Help: Dead Yeast

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Goodfriendsbrewingco, Jun 15, 2014.

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  1. Goodfriendsbrewingco

    Goodfriendsbrewingco Initiate (0) Jun 15, 2014 Ohio

    Hey all, I'm new to this site and new to homebrewing. We made our first batch about 2 weeks ago, well at least attempted it. First we messed up and used 5 gallons for a 1 gallon recipe, and boiled our ingredients wrong. And once we put the yeast into the fermentor, it died about a day later. If anyone has any advice or knowledge as to why our yeast could have died, let me know! Any feedback is appreciated! -PeePaw
     
    #1 Goodfriendsbrewingco, Jun 15, 2014
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    1) How did you boil wrong?
    2) How do you know your yeast died?
     
    #2 VikeMan, Jun 15, 2014
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  3. Goodfriendsbrewingco

    Goodfriendsbrewingco Initiate (0) Jun 15, 2014 Ohio

    We basically threw the grain and hops all in at one time and the kit had no malt extract or anything with it, so that's problem 1. And I'm not quite exactly sure how out yeast died. I'm brewing at my friends house, so he never told me how it died.
     
    #3 Goodfriendsbrewingco, Jun 15, 2014
  4. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    That's a problem alright. I very rarely recommend dumping a batch, but this might be one time.

    What I meant was... what makes you think the yeast actually died?
     
    #4 VikeMan, Jun 15, 2014
  5. Goodfriendsbrewingco

    Goodfriendsbrewingco Initiate (0) Jun 15, 2014 Ohio

    Yeah. I've been reading multiple books and researching and taking notes. And noticed we really messed up. As far as the yeast dying, I'm not really sure how he knew. He never really explained
     
    #5 Goodfriendsbrewingco, Jun 15, 2014
  6. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Unless he took a sample of the yeast, stained it, and put it under a microscope, it's pretty unlikely that he knows they are dead. Unless of course he did something that he knows would kill yeast.
     
    #6 VikeMan, Jun 15, 2014
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  7. Goodfriendsbrewingco

    Goodfriendsbrewingco Initiate (0) Jun 15, 2014 Ohio

    Hmm ok. I'll ask him about how he knew. He could just be guessing and think it is, nonetheless we did mess up the process, so I don't think pitching it is a bad idea
     
    #7 Goodfriendsbrewingco, Jun 15, 2014
  8. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Just to clarify, you're saying that you boiled a measured amount of grain intended for a 1-gallon batch along with some hops for probably an hour in 5 gallons of water, cooled it (hopefully), transferred it to your fermentor and added some yeast? And somehow your friend has surmised that the yeast has died?
     
    #8 PapaGoose03, Jun 15, 2014
  9. Goodfriendsbrewingco

    Goodfriendsbrewingco Initiate (0) Jun 15, 2014 Ohio

    Yeah. I think we all got too excited about it, thought we were doing it right, and completely messed up. And with the yeast, I will ask him about it tomorrow
     
    #9 Goodfriendsbrewingco, Jun 15, 2014
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