At what temperature should I pitch the yeast?

[Kai]

I've got the wort for my second beer waiting in the primary right now. My first was an APA kit to which I added an oz of Cascade at 15 minutes to make it interesting. Unfortunately, a boilover lost much of my bittering hops early in and I pitched the yeast while the wort was still at, as I reckon, about fifty degrees centigrade, so (although it has not yet carbonated) the beer that I sampled while bottling was bland and banana-ish (though still entirely drinkable).

I decided to be a bit more careful and a bit more ambitious for this, and went for the closest I could muster to a Duvel clone with what my brewing store had:

8 oz 2.5L Light Crystal Malt
4 oz Belgian Aromatic Malt (I used something called 'Castle Aromatic Malt')
6.5 lb extra light DME (I used 7.8 lb light LME)
1 lb Belgian Clear Candi Sugar
1.33 lb Corn Sugar
2 oz Styrian Goldings (60 min) (not available; I used Fuggles)
0.5 oz Styrian Goldings (15 min) (Fuggles)
0.5 oz Czech Saaz (15 min)
0.5 oz Styrian Goldings (3 min) (Fuggles)
Irish Moss
Wyeast 1388 (I used 1214)

OG (measured) 1.060

With sixty dollars of ingredients in there, I'm being as careful as I can. The boil went smoothly.

I cooled it after the boil with sterilised cooled water and a sanitised ice pack, as well as immersing it in a sink full of icewater. I had it cooled enough within half an hour that it was comfortable to touch, and added it to the water I had cooling in the primary. Right now it's still above skin temperature, but is entirely comfortable to the touch. The thermometer on the side of my primary will only start registering when the temperature is down to 31 degrees celsius. How cool should I let it get before I pitch?

Also: I smacked my yeast pack three hours ago, and I don't think it has swollen at all so far. Is this bad? I'm only on my second brew, I've never used liquid yeast before.

Thanks
Kai

temperature conversions for yanks: 50 = 122, 30 = 86, 20 = 68

 

[mountainrev]

Kai, if I understand you correctly, your wort had not cooled down to 31 C. Correct? My brain only registers in Fahrenheit. 31 C is about 88 F, which is a bit warm to pitch. Wait until the wort has cooled to at least 80 F (about 26 or 27 C) before pitching.

As far as your smack pack not swelling, I had the same thing happen on my last batch. I smacked it several times and shook it several hours before pitching. I could hear bubbling going on, but it barely swelled. When I opened it up, it turned out the nutrient packet had never burst. It was the third time I had used the Wyeast smack pack, but the first time I ever had that problem.

I pitched it anyway. The lag time was perhaps just a bit longer than normal, but it was bubbling away merrily within several hours. So don't worry!

 

[Kai]

Thanks.
It's down to about 31 degrees - 88 fahrenheit - and I beat the pack up a bit more and put it in the (warmer) boiler room, and it's swelled perceptibly, though it's still far from taut. I'll pitch it when it hits eighty; there's a hockey game on tonight, so I'm in no hurry to go to bed.

 

[Barley-Davidson]

I don't pitch until the worts down to about 70 F (about 21 C). I've only used White Labs liquid so far, so I don't have any first hand experience with the smack pack, but I agree with Mountain that you just might have a little longer lag time.

I haven't made a starter yet, but everyone recommends it and I plan to make one for my next batch.

 

[boo boo]

I'd wait until you got to 21c or so. Pitching that warm will make more esters that you might want, ie bananna flavors, etc.
By the sound of what you described as per your first beer, you killed all the yeast.
Did it ferment?

When using liquid yeast it is advisable to make a starter after the pack swells up, but in your case it would seem a bit late for that as a starter would take a few days to do.

 

[DeathBrewer]

I agree with boo boo

80 F is absolute tops. i'd go to 70 F if you can handle the wait. I always pitch at between 70-72 if i can help it.

 

[Kai]

I'd wait until you got to 21c or so. Pitching that warm will make more esters that you might want, ie bananna flavors, etc.
By the sound of what you described as per your first beer, you killed all the yeast.
Did it ferment?

When using liquid yeast it is advisable to make a starter after the pack swells up, but in your case it would seem a bit late for that as a starter would take a few days to do.

No, the first beer fermented alright, just with strong strong esters and, curiously, a really disappointing hops profile. I understand the banana flavour is here to stay; will it get any more interesting as it ages, or will it be relegated to boring-fourth-beer status?