Accidentally pitched Ale yeast in 40 degree temperatures.

[SeanGC]

Before I began my brew day, I checked on my chest freezer and adjusted the temperature to 64, preparing it as a ferm chamber. However, I guess I never set the temperature, and it remained at 38 degrees. After placing my ferm vessel into the chest freezer and pitching the yeast, I walked away for a few hours to eat dinner and relax.

I had a feeling something was wrong, so I went to check in on the ferm chamber 2-3 hours after placing it into the chest freezer, and noticed my readout was coming in at 42 degrees. I've since set the temperature to 64 degrees and left the top cracked open so that it can heat up over night.

A little info on the beer.

10 gals in fermenter. 700 billion estimated yeast cells pitched (starter), chilled and decanted prior to pitching.

I had planned on hitting the beer with my wine aerater in the morning if I hadn't seen any activity, just to resuspend the yeast and get it going.

Do I have anything to worry about? Thoughts?

EDIT: PS, the reason why I didn't noticed the fermentation chamber was so cold was because I ferment in sanke kegs, and the handles were at the top of the chamber, where it was still relatively warm.

 

[tgmartin000]

You'll be fine. You might want to rouse the yeast like you said. Your lag time will be longer than usual, but otherwise, RDWHAHB.

 

[BigFloyd]

No worries. When they get back up to around 60*F, they'll perk up and get to work.

I'd be more inclined to give just a smooth, gentle stir with a sanitized spoon to rouse them. That's all it will take.

 

[SeanGC]

Will it fully attenuate? It hit 61 this morning, and began slowly bubbling. While I do like the lower side of the ferm temps for most strands (using 1056 at 62-64), I'm afraid most of the yeast might have dropped out.

 

[BigFloyd]

Will it fully attenuate? It hit 61 this morning, and began slowly bubbling. While I do like the lower side of the ferm temps for most strands (using 1056 at 62-64), I'm afraid most of the yeast might have dropped out.

When they drop out, they won't stay dormant after you bump the temp, rouse them out of their little nap and present a yummy feast.

As long as you pitched sufficient yeast (as it sounds like you certainly did), it should do just fine. After the first few days of activity, start to slowly bump the temp up the next 3-4 days until you're getting toward the upper end of the optimal range for that yeast.

 

[SeanGC]

Thanks for the reassurance, guys. I needed some verification that everything would be ok lol. Everything seems ok now. Activity in the air lock, and it seems to be going pretty strongly.

Thanks again!

 

[BigFloyd]

Thanks for the reassurance, guys. I needed some verification that everything would be ok lol. Everything seems ok now. Activity in the air lock, and it seems to be going pretty strongly.

Thanks again!

Nice. That big cell count will carry the day.

 

[bja]

I had a feeling something was wrong, so I went to check in on the ferm chamber 2-3 hours after placing it into the chest freezer, and noticed my readout was coming in at 42 degrees.

There is no way 10 gallon dropped down to 42 degrees in only a couple hours. It would take at least overnight to do that.

 

[SeanGC]

There is no way 10 gallon dropped down to 42 degrees in only a couple hours. It would take at least overnight to do that.

That's why I mentioned the full volume. While the read out was 42 degrees, the liquid going in had to have been about 72.

However, I couldn't remove the 10 gallons (in a sanke keg) out of the freezer myself, so I was at the mercy of the chest freezer and how quickly it would take for it to jump back up to 64F.

So while it was only in there for 2 hours at 42F when I noticed it (at midnight), it remained in the chest freezer over night while it climbed back up to 64F. It had hit 61 by noon the next day (12 hours later), so the wort/yeast had to have been affected to some degree. The chest freezer finally kicked back on once it hit 64 in the afternoon.

It's all good now though, thankfully

 

[Trail]

You're OK, dude. They'll behave once you warm them up. A couple weeks ago my brother pitched a lager yeast at 90... yours is going to taste fine, while I'd wager that his won't.