WLP023 - How long before pitching more yeast?

[Scrattajack]

Merry Christmas, all!

24 hours after pitching my WLP023 Burton yeast, there's no sign of anything happening. Flat as a pancake on the surface of the brew. Pitched at 18C, currently 19C. How long do you think I should wait before lobbing in the dry yeast backup?

Ta,
J.

 

[LeeH]

Tough question, but I would sling it in very soon and give it a good shake.
Did you pitch a starter?

 

[user 18729]

Merry Christmas, all!

24 hours after pitching my WLP023 Burton yeast, there's no sign of anything happening. Flat as a pancake on the surface of the brew. Pitched at 18C, currently 19C. How long do you think I should wait before lobbing in the dry yeast backup?

Ta,
J.

Can you let us know the age of the yeast, batch size and if you made a starter?

 

[Scrattajack]

Binned the packet, but May 21 springs to mind. There are 22 litres of mild in the fermenter (SG 1043). no starter.

Thanks,
J.

 

[LeeH]

Binned the packet, but May 21 springs to mind. There are 22 litres of mild in the fermenter (SG 1043). no starter.

Thanks,
J.

Massive under pitch I’m afraid.

 

[Scrattajack]

and give it a good shake.

Which reminds me, I relied on pouring the wort from the mash to the fermenter and didn't give it a damn good thrashing this time to aerate it...

 

[trueblue]

Definitely need a starter with a yeast that old.

 

[LeeH]

 

[foxbat]

Definitely need a starter with a yeast that old.

I've noted since the pandemic that liquid yeast have been shipped out to us faster than before probably due to demand so I suspect (and hope) that May 21 = expiry May 2021.

To the OP yes you've underpitched and liquid yeast should always have a starter but give it 72 hours before thinking about pitching new yeast.

 

[RichardM]

liquid yeast should always have a starter

Not according to the manufacturers. However, I always make a starter just to be sure.

 

[foxy]

There are a lot of brewers I have seen on homebrew talk don't make a starter, just better to be on the safe side and make one.
Could also be a difference in temperature between the wort and the yeast, can take 36 hours for yeast to acclimatise.

 

[Scrattajack]

Wish I'd kept the packet, it clearly said 1 packet was good for an OG below 1050, remember that bit...

 

[foxbat]

Wish I'd kept the packet, it clearly said 1 packet was good for an OG below 1050, remember that bit...

Yeast manufacturers (dry and liquid) need a slap oops upside the head for the claims they make on their packets.

Give the yeast time. Chances are it's going through a longer growth phase, feeding and colonising the wort than would be the case if you'd pitched a starter. Then it'll move on to the primary fermentation phase and you'll see activity.

 

[Scrattajack]

Thanks, folks, if it's not going by the morning I'll deploy the Lalbrew London.

Also, Santa chucked a stir plate and an Erlenmeyer flask down the chimney earlier so I'll do starters from now on.

 

[JockyBrewer]

Wish I'd kept the packet, it clearly said 1 packet was good for an OG below 1050, remember that bit...

Maybe when it leaves the yeast producer, but by the time it’s got to you, who knows how it has been treated.

Pitching enough cells will also give you a cleaner ferment.

 

[Scrattajack]

It's alive! Nothing through the airlock yet but there's a healthy load of bubbles on the surface.

Thanks for all the advice. Starters from now on.

 

[Scrattajack]

Learnt my lesson.

 

[Scrattajack]

Oh, about the mild, it seems to have finished, SG of 1.011 yesterday. Expecting 1.010 so into the cold with it tomorrow.

 

[user 18729]

View attachment 38996

Learnt my lesson.

Jesus! That’s going some!

 

[Scrattajack]

Looks faster in the photo than it really was...