yeast questions

[SkyWalker]

ok i did my first batch today and i have a question about how i pitched my yeast..

we chilled the wort to about 75 degrees after the boil, transfered the wort to my fermentation bucket, then my brew parter jumped the gun just started to dump the dry yeast into the wort. the package on the yeast said to put it in "warm" water first.. its been about 5 hours in the fermentation bucket and no signs on bubbles

should i be worried?

 

[jheist]

No your fine. Thats what I did the first batch and it came out great! I have since "rehydrated" the yeast which is what the warm water does. Don't worry about the airlock it may not bubble till tomorrow or the next day or maybe even never at all but provided you somewhat sanitized your first brew you will make beer!

Congrats!

 

[northernlad]

Rehydrating yeast just helps it get started. You do not have to do it, pitching it dry will be just fine.
Get into the habit of not expecting any activity for at least 24 hours. It could take longer than that.
Patience is easier to preach than practice, but it is necessary.

 

[SkyWalker]

phewwwwww thank you... i was a bit worried


this is the quickest forum i have ever seen on answering questions

 

[northernlad]

There are 50,000 members. Sombody is up.

 

[SkyWalker]

haha... ok one more question, i have heard a few different answers on this... what is the "best" temp to ferment at for nottingham yeast? im doing a irish stout if tht makes a difference

 

[archiefl98]

I just shoot for about 70F with Notty. 68 is usually where I end up. It ferments rather clean at that point.

 

[Special Hops]

I never re-hydrate dry yeast. i just sprinkle on top and let it go.

 

[SkyWalker]

i also didnt aerate the wort... i overlooked this step on accident and just siphoned the cool wort into the fermentation bucket and didnt use any thing to aerate it. from what i have read this will slow fermentation, but should i go ahead and try to agitate it now? or just leave it be?


i had to make a list of things i did wrong this time so i can correct them on the next batch... thanks for all the answers guys!

 

[Duckfoot]

You can give it a swirl, but you don't have too... Depending how you transferred into your bucket, you may have unintentionally aerated it a tad...

Good idea on the note keeping for mistakes... Here is one to add: Don't have too many homebrews until AFTER you have pitched your yeast... It is amazing how many times I have "forgotten" to add whirfloc, grab an OG sample, add candy syrup to a Belgian Dark and have to restart the boil, etc etc etc... LOL...

Good luck and let us know how it turns out...

 

[Revvy]

There's a big stickey at the top of this forum, for a reason. So you don't panic;

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/

 

[SkyWalker]

Yes I will admit that played a factor. It was pretty hot out yesterday when we brewed and might have gotten a little thirsty! Next brew will be more disciplined!

Thanks for the tips

 

[MajorTom]

i also didnt aerate the wort... i overlooked this step on accident and just siphoned the cool wort into the fermentation bucket and didnt use any thing to aerate it. from what i have read this will slow fermentation, but should i go ahead and try to agitate it now? or just leave it be?


i had to make a list of things i did wrong this time so i can correct them on the next batch... thanks for all the answers guys!

What danstar says about notty yeast... "Nottingham British Ale yeast has been conditioned to survive rehydration. The yeast contains an
adequate reservoir of carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids to achieve active growth. It is unnecessary to aerate wort."

 

[Revvy]

What danstar says about notty yeast... "Nottingham British Ale yeast has been conditioned to survive rehydration. The yeast contains an
adequate reservoir of carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids to achieve active growth. It is unnecessary to aerate wort."

Yeah but despite that, though it may be unnecessary, it still is good brewing practice to get into the habit of doing, since it is necessary for other yeasts. So rather than picking and choosing when, and when not, when starting out it is a good idea to get that into your routine.

 

[stevedasleeve]

I love Nottingham. Of all the yeasts I have tried it has been the most forgiving, the cleanest, and the most consistent, and it has made good beer after good beer after good beer. I admit I don't do too many types of beer, mostly IPAs and pale ales, but I have also had great results in brown ales - English & American - Amber ales and my one Blonde Ale. Oh and a Scottish 80 shilling!

I hydrate according to the directions on the packet - 86-90 f I think it states - and aerate a little by swirling and stirring and splashing the wort as it goes into the fermenter. My last 60 gallons have been fermented by Nottingham.

My only issue is it attenuates a little too much sometimes. I get about 83% attenuation generally mashing between 150 and 154 f. My beers are all between 1.045 and 1.070 OG and pretty much all fermented 66-70 f, mostly 67-68 f.

I pay $1.75 pack.

FWIW and IMHO and WTF,
Steve da sleeve

 

[pcollins]

Don't worry!

Pitching: I have a routine now of sanitizing my carboy and then rinsing, rinsing and rinsing with warm water. There is always going to be a bit of water left over and while my wort is cooling I pitch the yeast in the bottom of the carboy and let that residual water rehydrate the yeast. Works just fine. Doesn't get every bit of yeast but I'm sure it helps in the reduced lag time. I use s-04 and am getting activity in less than four hours after pitching.

Aeration: Just let it do it itself. I was brewing today and when I was siphoning from the kettle into the carboy I held the end of the siphon tube just at the neck of the carboy and let the wort get all splashy and aerated in the bottom of the carboy.

I think it takes a fair bit to ruin a batch of beer. It mostly looks after itself. If you do one or two things wrong along the way they can and most often do fix themselves.

Repeat after me, RDWHAHB, RDWHAHB, RDWHAHB, RDWHAHB, RDWHAHB, RDWHAHB...