24-48 hours to see signs of active fermentation... What the heck are my yeast up to, anyhow?

[william_shakes_beer]

Planned 2 brew days this weekend. One Sunday, one Monday, because I haven't made my holiday beers in a couple seasons and I miss them (I also have 3 empty kegs calling my name)

My usual yeasting process is as follows:
1. Flame out
2. cool in kettle to 150F
3. transfer to brew bucked through a SS strainer
4. place in fem chamber set to target yeast temp ( WLP 550, 78F-85F)
5. When wort drops to the target temp, pitch a fresh packet of yeast directly from the pouch (no starter)

My plan was to do this Sunday and again on Monday, once for each batch

However, my LHBS had other plans.
They only sold me (and I only paid for) one pouch of yeast

Didn't notice the missing yeast til I got home and checked the order because, COVID 19 and curbside/touchless delivery.

Don't want to drive another hour each way to pick up a $6.00 pouch of yeast.

pondering what to do.

If when I'm ready to pitch the second batch the first bath shows active signs of fermentation, I plan to stir up the first batch to get everything into suspension, scoop out 2 cups of wort and pitch to the second batch.

However, What happens if the first batch hasn't taken off yet? Should I pitch to the second batch anyway, or let it sit in the ferm chamber under airlock but suceptible to infection until the first batch takes off?

What exactly is the yeast doing during the fermentation lag period?

An allied question:

These 2 batches have exactly the same grain, hops and spice bill. The only difference is the second( monday) batch has 12 oz of molassas. If I wanted to speed up the process and base both on the same boil, when would I add the molassas to the second batch? Would I pull off a half gallon of wort from the boil, add the molassas and then stir it into the ( cooled to 150F) kettle before dropping the remaining wort into the second fermenter? Stir into the empty second brew bucket ant drop the remaining wort on top of it?

FYI, I did a kettle check on the 10 gallon batch with 20 pounds of base malt. I'm about 1.2 gallons over my kettle capacity after calculating displacement and absorption. I could easily recover that over 2 batches by topping off the fermenter.

 

[day_trippr]

Presumably at least some part of the time you've been waiting was the "lag phase" where the yeast multiply to numbers able to take on the task at hand (so to speak). That's usually only 6 to "Whenever" hours. Assuming your fermenter isn't leaking apparently you're closer to "Whenever"

If when I'm ready to pitch the second batch the first bath shows active signs of fermentation, I plan to stir up the first batch to get everything into suspension, scoop out 2 cups of wort and pitch to the second batch.

File that idea under "Don't Do That". Because it won't work - not even close.

You either need to hold off on the second batch until you can pull some dense yeast off the bottom of the first, or take a ride to your lhbs...

Cheers!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

so should delay the second batch until I finish the first and rack onto the trub?

 

[day_trippr]

You could do that. Depending on the second recipe you might want to dump half the trub first to avoid a huge over-pitch...

Cheers!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

bucket must be leaking because the airlock is bubbling slowly but the ferm chamber is FILLED with co2. I'm in business. 3 weeks and i'll be stirring the next batch.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

What happens when you over pitch? When I was ranching I used to save 1/4 of my starter after pitching, re-feed a few times and store in a preform, about 1/3 full of yeast under starter beer.