I used dud yeast- is it too late to salvage?

[philistine]

Hey all,
Its been a while since ive been here but ive got a little situation....
I cooked up what i believe will be a most excellent batch of beer over the wknd.
I brewed on saturday, left it to chill overnight in the kettle and then put it straight into the ferment chamber at 20c.
Yesterday afternoon i had a peek and there is zero sign of activity. This morning, still zero.
Without going into the hows and whys - obviously the yeast was dead.
I can see only 3 options, in order of preference:
- pitch more yeast (this arvo when i get home)
- tip it back into the kettle to reboil, then cool and re-pitch
- chuck it

IMO i was pretty good sanitation-wise during the whole process and i really dont wanna reboil it and lose all my hops magick.... But it will be about 72 hours since flame out by the time i get home with fresh yeast and im thinking its probably a bit risky to just throw it straight in....

Any thoughts?

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

What yeast? What method? (Started liquid, straight liquid, rehydrated dry etc)

I've had BRY97 yeast take that long. That's why I won't use it again, though.

 

[philistine]

It was wyeast 1469 - west yorkshire ale.
No starter, just pitched direct from package about 5 hours after breaking the inner "activator" sachet. Ive used this yeast a few times before and its always fired up within 12 hours at most....

 

[philistine]

Ps. The package didnt swell and im pretty sure i killed it when bringing it home from the place i bought it. It was an hour and a half drive home and i had the package in an esky in dirext contact with an ice brick... So i think the cold killed it :facepalm:

 

[Mr. No-Tip]

I wouldn't think that would kill it, but no swell suggests a viability issue nonetheless.

Take a gravity reading and pH if you can. If it's no movement, grab and pitch some Nottingham. It's the most virulent dry I've ever used - two packs should kick off in under six hours and finish quick - it may attenuate more than 1469 (not too familiar with that but I know notto is a beast) but it will be your best bet to beat any bugs that might be getting ideas.

 

[Mikeyr]

2 packs of Nottingham = small tactical nuke ...I love it!

Doubt that you would have killed it with an ice brick, won't actually freeze it so no cellular disruption, and its from West Yorkshire, sitting on an ice brick should have been like a week in Tahiti!