White Labs Yeast Question.

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Sediment

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Boiled up a pretty basic IPA yesterday morning. For the first time I tried some liquid yeast, White Labs British Ale Yeast WLP005.

The directions recommend your brew be between 70-75 degrees during the fermentation. (you may skip to the bottom to read the question, or read on for some back story...:D)

Well, I chilled my wort down to a pretty solid 60 degrees.

I shook up the yeast and added, thinking well eventually it will warm back up to room 70 in my basement.

Warm weather has finally arrived here, so the furnace isn't on downstairs, making it cool, maybe in the low to mid 60's.

I think I'm starting to see some activity now, but what's the chance this will be a no go with this type of yeast?

I guess the easier and faster question is are the directions about temperature really that important as long as I'm not down in the fifties?


I will obviously give it a few days, but I was just curious.
 
It will be fine. From White Labs website it's recommended to be 65-70 degrees as "optimum range" but even 60 will do perfectly fine. It might take a few more days to ferment out but that is really your only potential issue. RDWHAHB
 
I exclusively use White Labs yeast, and I always shoot for the bottom end of the temperature range during the most active part of fermentation. Remember that fermentation generates heat, so unless you have a thermo probe in your fermenter it is probably safe to say that it is a couple degrees warmer inside the fermenter. 65° is a fairly safe range, I allow my belgians to warm to room temps after the first 4-5 days of active fermentation, otherwise all others stay around 65° regardless of what the "optimum" temp range for that yeast is. May take a bit longer to ferment out sometimes, but I am learning to be patient. :D
 
Should be good to go. I just used this same exact yeast in my IPA and it evetually went nuts. Needed a blow off tube once it got rockin :rockin:

I'll have six schnitz's
 
I've noticed that too - the PITCHING temp on the yeast instruction labels indicate a higher temperature than the optimal fermenting temperature.
I always followed this, but lately, I get the wort down cooler, and keep it cooler, often pitching at 64. It certainly doesn't take off as fast, but it always does take off eventually.
 
Thanks for the replies. As an update: looks like I've got fermentation going with small krausen developing. This is my 5th batch of my "career" and the only non-starter I've had was looking like this one, with no activity after close to 24 hours. All the other batches have been going bonkers by 12 to 24 (granted with different yeasts).

This yeast is definitely taking its time. I'm hoping the extra expense will pay off at tasting time.
 
I have been really fortunate with White Labs, my lag times are generally around 6-8 hours, my shortest lag was bout 3-4 hours and that was with WLP400, stinky stuff!
 
I found that if I pitched WL yeast straight from the vial it could average 24 hours to get to a fully active krausen. I always make a starter now. Reduces lag time to 8 hours or less.
 
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