Yeast fell a few minutes after pitching

[Nathan Buckner]

Hello,
I've been brewing for a little over a year and have done around 15 brews (so I'm still a noob). I don't remember ever seeing the yeast fall to the bottom shortly after I pitched it. Ive left it alone for about 6 hours and the beer is clearing. I can see the proteins/ trub/ etc. falling out but I also see the yeast at the bottom too. It definitely seems to have grown but its just laying at the bottom under the falling trub.
Is this a potential sign of bad yeast? I pitched at room temp 70-73 degrees, which I usually do with no problems. I used 05 yeast.

 

[MikeCo]

Did you rehydrate the yeast and see the slurry sink to the bottom? I can't quite picture what your describing. Generally it just mixes into the wort in my experience. Give it some time and see if it starts fermenting. If it hasn't taken off after 24 to 36 hours, add new yeast.

 

[Nathan Buckner]

That was my thought too.
I pitched dry yeast on top with out mixing it in. Then I started doing something else and when I looked back most of the yeast was gone and what was left was slowly sinking.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

It's most likely fine. By this time tomorrow it'll probably be bubbling along like normal.
But, it's worth going and buying another packet (if you don't already have one) to keep on hand as a backup. If you don't see activity after about 36 hours, pitch the second packet.

This is why I like to rehydrate dry yeast - no worries about a dead packet if it was already foaming when rehydrated.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

How's it looking?

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I pitched dry yeast on top with out mixing it in. Then I started doing something else and when I looked back most of the yeast was gone and what was left was slowly sinking.

This is behavior is common for the brands and strains of dry yeast that I use. It's not an indication of a dead package of yeast.

Note that US-05 is known to be a "slow starter" relative to many other strains of yeast (link available upon request).

 

[Nathan Buckner]

I forgot about it being a slow starter, I usually add yeast nutrient and it usually has taken off by the following morning. It now has a colony floating on time. There didn't seem to be a high krasen, but its bubbling every now and then.
Thanks for the follow up!