My chiller died, leaving a ten gallon batch of Scottish 60/ fermenting at wildly high temps (mid 90’s when I found it). I’m guessing the beer is a total wash, but what are the odds of saving the yeast cake? Think it will be re-usable? It was Wyeast Scottish Ale if that makes any difference.
The yeast is probably fine, but for the price of a vial of new yeast, I would start fresh.
how long was it fermenting at the correct temp? what was the temp you wanted?
As Ron mentioned, the yeast is probably fine for now. It can be reused excepting that it is going to autolyse at a more rapid rate if the temperature of the yeast cake isn’t dropped to a more tolerable level. I don’t think you would need to trash the yeast if you take a portion of the yeast cake and make another starter with it. I regularly ferment starters at relatively high temps.
The beer may not be very pleasant after that high temp ferment, but it is a small beer and its possible that its palatable. I wouldn’t toss it unless it was terrible.
Wouldn’t think of tossing till I tasted, don’t have much hope however. Was shooting for a 68 degree fermentation, while not to style, I’ve found that the higher temps give more esters, makes it more of a Scottish Mild. The intent was to build up enough harvestable yeast to brew my winter grozet (7-8% ale), plus have a light afterwork al;e to drink. Pitched the yeast at 72, figured that by the time lag was over, it would have dropped to 68, went to bed, the next morning, the mid 90 temps and the cooling unit dead. Went to work, came home worked on it, I’m now in the low 70’s, fermentation is about over. Hopefully not all is lost.