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Author Topic: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.  (Read 5994 times)

Offline micah h

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Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« on: July 02, 2013, 03:48:46 pm »
 So I brewed on Saturday. Everything went smoothly, but than Sunday came and it hit 94*. I didn't think much about it, my closet has always been cool enough for fermentation. I failed the carbometter went of the scale, above 80*. I moved the beer to an ice batch and it's sitting at 68*.

My question is should I call it a wash a dump the wort out, or try repitching. The only other time I had to repitch the beer was contaminated.

Thanks for any help.

Offline denny

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2013, 03:51:50 pm »
Unless the temp got over 115 F, you didn't kill the yeast.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline micah h

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2013, 04:15:04 pm »
Well it didn't get that high. But the foam "Creson?" wen't up and down in about four hours, not two to three days, and now i'm seeing no signs of active fermentation.

I just realized that i spent about 15 minutes swirling the carboy after pitching, and that is a new practice for me. Could all this just be me experiencing how the yeast works with well aerated wort?

Offline denny

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2013, 04:17:22 pm »
Well it didn't get that high. But the foam "Creson?" wen't up and down in about four hours, not two to three days, and now i'm seeing no signs of active fermentation.

I just realized that i spent about 15 minutes swirling the carboy after pitching, and that is a new practice for me. Could all this just be me experiencing how the yeast works with well aerated wort?

Maybe, but it's more likely due to a high fermentation temp.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline micah h

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2013, 04:24:59 pm »
Thank you Denny! Now I can go to work and not worry about my beer.

Offline kylekohlmorgen

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2013, 06:12:43 am »
Never worry about homebrew.

If this batch has off-flavors from fermentation - figure out how to keep the temp steady and brew again.
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Offline euge

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2013, 07:50:45 am »
Yeah I bet there is gonna be some solventy off-flavors if the temp got that high.
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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2013, 08:51:20 am »
Your yeast didn't die, but it may smell like it did.

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2013, 09:04:25 am »
94 is cool for summer here in Texas. Actually we are enjoying a "cold front" this week with highs in the mid-90s. Last Saturday when I was Austin it was 106.

Your yeast is probably ok. It may not be the best batch you've ever brewed but probably not the worst you will ever brew, either.
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Offline thirsty

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2013, 09:16:11 am »
Similar thing happened to me once. Brewed an ale in July. Put it in the fridge I use to ferment. It was at about 65 or so. Went on vacation for a week. While I was gone a storm hit, knocked the power out for a day or so. The beer sat at probably 80-85 for that time. There was beer all over the fridge, I guess the yeast went nuts the first few hours as it got warmer and warmer. I bottled what was left. Far from perfect, but still drinkable.

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2013, 09:38:55 am »
I would never dump a batch without at first tasting it.  Let it finish, taste it when you check the gravity and you'll have a sense if it's worth keeping.

If it is, package it.

Chances are it will not taste like you intended and it will have some solventy alcohol flavors.

If you choose to dump it, you'll at least have gotten a sense of what flavors to expect from high fermentation temps.

One thing to note if it does have solvent flavors is that fusel alcohol can give you a whopper of a headache.  I've been there, don't want to go back.
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Offline micah h

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #11 on: July 03, 2013, 04:40:42 pm »
RDWHAHB has become a taunt for me. I am still new to the hobby, haven't done 20 batches yet. I need to accept the fact that I am still learning. It would have been so easy to just set up an ice bath, five extra minutes at the end. Oh well, next time.

I removed the blow off bucket and put on the fermentation cap last night. It's going up and down, so my yeast is still alive. I'll brew this same recipe next time, a lil more cautiously, and compare the two to see what differences happen with a high fermentation temp.

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #12 on: July 03, 2013, 05:23:54 pm »
RDWHAHB has become a taunt for me. I am still new to the hobby, haven't done 20 batches yet. I need to accept the fact that I am still learning. It would have been so easy to just set up an ice bath, five extra minutes at the end. Oh well, next time.

I removed the blow off bucket and put on the fermentation cap last night. It's going up and down, so my yeast is still alive. I'll brew this same recipe next time, a lil more cautiously, and compare the two to see what differences happen with a high fermentation temp.
Dude, don't "accept" that there's a lot to learn, EMBRACE it!  I was your age when I started brewing.  Got starter equipment and a couple "kits" as a birthday present.  There is SO much more free info out there now than even existed 20 years ago that, if you're committed, you'll be brewing good beer soon. Then comes the challenge of learning how to brew GREAT beer ! Hang in there.
Jon H.

Offline majorvices

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #13 on: July 03, 2013, 05:33:59 pm »
RDWHAHB has become a taunt for me. I am still new to the hobby, haven't done 20 batches yet. I need to accept the fact that I am still learning. It would have been so easy to just set up an ice bath, five extra minutes at the end. Oh well, next time.

I removed the blow off bucket and put on the fermentation cap last night. It's going up and down, so my yeast is still alive. I'll brew this same recipe next time, a lil more cautiously, and compare the two to see what differences happen with a high fermentation temp.
Dude, don't "accept" that there's a lot to learn, EMBRACE it!

+1 - mastering a craft is just that. Mastering. Which takes a lifetime. Luckily, once you manage to get a handle on fermentation temps and yeast pitching your beer will taste like you are a master! Not too difficult to figure out. Keep the temp of most ale fermentations in the low to mid 60's and pitch the proper amount if yeast - see yeast pitching calc at www. Mrmalty.com. Be sure that you manage the temp of the fermentation, which will be 4-6+ degrees over ambient at high krausen (a stick on "fermometer" will give you a close indication of the actual temp of fern ration). Be sure to cool your wort down to pitching tomes FIRST before aerating and pitching your yeast. Never pitch over 72, and preferably pitch a few degrees below intended ferm temp. You get those part nailed and you'll be maki g some incredible beers.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2013, 05:42:40 pm by majorvices »

Offline micah h

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Re: Summer finally hit Washington. My yeast died.
« Reply #14 on: July 04, 2013, 01:38:04 am »
All so true Hoosier. I have a lifetime of brewing ahead of me and I know this wont be the last time a blunder on something. But the best part of this mistake is I caught it, so I wont let it happen again.

Also thank you Major, I have been doing things a bit different than you're saying I should be. I'll tweak my system a bit to see if that helps make my beer better.