Secondary fermentation - pitching another bag of liquid yeast?

[KookyBrewsky]

First time using liquid yeast and I didn’t have enough DME to make a starter... I’m positive the OG will be over 1.050, which would mean I need a starter or two bags of PurePitch... I have neither. The beer is “Great Lakes Pale Ale”. OG of 1.057, FG of 1.014. The recipe itself called for 1lb if DME plus 6lbs if LME.

If I use one bag, then transfer it to a secondary fermenter after around 1.5-2 weeks, would using a second bag of PurePitch do anything positive for my brew to makeup for not having a starter nor a second bag on hand? There are no stores around me that sell homebrew gear unfortunately.

Cheers.

Edit : I used an dry yeast I had and rehydrated it. I had yet another mishap, my wort cooler sprung a leak while cooling and added nearly a half gallon of unsanitized hose water... D: Who knows how this batch will turn out now.

 

[rburrelli]

One pack of yeast is sufficient for the gravity you have stated. As to the additional water, not sure if that willmaffect anything. A half gallon is not a lot but I don’t know how good or bad the water is. If just tap water you likely will be fine.

 

[KookyBrewsky]

One pack of yeast is sufficient for the gravity you have stated. As to the additional water, not sure if that willmaffect anything. A half gallon is not a lot but I don’t know how good or bad the water is. If just tap water you likely will be fine.

Yes it’s essentially just tap water that squirted out of the sanitized wort chiller, same water I used to brew except it wasn’t boiled nor cleansed with Campden tablets. I see a bit of a activity already but we’ll have to see how it goes. I’ve got 3 batches underway. Since they usually get better with time I figured it best to learn quickly, make mistakes, and make a ton of beer that’ll be ready in a few months. I do have one extra bucket though... hmmm

 

[McKnuckle]

I also don't think you need a second package of yeast, but just to clarify: If you did use 2 packages, you'd pitch it all at the beginning. Typically one does not pitch more yeast after a week (or whatever) in primary. Primary fermentation is conducted only once, followed by conditioning/settling and then packaging.

 

[KookyBrewsky]

I also don't think you need a second package of yeast, but just to clarify: If you did use 2 packages, you'd pitch it all at the beginning. Typically one does not pitch more yeast after a week (or whatever) in primary. Primary fermentation is conducted only once, followed by conditioning/settling and then packaging.

I was wondering how it would affect an under-pitched primary, because the liquid yeast pack said if over 1.050 OG it needs two packs of yeast or 1L of starter. I didn’t have extra DME to make starter and I didn’t have two packs of yeast.

So, for my Great Lakes Pale Ale I decided to just rehydrate a dry yeast I had which isn’t necessarily the right one for the recipe but I did what I had to. I used Windsor British style yeast. Hopefully it turns out alright with the different yeast and chiller disaster. Lots of big learning checkmarks every batch so far though...

 

[RM-MN]

I was wondering how it would affect an under-pitched primary, because the liquid yeast pack said if over 1.050 OG it needs two packs of yeast or 1L of starter. I didn’t have extra DME to make starter and I didn’t have two packs of yeast.

So, for my Great Lakes Pale Ale I decided to just rehydrate a dry yeast I had which isn’t necessarily the right one for the recipe but I did what I had to. I used Windsor British style yeast. Hopefully it turns out alright with the different yeast and chiller disaster. Lots of big learning checkmarks every batch so far though...

If you aerated your wort that one pack of yeast will multiply in the fermenter and become sufficient to ferment your beer. The point of making a starter is the same, making more yeast cells but then you have so many more yeast cells to pitch the fermentation takes off quicker. That limits how much bacterial growth can occur before the yeast overwhelm them and create conditions that restrict or stop the bacterial growth. Unless you brew in very unsanitary conditions you won't have enough bacteria to affect the flavor of your beer.

 

[KookyBrewsky]

If you aerated your wort that one pack of yeast will multiply in the fermenter and become sufficient to ferment your beer. The point of making a starter is the same, making more yeast cells but then you have so many more yeast cells to pitch the fermentation takes off quicker. That limits how much bacterial growth can occur before the yeast overwhelm them and create conditions that restrict or stop the bacterial growth. Unless you brew in very unsanitary conditions you won't have enough bacteria to affect the flavor of your beer.

Thanks for the info for the future... I unfortunately decided to use a yeast that might give the final beer a different flavor profile :/

Instead of the White Labs PurePitch I used Windsor British style yeast... I wonder how that will affect the flavor of the Great Lakes Pale Ale... After further research a Great Lakes is usually clean whereas the British style yeast might give it a "biscuity" aroma and flavor... Seems contrasting. I did what I had to in a tight bind. These mistakes will hopefully never happen again, I hope the beer is drinkable. So far out of my first three batches ever only the first one might turn out really well, lol.