Yeast question. When to use 2 vials.

[HoppingRazor]

Ok, So Im going to brew a Black IPA (Cascadian Ale) on Monday. Ran into one of the guys that works @ m local HBS (great folks btw)and he suggested using 2 vials of White Labs California V ale yeast for this 5 gallon batch. the beers OG will be 1.075, and was told to do a starter for both bottles and pitch them. Any thoughts, info, suggestions. Im probably going to the store tomorrow to pick up another vial and some DME, but wanted to here from the masses.

 

[McGarnigle]

You'd use two vials if you didn't make a starter. No need to do both.

 

[samc]

I used one vial to make a starter for 10+ gallons of a 1.070 beer, two vials is overkill as mentioned above. Check http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html for correct pitching rates, although you can generally get by with less than the calculated amounts IMO.

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

Check http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html for correct pitching rates, although you can generally get by with less than the calculated amounts IMO.

Depends on what you're after. Under pitching will have an impact on the finished product, even if it might be subtle.

 

[HoppingRazor]

Well this will be my second batch. Im after a good tasting beer, or at least to try and not mess it up. So I just want the yeast to ferment and not fizzle out before it needs to.
Thanks

 

[kappajoe]

I use one vial per batch but I step up my starters 2 to 3 times depending on the OG.... If this is your second batch I would buy both vials to make sure you have a good fermentation...

I just brewed a wiezenbock today... 1.072 OG..
used a single vial of whitelabs but made a 3000ml starter...

 

[ChshreCat]

There's no reason to use 2 vials to make a starter. With the starter, you can build up as much yeast as you need. Sounds like the guy either didn't know what he was talking about or was trying to bump up your bill a bit.

 

[user 19629]

You might want to check the dates on the vials.
If they are old you might want to use both.

 

[HoppingRazor]

OK so I brewed a batch of Black IPA and did a yeast starter for one yeast tube, but being a noob I messed up a bit. I did start the yeast the night before breweing, giving the yeast a total of 15 hours to multiply, what I did not do was put my yeast starter back in the fridge to settle all the yeast at the bottom before i decant the wort from the yeast. There was still a cake of yeast at the bottom and I made sure not to disrupt. Once the boil was done I pitched the yeast, things seem to be moving a bit slower than when using dry yeast. last time I brewed a batch, I had a thick layer of foam in the carboy, this time the foam is raising slowly. I know its hard to determin how much of the yeast I possibly poured down the drain, etc. etc., but how bad did I mess up? Should I pitch the second tube tonight (without a starter) ?

 

[electric_beer]

Relax, don't worry. Have a homebrew. Some yeast is more or less active, don't worry about it too much. The yeast know what to do. Just let them do their thing. I've had ferments that blew off the tops of fermentors and others that you don't see one bubble. It really doesn't mean anything. Let us know how it turns out. I love black IPAs.

 

[PGHBrew]

Yeast can be funny at times. I had a WLP 380 starter that did not bubble or krausen at all. I checked the gravity of the liquid I decanted off the starter and low and behold those yeast were happily chewing away.

 

[HoppingRazor]

So good news, and not so good news. I come home today seeing great fermentation and a nice thick head of krausen, but the excitement was short lived due to the smell of rotten eggs in the house. I'll see what happens a few weeks in the secondary, but this batch might be bad. Thanks for all the great info, I will be taking all lessons learned into future batches. Also will give update whether this batch is rotten or drinkable, and just the smell of the yeast at work.

 

[ChshreCat]

Many yeasts give off sulfer smells (rotten egg), especially when stressed.