thanks,
Alex

Your beer is fine. Pitching more yeast now probably won't accomplish anything.

There is more yeast in your beer right now than 3 of those starters. It's very good to pitch the optimal number of yeast. That said, attenuation is not very closely tied to pitch rate. What optimal pitching does is to help reduce the stress on the yeast. At this point those yeast were either stressed or not (or whatever point between). It's done. It's a big 'ol stout. It'll work out. The effects of the stress might make your 1056 yeast taste a little more like an English strain. It might turn out to be a good thing.

 

[lxlahr3]

Good to know. My intuition was that by now any harm that would've been done is, well, done. Just wanted to double check.

Thanks for the input.

Cheers

 

[flars]

A quarter inch of yeast, if it covered the entire bottom of the growler, would be quite a bit of yeast that did not make it into the wort. If the yeast did cover the entire bottom of the growler, pitching more yeast could be done.
The dry yeast US-05 is almost the same strain as WY 1056. Rehydrate a pack of US-05 in 80°F to 86°F water, stirring after 15 minutes and then a 15 minute rest before pitching.

 

[lxlahr3]

I think 1/4 inch was an overestimation. It was much closer to an eighth of an inch and had accumulated mostly around the perimeter of the container.

 

[flars]

I think 1/4 inch was an overestimation. It was much closer to an eighth of an inch and had accumulated mostly around the perimeter of the container.

Good to hear. You are going to end up with a good Imperial Stout.