Yeast Hydration. Possible mistake? PLEASE COMMENT!

[plaplant]

So I brewed a stronger pale ale a few days ago that had an OG of 1.065. I am relatively new to home brewing and it was the first time I have ever rehydrated my dry yeast. I used one packet of Safale US-05. I boiled some water, let it cool to 100 pitched the yeast into the water and let it sit for 30 minutes swirling it at 15 minutes. After it had cooled down I added it to my wort. Now its nearly 72 hours later and the only action I have seen is slight water displacement of my airlock and a small increase on my bucket temp but it has stayed pretty constant around 66 to 68 degrees. I just took a hydrometer reading and there has been zero fermentation its still at 1.065 so I gave it a long shake get lots of air in and now I will wait.. Does anyone have any suggestions for whats going on? Could I have done something to harm the yeast during hydration? I am very confused because I have successfully fermented beer under these conditions many times before the only thing I changed was the hydration... I have really high hopes for this beer so PLEASE COMMENT WITH ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR THOUGHTS!! THANKS!!!

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

Rehydrating at 100* F should be fine.

Only thing I can think of is to verify your thermometer is accurate (measure temp of ice water and boiling water) and wait it out a bit.

Do you know what temp the wort was when you pitched? Did you initially shake/aerate the wort?

 

[thegerm]

http://koehlerbeer.com/2008/06/07/rehydrating-dry-yeast-with-dr-clayton-cone/

totally agree with the above about thermometer calibration.

I have an 1.079 IIPA finishing up with us-05 right now. took a bit longer than i'm accustomed to get rolling, but it turned out fine. us-05 is cheap, rehydrate and pitch another packet after calibrating your thermometer, imo.

 

[usfmikeb]

Yep, I'd go ahead and repitch. My experience with this yeast is that tis normally done in 120 hours, you'd have fermented partially complete by now.

 

[plaplant]

Thanks guys, What about all the stories I have heard about re-pitching as only a last resort?

 

[bruin_ale]

Thanks guys, What about all the stories I have heard about re-pitching as only a last resort?

I think this situation calls for it.. If it's been a few days and you have no signs of life and no drop in gravity, then you're yeast probably weren't active.
Double check the thermometer that you measure 100* with, I've hydrated doing exactly what you did many times and I'm always happy with the results - usually fermentation seems to have less lag and is more vigorous than just sprinkling the yeast on top.

 

[TimTrone]

Rehydrate close to 90 in the future, and make sure the yeast temp is somewhat close to the wort you pitch it in to. You don't want to shock the yeast. The temps don't have to be identical, but at least within 10 degrees.

 

[plaplant]

Wouldn't you know! Today I was going to head out to the LHBS to grab some new yeast and I took a final look at my fermenter and it was bubbling away!! To my calculations almost exactly 72 hours after pitching! This I guess just proves that you really do need to relax and wait it out. Thanks for all the advice tho!

 

[Ramitt]

You underpitched for that OG and it took longer for the yeast to fire up.

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

I'd pitch a single packet of US-05 into 5 gallons of 1.065 wort all day long. It's barely underpitching and I've never tasted any off flavors by doing this, nor have I ever had a lag in fermentation beginning.

 

[ChessRockwell]

I'd pitch a single packet of US-05 into 5 gallons of 1.065 wort all day long. It's barely underpitching and I've never tasted any off flavors by doing this, nor have I ever had a lag in fermentation beginning.

Agreed! Although I've had some minor "lags" in beginning, it always comes through for me. Never any off flavors or anything. My first RIS was a Brewer's Best kit and per their instructions I pitched one packet 05, not even rehydrated, into 5gal 1.084 or so wort and it turned out GREAT.

BTW, if you actually look up on Mr. Malty for a 5.25g batch of 1.065, it only recommends 1.1 packets. I wouldn't even really consider that underpitching unless your batch was substantially larger.

 

[LKABrewer]

100* is too high. Fermentis recommends 80* +-5.

 

[ChessRockwell]

100* is too high. Fermentis recommends 80* +-5.

John Palmer recommends 95-105 http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-5.html

I kinda think that seems a little warm too, so I always go 90.