I usually brew Ales, and I usually have the yeast to the same temperature of the wort I pitch it into, but I’m wondering…
I have just brewed a CAP that I’m going to pitch yeast into this evening when the temperature gets down to fermentation temp. My yeast is sitting in the fridge at ~34. Will it shock the yeast to dump it into 54* wort?
No. The yeast will quickly adapt and go to work. If you go the otter direction, of course, the yeast go dormant. If you went from freezing to 90, then you might have troubles…I would try to get the wort a little below fermentation temperature and the yeast close to it, as well, then dump it in.
My rule of thumb is always to pitch cold yeast into a warmer wort. Warmer yeast into cooler wort can slow their growth rate for a bit. Doesn’t always work of course when dry yeast is rehydrated, but the beer still comes out great!
Even when rehydrating with dry, I try to do so in advance and put the mixture in the lager chest/fridge for a while with a plastic wrap covering it. Then pitch into slightly similar temperature wort…YMMV, of course, as some don’t rehydrate and still have success. That’s yeast for you - treat them well and they work their buds off for you.
+1
I always chill the wort, pull the starter from the fridge , decant and pitch. Rehydrated yeast is a bit trickier and usually winds up about the same temp as the wort when it’s ready.