Such a thing as over-pitching?

[thomasbarnes]

@scooter2374

Is it possible to pitch too much yeast? I know that not pitching enough can stress the yeast but what about vise versa?

It’s possible, but hard. Excessive pitching rates can increase acetylaldehyde levels and also possibly increase autolysis rates.

[tag (tom)]

@majorvices

Just to add the flipsyde, when I tried this very technique about 5 years ago the effect was like removing half the yeast. The fermenttaion started off fine but slowed to a crawl and never really finished. It was on an Imperial Pilsner. I was too scared to try again.

This has been my MO for big beers for years now.  Got a 2nd in the NHC finals for an Old Ale as well as a BOS (in Australia of all places).  Imperial Pilsners, Wee Heavies, and Barleywines have done well too.
YMMV

[brewmonk]

Friday I did a quick kit beer (Muntons Premium Imperial Stout), and because I need a quick turn around, I pitched the dry packet of yeast that came with the kit, along with another dry packet of yeast I had from another kit.  I rehydrated them and I pitched it a bit … OK … pretty dang warm, ie  86F  :o ) and the thing was bubbling like mad within two hours, but felt pretty warm.

I got the fermenter into a swamp cooler, although I think it took a while to cool down, got it (the water at least) down to about 68 F by the next morning.  The krausen was pretty intense (a 30 liter bucket with 19.25 liters of wort, the rest was krausen).

Sunday morning it is still bubbling a bit, but has slowed considerably.  We’ll see how it ends up.  I’m hoping since it is a stout and a low gravity (OG 1.044) that there won’t be any flavor consequences from the comedy that was this batch. Maybe the esters that wouldn’t be produced from yeast reproduction my be compensated for by the hot fermentation  :-\ . I’m hoping I can bottle by Friday.

If nothing else this may just be one of those “learning experiences”  :