Yeast pitching mistake?

[TacomaHomeBrew]

I'm brewing a sweet stout beer kit. I pitched my yeast at 78-80F. I'm using Nottingham yeast, am I screwed?

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

I'm betting that you will be just fine.

But if you don't have krausen forming within 48-72 hours, maybe pitch again.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

double

 

[TacomaHomeBrew]

Pitching again is fine?

 

[kaconga]

How and why would it be a problem? I would try to cool it off to about 68 but yeast survive up to 90 no problem. Hell my latest IPA fermented at 78 during active fermentation and it tastes fine. Just cool off the beer and relax. The yeast want to make your beer.

 

[Beer_Eugenics]

I always pitch at 80F.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

Pitching again is fine?

well it's not an over-pitch if your first yeast was a dud, is it?

RDWHAHB.

 

[BradleyBrew]

The yeast will be 100% at *80. Thats the temperature I normally rehydrate dry yeast. In the future if thats as cool as you can get the wort then pitch the yeast and try to get the beer down below *70 before fermentation begins.

 

[Yooper]

It won't hurt the yeast to pitch at 80 degrees, although there probably will be a flavor impact. Nottingham should start fast, and it will probably get going long before the beer temperature gets to the low 60s (my preferred fermenting temperature for nottingham). That just means a warmer fermentation, so no harm will come to the yeast.

The only thing is, a warm fermentation can get some off-flavors. Nottingham especially gets sort of weird tasting above 70 degrees, and it gets a little foul above 72 degrees. When I use that yeast strain, I always cool my wort to 60 degrees first, then add the yeast and let it rise up to about 62-64 degrees at the highest. Other yeast strains have better flavor at higher temperatures (like S05) so if the fermentation temperature is going to be above 70 degrees, I'd suggest changing yeast strains.

 

[BrewScout]

2 days ago I pitched a starter of WLP565 at 76 and it took of like a bat out of hell (about 3 hours lag time). I realize that strain likes the higher temps but it just proves that those temps won't harm your yeast. I did let a batch of blonde ale with notty get to 75 once and it let off some weird flavors. But seemed fine after bottle conditioned for a month.

 

[bob1006]

Pitching at a higher temp is not a big deal, I pitch at 75° for ales on a regular basis. Gives them a good start. But, it goes directly into the ferm chamber to get cooled down to the target temp. Like yooper said higher temps can cause off flavors and other things you do not want.

I say follow the beer style and yeast directions.

Good luck!

 

[TacomaHomeBrew]

Is there anything I can do at this point to avoid off flavors? Will leaving it in the primary longer help?

 

[TacomaHomeBrew]

It won't hurt the yeast to pitch at 80 degrees, although there probably will be a flavor impact. Nottingham should start fast, and it will probably get going long before the beer temperature gets to the low 60s (my preferred fermenting temperature for nottingham). That just means a warmer fermentation, so no harm will come to the yeast.

The only thing is, a warm fermentation can get some off-flavors. Nottingham especially gets sort of weird tasting above 70 degrees, and it gets a little foul above 72 degrees. When I use that yeast strain, I always cool my wort to 60 degrees first, then add the yeast and let it rise up to about 62-64 degrees at the highest. Other yeast strains have better flavor at higher temperatures (like S05) so if the fermentation temperature is going to be above 70 degrees, I'd suggest changing yeast strains.

Sounds like I'm screwed then

 

[Irish1225]

How and why would it be a problem? I would try to cool it off to about 68 but yeast survive up to 90 no problem. Hell my latest IPA fermented at 78 during active fermentation and it tastes fine. Just cool off the beer and relax. The yeast want to make your beer.

I tend to agree with this, +1

I don't have a fermentation chamber, don't really have the room or the cash to do something like that, so it's VERY difficult to ferment anything during the Summer below 73-75 for me. I've probably had a few summertime batches that get over 75 during the first couple days of fermentation and the beer tastes fine after conditioning.

I'm currently fermenting a Belgian blonde ale and it got to almost 80 degrees in this recent heatwave Chicago is experiencing.

Will some members here or at my LBS probably say I'm screwed or that I really need to re-evaluate? Sure! But am I relaxed and do I have experience with the beer turning out fine at a higher ferm temp? Absolutely.

I am very-much-so a member of the "set it and forget it" camp (if it even exists lol). I don't take hydrometer readings, I don't use yeast starters...whatever, it'll be beer in the end!

 

[Kingfish]

Sounds like I'm screwed then

No, not at all. Just relax. When I first started I used Nottingham all the time and my first few batches fermented pretty warm...Turned out "fine". Next time just put the fermentor in a bucket of water. Used some frozen 2 liter bottles of water and swap them out in the morning and in the evening.

 

[bob1006]

Sounds like I'm screwed then

naw, it might not taste like sweet stout that your used to, but it will be good all the same.