Pitch too warm

[Ian McLoughlin]

Hey all, did my second batch and like a ******* I think i pitched my yeast while too hot, the plastic carboy was warm but not hot and I panicked a bit and pitches. When will I fibd out if i produced off flavors/ is there a way to cover them up with something if i need to do so?

 

[brownni5]

You won't know until it's done fermenting. There really isn't any "covering up" off flavors, especially I'd they're from a hot ferment. If you really think it was hot, cool it down as quickly as you can - cold water bath?

What yeast? Any idea how hot? Some yeasts are more forgiving than others.
Thermometers are relatively cheap - don't brew without them.

 

[Ian McLoughlin]

You won't know until it's done fermenting. There really isn't any "covering up" off flavors, especially I'd they're from a hot ferment. If you really think it was hot, cool it down as quickly as you can - cold water bath?

What yeast? Any idea how hot? Some yeasts are more forgiving than others.
Thermometers are relatively cheap - don't brew without them.

It was US Safeale 05 and it was warm to the touch in the carboy steamed a bit coming out, I had the fermentor leaning on something and couldnt reach the thermometer. Dumb question probably but couldnt I somewhat cover any off aromas by dryhopping a good anount of hops

 

[Calder]

You may get some flavors developed by the yeast at high temp. They may not be bad at all, but you will certainly not get the clean ferment you would normally expect from S-05. The real problem is going to be if you developed higher alcohols. You should be able to taste it, and if they are present, it may result in headaches. You may drink only a couple of beers, but wake up with a headache similar to having drunk too much.

I've had one batch that did that too me many years ago.

 

[Ian McLoughlin]

You may get some flavors developed by the yeast at high temp. They may not be bad at all, but you will certainly not get the clean ferment you would normally expect from S-05. The real problem is going to be if you developed higher alcohols. You should be able to taste it, and if they are present, it may result in headaches. You may drink only a couple of beers, but wake up with a headache similar to having drunk too much.

I've had one batch that did that too me many years ago.

I might need a good boot in the ass bc i tend to pitch the yeast too early in fear of leaving wort at the danger zone temp rather then being patient and pitching later.

 

[RM-MN]

I might need a good boot in the ass bc i tend to pitch the yeast too early in fear of leaving wort at the danger zone temp rather then being patient and pitching later.

Put a cover on your wort and let it cool. There isn't much that can climb up and under the lid and if it does, your yeast pitch will quickly overpower it and create conditions that the bacteria cannot reproduce in. Some of us do a "no chill" where we just let the wort cool overnight and don't have anything growing in it by morning.

 

[Baglorious]

Just to let you know you're not the only one: I (foolishly) pitched Safale 05 at 80 degrees in a batch that is fermenting right now.

Embarrasingly, I knew what I was doing. My thought process was... regrettable (nice way of saying 'stupid'), and based on the smells emanating from my fermenter airlock, it was definitely a mistake. It isn't the tantalizing beer smell I'm used to. Based on what I've read... I've produced a goodly amount of fusel alcohol in my beer.

The viability range for Safale 05 is supposedly up to 84, so I assumed it would be safe to pitch... and that it would cool down (on its own) to the 65ish range of my basement. Turns out, takes longer for 10 gallons to go from 80 to 65ish than I thought. And just because you 'can' use Safale 05 up to 80-84 without killing it, doesn't mean you want to.

My primary reason for pitching so hot: An effort to save water (during chilling) plus impatience.

I'm going to actually do a secondary fermentation on this one, which I generally don't do. I can do it with fairly low oxygen exposure, so I'll give that a try, and just let it sit for a long time. Hopefully, the fusel alcohols will diminish/convert, as I've read is possible.

SO... monitor the smell coming out of your airlock. If it smells "good"... you're probably "good!" If it smells off, you'll probably know it. Mine is obvious. Then, if you've got smells that don't seem right, your best bet (from what I've read) is to give it time.

Good luck.


p.s. If this is your second batch mistake, you'll learn quickly. Think of how embarrassed you'd be if you had, for example, 20+ batches under your belt and you did such a thing.

 

[Soulshine2]

I might need a good boot in the ass bc i tend to pitch the yeast too early in fear of leaving wort at the danger zone temp rather then being patient and pitching later.

you cant pitch that hot (steaming still). why rush it? put a cork on it or a star san soaked rag over the top . if you put an airlock in it too soon it will suck the airlock contents back into the fermenter. pitch next day, it'll be fine.

 

[brownni5]

For those of you too impatient to pitch at ale temps (mid 60s or lower), I would suggest learning to love kveik yeast strains. Massive underpitch? 95 degrees? All fine.

Or, you could learn patience. I'm the most impatient person I know, but I've learned some since homebrewing.

 

[kevin58]

There is no reason to fear letting your wort cool slowly. The no-chill method proves that out. Snap the lid on that bucket and just let it sit until it cools to pitching temp which may take overnight or longer. Be patient.

 

[Baglorious]

For those of you too impatient to pitch at ale temps (mid 60s or lower), I would suggest learning to love kveik yeast strains. Massive underpitch? 95 degrees? All fine.

Or, you could learn patience. I'm the most impatient person I know, but I've learned some since homebrewing.

My use of a kveik yeast the prior batch... pitching at 80 degs with wonderful results... may have contributed to my unwise decision to go ahead and toss some Safale at that temp. ;-)

 

[Gnomebrewer]

If it was so warm that there was steam coming off and it felt warm to touch, you might have killed most of your yeast. Whether something feels warm depends on how cold your hands are, but could mean your wort was over 38C/100F. Much over that and yeasties die. If you have a spare pack of US05 and your beer isn't fermenting yet, chuck an extra pack in to be safe.

 

[Ian McLoughlin]

Started fermentation within 12 hours, took the lid off the carboy for a quick no breathing on it and contaminate it whiff, smelled fine, lots of co2 activity so im hoping this is a good sign

 

[Ian McLoughlin]

Started fermentation within 12 hours, took the lid off the carboy for a quick no breathing on it and contaminate it whiff, smelled fine, lots of co2 activity so im hoping this is a good sign

Couldnt tell if i was being paranoid but got a little of the green apple smell but could’ve just been the fumes from the co2

 

[SmallScaleOperator]

I’ve been doing no chill batches for over a year and have been super happy with my results. No buying ice, using water baths or immersion chillers. Just let the kettle sit covered overnight, dump and pitch the next morning. I spray the outside of my kettle with alcohol to make sure it is sanitized and keep the rim nice and clean.
It simplifies my brew day and helps me to save water.

 

[kh54s10]

My question about the steam has been answered. I wondered if it was so hot that it killed the yeast.
Hot temperatures will not increase the alcohol level of the beer, but could create fusel alcohols, those are the ones that give a burning taste.
Smells at the beginning of a fermentation could easily be bad, and yet the beer OK in the end.
If you really want something exciting get real close an take a good whiff of mostly co2. I would suggest doing in on a carpeted floor for when you pass out.

You are really only going to know when it is finished. A big dry hop would probably mask off flavors but wouldn't solve fusel alcohol burn.

 

[Soulshine2]

For those of you too impatient to pitch at ale temps (mid 60s or lower), I would suggest learning to love kveik yeast strains. Massive underpitch? 95 degrees? All fine.

Or, you could learn patience. I'm the most impatient person I know, but I've learned some since homebrewing.

i definitely want to try a Kveik. i wont be brewing for a while but have the feeling it'll be mid summer when I do ,so i may try a Kveik for that. trying to figure out what to brew and which strain to use when that time comes.

 

[Ian McLoughlin]

Would the fact that it started a healthy fermentation prove that theres less liklihood of excess fusel or would that only tasting it reveal them.

 

[Ian McLoughlin]

It was probably warm to the touch for several hours but i have a cool dark closet where i keep my carboy keeping a nice stable temp throughout fermentation, im hoping maybe that will correct some of the problem or will the initial high pitch temp have done the damage - i never waste beer - as thats a crime against humanity so im gonna have to drink all of it, just dont wanna have splitting headaches every time i drink

 

[kh54s10]

Would the fact that it started a healthy fermentation prove that theres less liklihood of excess fusel or would that only tasting it reveal them.

No, in fact the yeast love temperatures that are too high for optimum fermentation. How high the temperature was and how long are the determining factors. You said steam came off so I hope that what really happened that it was dry and cool where your fermenter was when you pitched and you got a vapor like seeing your breath on a cold day.

But time will tell. I have read many updates where the beer turned out fine. It is more likely that it would just taste different than a batch fermented at optimum temperatures. But there could be fusels also.

 

[Ian McLoughlin]

No, in fact the yeast love temperatures that are too high for optimum fermentation. How high the temperature was and how long are the determining factors. You said steam came off so I hope that what really happened that it was dry and cool where your fermenter was when you pitched and you got a vapor like seeing your breath on a cold day.

But time will tell. I have read many updates where the beer turned out fine. It is more likely that it would just taste different than a batch fermented at optimum temperatures. But there could be fusels also.

Im starting to get that banana ester aroma, 72 ish hours in, should this diminish over time or be reduced with dry hopping, my recipe calls for one ounce of hops zenia hops in 4 days but if i mix some citra or others as well would that favorably mask the “off fruit” taste?

 

[kh54s10]

Im starting to get that banana ester aroma, 72 ish hours in, should this diminish over time or be reduced with dry hopping, my recipe calls for one ounce of hops zenia hops in 4 days but if i mix some citra or others as well would that favorably mask the “off fruit” taste?

Can't say anything about aromas during fermentation. I always have my beer in a fermentation chamber. I check the fermentation progress visually the day after pitching, looking for a krausen. I then wait 2 weeks before doing anything else to the beer. I usually don't even look into the chamber during that time.

Hops might mask an off flavor, but we don't know that you will get an off flavor for sure. They will not mask any fusel alcohol bite, if that were to occur.