Amy Young-Leith wrote:
[color=blue]
> DH and I are back to brewing after a long abscence. For this batch, we
> wanted to forgo wasting a pool full of water by using the wart
> chiller, so he added ice instead of water to the wort to cool it. We
> cooled it down too far, though -- but then I looked at our yeast and
> it was not fresh, so we decided to let the wort return to room temp
> overnight, go get some fresh yeast and pitch it the next day.
>
> From our local brew supply store we picked up some British Ale Yeast
> from White Labs and pitched it into the 72 degree wart, after the tube
> of yeast itself had warmed to room temperature (during which time we
> couldn't help but shake it and look at it).
>
> Here are are 24 hours later without a single bit of activity.
>
> My questions:
>
> 1. Does something happen to the sugar molecules when you cool it too
> low, or leave it sit overnight, so that the yeast can't get its party
> on?
>
> 2. Should we try pitching another thing of yeast in it; could the
> yeast have been dead?
>
> 3. Should we just trash it and start over?
>
> Amy[/color]

I had the same thing happen with white labs liquid yeast. I just aerated it
by shaking the carboy or swirling as it were and waited. Sure enough it
started right up in another 24 hours. Relax, have a homebrew