Yeast Dud

[CharruaInBelgium]

I am doing a batch of Stout and I used a Wyeast yeast pack. I smacked the pack and broke the inside pouch but the yeast pack didn't swell. However since the pack says you don't really need to wait for it to swell (you can pitch it as long as the inner pouch broke) I pitched the yeast to the fermentor. Its been 24 hours and the air lock shows the water even so there is no gas being generated inside. I think something happened and the yeast did not get activated.

Is it ok if I throw in a new yeast pack? If so, is the wort ok sitting in the bucket for a couple of days while the yeast arrives? (I have to order online).

Thanks for the advise! I don't want to throw away this batch!

 

[ericbw]

You can add more, but another day might be ok to wait.

What was the temperature of the wort when you pitched?

 

[CharruaInBelgium]

It was 23-24 Celsius within the range and the temp I always pitch.

What made me suspicious was that when I opened the pack, I saw the inner pouch still had some liquid inside...so thats why I though the yeast did not get activated and its just taking a nap inside my wort.

 

[kh54s10]

23-24c is a bit warm, IMO. What was the OG of the batch?

Wyeast packs contain about 100 billion cells when packaged. The cells start to die very soon after. Most ales require about 200 billion cells so a starter is advised.

24 hours is too soon to get very worried. Especially with the underpitch. It might take another day or two to get started.

 

[CharruaInBelgium]

The temperature is within the specs of the yeast and I used wyeast before with no problem. It think this time is that the yeast didn't get activated because all the liquid didn't come out of the inner pouch. I will buy a new pack of yeast and I'll have to wait a couple days anyway.

 

[IslandLizard]

+1 to what @kh54s10 said.

There's a fair chance your beer will ferment with the yeast you pitched, it may be just slow to start.

But, you won't know until 2 or 3 days in, which is a critical period as other micro organisms may get a foothold during this lag time. Also, the yeast could have been dead (e.g. overheating, age) or there are not enough cells available (old or unfavorable storage) for a healthy fermentation.

The activator pouch in the WYeast pack has nutrients and some fermentables to help wake up the dormant yeast, but it won't grow new cells. A starter will, 2-4 times of what was there before. See Mr. Malty yeast calculator or BrewUnited's yeast calculator.

Read up on how to make starters, it's very easy to do, and will increase the odds that your beer will be fermented with the yeast you pitched, and not by some stray "bugs."

 

[brewbama]

Liquid yeast is so over rated. Dry yeast is ready to pitch, their rehydration is a simple procedure and correct yeast counts are achieved simply by pitching a known weight of dry yeast. No propagation "starter" or in-house laboratory work is needed. The consistency of fermentations also adds the advantage of predictable fermentation output.

 

[tracyk]

That is the one thing that I hate about the Wyeast packages. You have to beat the $h_t out of them to work. Last one ended up all over my counter top. I have since learned to make a starter with them. Cut open the package, then look for that little squeaky package of nutrients. Cut it open, throw in starter, much easier.

 

[kh54s10]

You do not even need to break the nutrient pack in a Wyeast SmackPack. It is just that, a nutrient. It is a slight feeding of the yeast to prepare them for fermentation. The yeast are just as alive with or without the nutrient.

Dry yeasts are fine. But you are somewhat limited in the styles available. Liquid yeast is just as good and it is not unpredictable if you treat it right.

 

[BigMack]

I haven't seen anybody mention it yet, so I will be that guy. Airlock activity is not a good way to determine whether or not fermentation is taking place. There are so many different things that can cause/prevent an airlock from bubbling.