so the two nights ago I added my omega yeast to my grapefruit ipa which was fermented already, no biggie. The problem is that it was supposed to go into my wheatwine. I went to my local home brew store on got some white labs that was close and added it last night after it warmed up to room temperature for a few h. Nothing happened as of yet. Someone told me to cold crash the beer until I get new yeast from norther brewer. Is this okay?
If you're asking "Should I have kept the un-inoculated wort cold until I could get yeast?"... I suppose the answer is that it could have helped slow down any unwanted bugs that might have been in the wort. But if your sanitation was good, I doubt you'll see much, if any, difference. The fact that "nothing happened as of yet" is certainly not due to pitching yeast into room temp wort. The warmer the wort, the faster yeast will work. But that doesn't mean warmer wort makes better beer. It usually doesn't. So, if you're asking "Should I cold crash now, and get even more yeast?" ... No, I wouldn't recommend that. It's way too soon to decide the yeast you already added are not working.
I get "Nothing has happened; should I pitch more yeast?" And I agree it is too soon to say nothing is happening. But I don't get "Nothing has happened. Cold crash and pitch more yeast." Can anyone explain why someone would advise to cold crash under these circumstances?
I think he's thinking it will be a while until the yeast arrives. Therfore, keep the wort cold and minimize bug growth.
So I didn’t cold crash it and put it in a warmer area. I noticed slow fermentation (airlock slowly bubbling) this morning. It’s still slowing bubbling so I’m not sure wheee I’m at. It’s OG was 1.090 and I pitched two white labs yeast tubes because I didn’t have time to do a starter. I haven’t bought new yeast and I’m wondering what my next step it.
That seems like a big wort for just two vials of yeast and no starter. I am not surprised that you are seeing a slow start. The yeast calculators I am looking at suggest that is a pretty substantial under pitch assuming a 5.5 gallon batch size. I am on the fence with the cold crash advice because it suppresses the original pitch, which I do not presume to be dead, just challenged by the environment. On the other hand, maybe you don't want the original yeast to go through an extended growth phase because there may be some off-flavors and are just better off shutting them down.
That’s a very interesting take in it. I’ve done two yeast packs/vials before with no issue. The instructions on the back of the White Labs and Wyeast both explain the process when above 1.060 It’s a 5 gallon wort and seems to be fermenting very SLOOOOOOW. I’m just kinda waiting. I like your thought on cold crashing it to stop the yeast and starting fresh with a yeast I know is viable. I’m going to starters always from now on. What’s your opinion? Wait or crash? Thank you
You didn't say how old your yeast was. Both yeast calculators I looked at assumed it was packaged today and say it was underpitching (Brewer's Friend and Mr. Malty). Regardless of your past successes without a starter, a starter helps you hedge against an unhealthy pitch of yeast. If you don't want to make starters, perhaps try Imperial. I have only used their products about half a dozen times, but those experiences have been consistent with the hype. I was strictly brainstorming reasons why cold crashing might be good advice. I have seen no data, done no experiments along those lines.
I do prefer to use a starter but sometimes life is busy so I went this way. It was a mistake by pitching the yeast in the wrong beer followed by pitching new yeast that I didn’t use a starter for because I was stressed for time because of prior mistake. Now I’m in save mode and unfamiliar territory. I have no idea as to what to do next. Should I ditch it, cold crash it and add good yeast or just add the proper yeast when I can? Sucks to not know. Thank you for your help
I've reread your scenario and realize I forgot the details with a later post. You never pitched yeast so you have nothing to cold crash. Just looking at cold storage to slow microbes as Vikeman said. Sure, you should do that. You have no evidence that your beer is ruined, so you are not at the "ditch it" stage. Don't dump a beer before you've tasted it is probably a good rule of thumb here. I had mentioned Imperial yeast as a more pitchable product. The other thing I'll mention as a future option is dry yeast. The high cell count, shelf stability, and ease of use (no starter, just sprinkle) are huge selling points. Most of my beers used dry yeast for these reasons. Also, keeping extra packs on hand as backups protects you when you experience some brew day mishap like pitching your wheatwine yeast into an already fermented IPA.
I'd wager that @GregNicholson did pitch the two packs WL to the wheat wine, based on posts 1, 6 and 10.
