Bavarian Wheat Yeast #3638 Not Working!

[smilinggilroy]

Hi All,
Advice needed please.
Have pitched a Wyeast Bavarian Wheat #3638 into a brew on Friday night and so far no action, it's dead set lifeless!
Is this yeast usually slow as I have not used it before?
Scenario:-
Brewed Tony's Dark Whaet Dunkelweizen on Thursday and no chilled it.
Friday, smacked the pack and put it into temp. controlled box @ 22.5c for 4.5 hours (it didn't swell that much)
Pitched it to 17.8c wort Fri. evening and set controller to 20.5c
Tonight, nothing... no air lock action, no change in reading, no krausen, the top oft he wort is lifeless.
Does one race out tomorrow and buy another wheat yeast (what ever the HBS has available/suitable) and re-pitch?
If I do re-pitch, do I aerate the wort again for the new yeast?
All help appreciated,
TIA,
Cheers,
Smilinggilroy.

 

[seemax]

I found it took off reasonably fast but I did 1L starter.

Not a bad yeast that... quite mild in character compared to 3068.

 

[manticle]

What was the date on the yeast?

 

[smilinggilroy]

What was the date on the yeast?

It was manf. 23 Sept 2010.
It was ordered from one of the sponsors and when received was refrigerated immediately.

With all that's been happening here of late, I haven't had much of a chance to do any brewing.

 

[argon]

It was manf. 23 Sept 2010.
It was ordered from one of the sponsors and when received was refrigerated immediately.

With all that's been happening here of late, I haven't had much of a chance to do any brewing.

With a manufacturer date of that long ago... you'll be looking at 10% viability... essentially you way underpitched. No idea if it is salvageable at this stage. Getting more fresh/healthy yeast can't hurt though.

Should have made yourself a starter at about 100mL then stepped up to the correct size before pitching. As an example i never pitch smack paks direct to wort unless it's fresh and Mr Malty tells me it's ok (assumed fresh fully swollen pack equivalent to 1L starter)

 

[smilinggilroy]

Yeah, didn't even look at the date on the pack.
First opportunity in quite a while to brew, just got stuck into it before something else bloody cropped up.
Wasn't until Manticle asked, that I dragged the pack out of the bin and looked at the date.
Buggerit just can't to get a break lately. :angry:
Oh well off to get more wheat yeast now.
Would still like to know if I need to re-aerate when pitching another yeast in these circumstances?
:icon_cheers:

 

[argon]

Certainly a conundrum you've got yourself in... if it were me i'd like to try and get some aeration of the wort upon pitching more yeast.

What i'd do, in your situation, is pitch the freshest pack i can find direct to the wort (without smacking as i'm trying to save time... if i buy from a reputable source the pack should be very fresh and not require proofing) and give it a thrashing with a sanitised spoon to get as much air in the wort as possible... then repeat the thrashing after 12 hours for more oxygen.

 

[smilinggilroy]

Thanks for the reply Argon.
The only wheat yeast I can get readily/aesily is SAFBREW WB-06.
Would there be any problems using this?
I could also transfer the wort into another fermenter to aerate.
Would this be too much and subjecting myself to other problems? Or keep it simple and stir in as suggested?

 

[Ross]

Sorry, have to dissagree with you a little there Argon - However fresh the label states, you don't know the condition of the yeast without smacking it & the nutrients added by smacking will also give your yeast the best start.
As I already posted in another thread this morning.

NEVER pitch your Wyeast pack before it's swollen - There is no point.
Letting the pack swell first will give you a good indication of viabillity by how long it takes. If it doesn't swell at all, it's stuffed & there's no point pitching it.

Cheers Ross

 

[Ross]

Smilinggilroy,

Your yeast is highly unlikely to be stuffed, just low in viabillity, if you just leave it well alone it will fire in time & most likely ferment out fine.
If you are really concerned, & can't get to your local HBS I'm sure there are several online who can have one with you by tomorrow & if requested, pre smacked & firing.

Cheers Ross

 

[argon]

Thanks for the reply Argon.
The only wheat yeast I can get readily/aesily is SAFBREW WB-06.
Would there be any problems using this?
I could also transfer the wort into another fermenter to aerate.
Would this be too much and subjecting myself to other problems? Or keep it simple and stir in as suggested?

Considering that you can only get a dry yeast... that will actually make the process a little easier. People often recommend that when using a dry yeast that further aeration is not necessary as the contents of the packet contain everything for the yeast to get off to the start they require. I subscribe to the theory that unless you're adding pure O2 to the wort for overly extended periods you're unlikely to add too much to the wort. So i'd still give it a thrashing, or as you've suggested transfer to another fermenter and let it splash around for aeration.

Prepare your yeast by rehydrating as per the standard methods and then add that directly to your wort.

Caveat: all this advice is of course given on the assumption that you do indeed have no yeast growth and fermentation taking place in your beer. If you do have had some yeast growth and see ANY fermentation activity... just add the rehydrated yeast to the batch and don't aerate further.