Not enough yeast - ok to pitch more tomorrow?

[GCR]

In the process of brewing a 5.5 gal batch of DIPA (mashing in), with an anticipated OG of 1.081, and I just realized we only have one liquid smack pack of Wyeast 1056... which is not enough.... but there are no brewing stores open in Moncton today.

What is the best option in this scenario (aside from finding more yeast through the grapevine, which I am also trying to do)?

1. pitch what we have, and then buy some more tomorrow and add it then.
2. just try the one pack and hope for the best.
3. chill the wort, toss it in the fridge and pitch two packs tomorrow.

[Andre]

Did you make a starter? How old is the yeast?

If the yeast is a month old you would actually need 3-4 packs without a starter for that OG. If you made a 2.5L starter on a stir plate you're good to pitch.
I used mrmalty's pitch rate calculator http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

Personally I would wait until tomorrow to pitch and get a few packs of dry yeast for this batch.

[GCR]

the yeast was just purchased - not sure how old it is - but it is a liquid smack pack. We have attained success pitching two packs of this kind of liquid yeast into our last high OG brew we made (a RIS). the pack says it is sufficient for OG's up to 1.06>

[Jimmy]

the yeast was just purchased - not sure how old it is - but it is a liquid smack pack. We have attained success pitching two packs of this kind of liquid yeast into our last high OG brew we made (a RIS). the pack says it is sufficient for OG's up to 1.06>

Date of manufacture is stamped on the packages. Viability of the yeast will quickly drop as the yeast ages, and it's not uncommon to pick up a couple month old (or sometimes older) pack of yeast from a homebrew shop. At 2 months old, mrmalty calculates the viability at just 55% of the original pitch.

[GCR]

Thanks folks... you learn something new every day!

The date is March 19. The smack pack has been activated (got a little too excited there), and it is all puffed up and clearly raring to go... at this point I am thinking we *might* pitch it today, then pick up a pack of dry yeast tomorrow morning (Wyeast if we can get it - if not, US-05) and add it then. Smack packs are not usually readily available here (that's why we'd use dry).

What do y'all think of that?

[Jimmy]

It'll probably be ok.

The main points of concern are:

a) If you leave it until tomorrow, it gives random bugs a chance to move in and take over before the yeast get in there.
b) If you pitch the single pack today, it's quite under-pitched. The most critical part of fermentation is at the beginning. If you get the additional yeast in there early enough, I'm guessing it will be fine.

[GCR]

Thanks Jimmy... pros and cons of both options for sure. Brewing is such a magical, mysterious and complex thing.

What do you think about mixing Wyeast and US-05 if that's all we can get? I've read some posts (like https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/co ... cceptable/) that suggest it might be ok?

[Jimmy]

Thanks Jimmy... pros and cons of both options for sure. Brewing is such a magical, mysterious and complex thing.

What do you think about mixing Wyeast and US-05 if that's all we can get? I've read some posts (like https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/co ... cceptable/) that suggest it might be ok?

It'll be fine - they are the same strain (Chico)

[Woody]

Another option is to leave the beer in the pot until tomorrow and make a starter with your beer perhaps dilute the wort and pitch at high krausen tomorrow morning when you've had a chance to step the cell count. Or if you have DME you can start the step sooner.

[GCR]

Thanks Woody - we also considered this as a possibility, but ended up pitching what we had in the end, and plan to add some more tomorrow to be on the safe side.

*crossing fingers*

[jason.loxton]

I know it's too late now, but just for future people readings this, another option would have been to stick the air lock on and sit it out side (protected from light) for a day or so, and then pasteurize it before pitching when you had your starter/bought more yeast. Assuming you're sanitation was good, you should have had very few bugs in there to start with and the temps are low enough right now outside that they'd inhibit any growth substantially. Anything that did start to grow, you could nuke by bringing up to 170 f+ (and then chilling again, obviously) before pitching.