Campden mistake, should I be re-pitching?

[agentEhrman]

On Thursday I brewed up a pale ale, and I treated the tap water with 1/4 a tablet of campden. I crushed it up and evenly distributed it between the boil water which was 4 gallons, and the top off water of 1.5 gallons. With the boil water, I just dumped the powder into the brew kettle and turned on the heat. For the top off water, I sanitized the container, filled with tap water, and then added the crushed campden and placed in freezer for a couple hours while brewing. Once finished brewing, I cooled and added top off water and wort to primary and pitched the yeast on top with a little aeration.

After pitching yeast, I heard that the campden needs 24 hours to mellow out, or else it will kill the yeast. My plan was to pitch more of the same yeast to save the beer. Unfortunately, I was unable to get more yeast until yesterday (Saturday) afternoon. Yesterday morning, there was still no sign of action in the air lock. When I finally got home from a long day of work, ready to pitch the yeast I just bought, The air lock was bubbling. Apparently I didn't kill off all the yeast.

My question is, should I still pitch on top of this now active fermentation? If so, how would I aerate now that fermentation has already started?

If I don't pitch more yeast, am I doomed to an ale with off flavors from stressed yeast and no doubt under pitching when considering the campden must have killed off most of what I originally pitched?

If it helps, I pitched US-05 dry, at about 68 degrees. Any input/help is greatly appreciated, as I just really don't know what to do here.

 

[Insomniac]

I think you should be fine without re pitching if its going at a good rate. The sulphite added to the kettle I would expect to have boiled off, and brewers yeast is pretty resistant to it from what I hear and just stuns them for a bit. I would see how it goes, if it does get stuck you can always repitch then.

 

[PT Ray]

The 24 hour rule applies when treating must, typically a dosage of 1 tab per gallon. If you're following the 1/4 tab per 5 gallon rule for brewing water, it's not an issue.

 

[agentEhrman]

Is there any negative effects to be concerned about if I add another packet of yeast? Obviously, I can't aerate since some fermentation has already started?

 

[Snicks]

I have been adding 1 campden tablet to my strike water for 5gal for the past 15 or so batches with no problems so far. I think I read somewhere that the sulphites from the tablet are removed through boiling but I'm not 100% sure. Did you boil your top off water?

I'd be interested to hear more views on this too, hope I haven’t been stressing my yeast friends.

Edit: Just realized you said that you added the tablet to the top off water post-boiling. I would guess that adding more yeast now probably won't help much, as they likely would have already multiplied (stressed or not) to sufficient levels for fermentation. I'd leave it be and call it a learning experience. I would also bet the beer will still be good!

 

[zachary80]

The 24 hour rule applies when treating must, typically a dosage of 1 tab per gallon. If you're following the 1/4 tab per 5 gallon rule for brewing water, it's not an issue.

This.

I've never had a problem and I normally do something very similar to the OP.

Don't bother adding more yeast.

 

[agentEhrman]

Thanks guys!

 

[agentEhrman]

FG is good and I didn't bother pitching any more yeast. Looks like another case of RDWHAHB

 

[daksin]

FG is good and I didn't bother pitching any more yeast. Looks like another case of RDWHAHB

Will we ever learn? Probably not. Your OP freaked me out because I just brewed with my own water and campden for the first time yesterday, but I did boil everything after the campden. Still in normal lag period, so we'll see where it is when work's done.

 

[agentEhrman]

Will we ever learn? Probably not. Your OP freaked me out because I just brewed with my own water and campden for the first time yesterday, but I did boil everything after the campden. Still in normal lag period, so we'll see where it is when work's done.

I had a longer than normal lag, but then the magic still happened. I'm sure yours will be fine as well.

 

[daksin]

I had a longer than normal lag, but then the magic still happened. I'm sure yours will be fine as well.

It's definitely gotten going, but not as crazy as I would have expected, but believe it or not this is my first time ever using US-05 so I have no idea how that yeast acts in my house. I'm not concerned. Cannot WAIT to try the first "normal" ale I've brewed correctly here. I previously brewed the Whorld's Whorst Wheat (tm) and an extra-flat ESB. The only properly brewed beers have been crazies, like a 10% BDSA and a super-hop belgian IPA. A nice all-grain pale ale will be a great change of pace.