I brewed a batch of beer this past weekend and used liquid yeast straight from the fridge. I have since heard that it won't ferment because the yeast has to be at room temp. Does anyone know if this is true? If so, can it be fixed?
I don't believe that adding cold yeast to proper temp wort will prevent fermentation, I will let someone else chime in about that, but... Do you think it isn't fermenting? If so, is it because there are no bubbles in airlock? I do know that you can add yeast now if you are concerned. You should always keep a pack or two of dry yeast around just in case.
It's true it is less than ideal to add cold yeast directly into the wort, but like cavedave says it will likely still ferment once the yeast recovers from the shock of the rapid temperature change.
You will have a longer lag time for sure. I think you will be ok. How much yeast did you pitch into what gravity wort?
It'll ferment out more than likely. Chances are, it was shocked because it was so cold, probably going into the wort which was too warm.. Then you probably under pitched if you tossed it straight from the fridge without making a starter for liquid yeast. Wyeast or White Labs? Just for the sake of under pitching.
When you pitched those yeast, they very quickly became room temp. It will more than likely be fine. I have 'cold pitched' several times before (on purpose, to see what would happen), with no issues that I could tell. I have become pretty much convinced that shocking cold (say 40F) yeast in warm (say 65F) wort is, at worst, not very bad. But do I cold pitch routinely? No. Why not? Just in case.
