Wort too cold?

[boomtown25]

So last night I did some brewing and I have an issue of concern, but think it will end up ok. I did a cold break with a frozen block of spring water in the wort and then topped it off to bring it to 5 gallons in my fermentor. At the same time, I did an ice bath. With my pot being big, I achieved low temps in nearly 15 minutes and there was still ice floating in the wort (my ice block had not melted all the way). I took a reading and it was 65 degrees. Whether I simply wasn’t thinking or the 6 pack I had drunk while brewing clouded my thoughts, I pitched my liquid yeast in with the ice still in the fermentor. This morning, I felt the side of the fermentor and it feels colder than the room, which is 68 degrees. I am assuming that if anything I just slowed the process and when the wort rises to 65-75 degrees fermentation will kick in. Am I correct or do you think I may have damaged the yeast?

 

[jsweet]

Yeast aren't typically "damaged" by cooler temperatures, but you could have shocked them into going dormant. I doubt you did, but it's a possibility. Wait a couple days and see if it starts fermenting, which it probably will. If so, you should be fine. If not, there are things you can do to try and "rouse" the yeast, e.g. bring the temperature up even more, swirl the fermenter, etc. But don't do any of those things to start with, it will probably be fine.

 

[onipar]

I know I've read a lot about yeast suddenly going dormant if temps dropped too low and things like that, but in my experience (and I'll admit this experience has been more with baking/wild yeast/and starters), once yeast reach a warm enough temperature, and assuming there's food (sugar), they will wake up and start eating.

I don't do this with my brewing yeast, but I regularly freeze my bakers yeast. When I want to use it, I make a starter of warm water and sugar. they wake right up.

The only thing I'm confused about is your saying the wort was 65 degrees, but it had ice that wasn't melting in it? Can you tell what the temp is now?

I think you should be fine. Most ale yeasts like it around 60-65 anyway. So assuming the wort was around that temp, I'm sure it's fine. Even if the ice made some of them go dormant, I'd think once the ice melted and the wort remained in the 60's, they'd get to work.

All conjecture off course. Keep an eye on it and hope for some activity.

 

[Rocky71]

I bet it kicks off in 2 - 3 days max. I wouldn't stress over it.

 

[azlightfighter]

Whether I simply wasn’t thinking or the 6 pack I had drunk while brewing clouded my thoughts.

LOL It happens to me all the time!

 

[wyzazz]

I pitch cold (Typically 60F) and then let the yeast warm up the beer gradually, it makes for a really clean beer. Depending on what temp you pitched at you may have a slow start, but rest assured that once your temperature rises those yeast will begin to party!

 

[Nokitchen]

As homebrewers we're taught to treat yeast like a precious snowflake, and it's probably not a bad idea in terms of habit forming. The truth is, though, that people were been making beer with yeast for thousands of years before they realized exactly what yeast was. More, yeast have been finding a way to munch on sugar for two billion years. Your instincts are almost certainly correct. RDWHAH.

 

[jsweet]

As homebrewers we're taught to treat yeast like a precious snowflake, and it's probably not a bad idea in terms of habit forming. The truth is, though, that people were been making beer with yeast for thousands of years before they realized exactly what yeast was. More, yeast have been finding a way to munch on sugar for two billion years. Your instincts are almost certainly correct. RDWHAH.

+1

I usually think about this in regards to sanitation, but it applies here too. A lot of what we do is to make the best beer possible, and to do so consistently... but when something goes wrong, it's worthwhile to remember that beer making started out happening completely by accident...