Just out of curiousity, are there any pros and cons to double pitching yeast for 1 5-gallon batch of beer? If I double pitch it would be with a White Labs Burton Ale Yeast.

Thanks!

By double pitching do you mean pitching twice the amount of yeast (i.e. two tubes instead of one}?

If that is the case, there should be no problem.

How the yeast are handled in transit and at the homebrew shop and have dramatic effects on yeast viability. Unless you make a starter you really have no way of gauging the viability of the yeast in those tubes.

Pitching two tubes and/or making a starter might not be a bad idea unless you are certain the yeast are in good health.

- Scott

So now if you pitch 2 vials rather than one, will that hasten the fermenting process? And because you are doubling the yeast numbers (potentially) will that increase the attenuation percentage and thus, eat more sugars, lowering the FG and then increase your Alcohol content in the batch?

The yeast may run out of food to eat and settle to the bottom until they're given more sugar. This isn't a really bad thing though.

Screwy Brewer