Warm or cold pitch?

[Crazy Climber]

I am inclined to second mashani on this topic, but will put an asterisk next to my agreement, for the time being.
I've always strived to chill to at/below desired ferm temps, but having recently moved from the chillier Northeast to the much-warmer Southeast, I've been dealing with groundwater temps around 80 degrees, so no amount of immersion chiller time will help, once the wort reaches about 80 degrees.
I've considered using my fermentation fridge to get the wort down to the 60's before pitching, but like mashani, I'm reluctant to give any wild and uninvited guests that much of a headstart. So, I've been pitching at 80-ish and completing the chilling in the fridge before active fermentation kicks in.
The asterisk is because I've only brewed two batches in my new location -- the first one was a double NEIPA that came out just fine (but any yeast-related flaws might've been hard to identify in such a "loud" beer). The second beer - an ESB with S-04 dry yeast - is still in the fermenter, so I can't comment yet on any potential impact of pitching at 80. Will update when done, provided I remember to do so!

[mashani]

I am inclined to second mashani on this topic, but will put an asterisk next to my agreement, for the time being.

FWIW, I think I mentioned in my initial post, that I was considering writing up what I had been doing but was reluctant to, IE also * in front, because I figured it would eventually blow up in my face and I'd make a batch of hot garbage, but I've done it a lot of times now and it never has done anything but make good beer.

[berryman]

Yeast and yeast temps is a interesting topic.
Friday’s beer a 1.052 with one pack of 04 pitched at 62 degs. Ambient is 52 and in the fermenter is 64. Using a 3 piece airlock and going strong. Quite often I use a blow off if a bigger beer and more yeast. I think 04 is more aggressive then 05.



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[mashani]

That's a pretty big difference, that fermenter must insulate a good bit. S04 for sure ferments out faster and clears faster then US05 in my experience.