The trouble with kits..

[BigYin]

If it wasn't for my thermometer, despite following the kit instructions to the letter, the yeast would have probably been cooked...

Kit says 6 litres of boiling water then make up to 20.5 litres with cold water and stir in yeast - what? at 38c? I don't think so!

No wonder people starting out with a starter kit with no thermometer will end up complaining about a stuck fermentation if they've quite accidentally cooked the yeast through no fault of their own :nono:

 

[Paolomuzzo]

Hi Big Yin,

You’ve prompted me to ask something which has bothered me for a while.

On the instructions I’ve had (mainly Coopers) it says that the wort is at a vulnerable stage when you have mixed in your enhancer / sugar and topped up with the correct amount of water. – It does give a range / ideal temperature for adding the yeast but also states that it is more important to get the yeast in than to leave the wort in this vulnerable state.

I have stuck to this method as I am still relatively new and do not know any better and in fairness have had very good results. I don’t think mine have been as high as 38c but they have been around the 30c mark.

But I would like to know if you really do have to add the yeast so quickly – I always find myself flapping and panicking in case I leave it too long and mess it up.

Any thoughts on this anyone? :wha:

 

[queues likely]

alarm bells should be ringing, 6 litres plus 20.5 litres, 26.5 litres volume?
6 pints is just a bit over.
we dont want thin beer. :)

 

[BigYin]

no no - make up to 20.5 litres :thumb:

So 6 litres at just under 100c is then cooled by 14.5 litres at say 10c - producing a drew of around 38c - far too hot for yeast :nono:

 

[BigYin]

On the instructions I’ve had (mainly Coopers) it says that the wort is at a vulnerable stage when you have mixed in your enhancer / sugar and topped up with the correct amount of water. – It does give a range / ideal temperature for adding the yeast but also states that it is more important to get the yeast in than to leave the wort in this vulnerable state.

I have stuck to this method as I am still relatively new and do not know any better and in fairness have had very good results. I don’t think mine have been as high as 38c but they have been around the 30c mark.

But I would like to know if you really do have to add the yeast so quickly – I always find myself flapping and panicking in case I leave it too long and mess it up.

Any thoughts on this anyone? :wha:

Well, my brew was too hot to add yeast, so I stuck the lid on and left it overnight - this morning it was 25c so I gave it a stir, added in the yeast, and fingers crossed, it'll be fine :pray:

I think the yeast being in may help the brew resist infection from bacteria - so without the yeast it is vulnerable, but if you've disinfected properly, a few hours delay shouldn't be a disaster :wha:

 

[djskinner]

Interesting. If you have ever done a Brupacks kit they advise making a starter by pitching yeast in water that has cooled to 38 to 40C. I always thought that was on the hot side but I have followed the instructions a few times with good results.

When I make starters these days however, the temperature is more like 30C.

 

[BigYin]

Am I being overcautious then? :hmm:

 

[Alestar]

I suppose you can think of it this way: if you have ever noticed any "rear-end effects" from drinking too much unfiltered beer, it proves that yeast are still alive and kicking (or should I say fermenting) at 37 degrees Celcius. :lol:

Pitching it too high (not way too high) is going to result in the "wrong sort" of ferment rather than killing the yeast I would have thought? So does it depend how quickly it'll drop and how soon fermentation starts in earnest?