Rehydrating dry yeast causing fermentation lag?

[zach976]

I have always just sprinkled my dry yeast into my wort, gave the carboy a shake and left it. On my last two batches I rehydrated per yeast instructions. My first one was with nottingham yeast. I set my fermentation chamber temp to around 66 degrees and after 72 hours no activity. I turned up the temperature to around 71 or two and fermentation started within a few hours. My second batch, rehydrated us-05 pitched 16 hours ago, temp set at 68 and zero activity. Any ideas? Why the fermentation lag?


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[kh54s10]

It should not slow down the start of fermentation. Actually is should lessen the lag time.

The only thing I can think of is to double check your chamber's temperature. If you were actually colder you might have it going very slowly then increased the activity by bringing it up into the lower end of the yeast's range

For instance is the controller set at 66 but really cooling to below 60 then when you increase to 71 you are getting 65 degrees??

 

[Gameface]

Describe how you're re-hydrating. I don't use dry yeast, but I've read that extended re-hydration times can basically waste all the built-in nutrients and such that can give dry yeast a boost.

 

[Bobby_M]

It's possible you're rehydrating too hot. The water should be 80-90F, sprinkle on top and wait 15-20 minutes. Stir and pitch.

 

[cjgenever]

I like to rehydrate at 80 degrees f. Give it five min or so, and then temper it slowly with the chilled wort. This prevents temperature shock. Properly rehydrated yeast will always take off better than pitched into wort.

Stupid question...
Your not using chlorinated hot tap water, right?

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[BigFloyd]

Considering the times I've rehydrated vs. those batches where I've sprinkled dry, I get a significantly longer lag time when sprinkling dry.

I rehydrate in 95-100*F filtered tap water (it has the needed hardness) then attemperate to within 10*F of the wort prior to pitching.

 

[greyghost]

http://www.morewinemaking.com/public/pdf/whydra.pdf Check this out. I know it says for wine but it is the same for beer. I use this and have great results. Usually goes below my target numbers.

 

[zach976]

It should not slow down the start of fermentation. Actually is should lessen the lag time.

The only thing I can think of is to double check your chamber's temperature. If you were actually colder you might have it going very slowly then increased the activity by bringing it up into the lower end of the yeast's range

For instance is the controller set at 66 but really cooling to below 60 then when you increase to 71 you are getting 65 degrees??

You hit the nail on the head. I don't think it has anything to with the rehydrating yeast but my temperature controller probe being in my thermowell. I taped the probe to the side of my carboy and put a thermometer into my thermowell. Beer was showing in the 50's.


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[zach976]

Thanks for everyone's input.


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