Almost 4 days later and no fermentation?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by GameFreac, Sep 19, 2012.

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  1. GameFreac

    GameFreac Initiate (0) Apr 8, 2011 Georgia

    Took these pics last night - 72 hours into my first batch. OG was 1.050 and I just checked the gravity...still 1.050.

    I did notice a layer of something on the bottom. Is that the yeast or should I go buy more yeast and re-pitch? I used 1187 Ringwood Ale and the smack pack barely inflated.



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  2. mattbk

    mattbk Savant (1,099) Dec 12, 2011 New York

    what temp is the fermenter at?

    what mfg date was on the yeast?
     
  3. GameFreac

    GameFreac Initiate (0) Apr 8, 2011 Georgia

    60-65

    August 6, 2012
     
  4. DimensionX

    DimensionX Initiate (0) Oct 1, 2010 Oregon

    Hmmm that is a bummer, you should be seeing a nice krausen by now.

    I'm guessing that either the yeast was no good or used improperly or the wort did not have suitable living conditions for the yeast, possibly missing sugars and oxygen.

    but really it could be a number of things, was the wort properly cooled when you pitched the yeast? I'm not sure if you can re-pitch another pouch but you don't have much (6$) to lose otherwise.
     
  5. GameFreac

    GameFreac Initiate (0) Apr 8, 2011 Georgia

    The thing is, I pitched at 80-85 degrees because that's what the instructions on the kit said but everyone on the Homebrew Talk forum and John Palmer's How to Brew said it should have been down to 60-65. I put the fermenter in a bucket of water 3 hours after pitching with frozen water bottles and have been keeping it at 60-65 since then...but still nothing.
     
  6. DimensionX

    DimensionX Initiate (0) Oct 1, 2010 Oregon

    did you aerate the wort before pitching?
     
  7. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Well, your temp looks a little low, but I'd be surprised if you got no activity at all at 60-65 unless there was another issue. Bump it up close to 70F and see what happens, though my hunch is you're probably looking at repitching. But if you post your recipe and process, including the temp of your wort when you pitched, someone can probably troubleshoot what went wrong.
     
  8. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    “I used 1187 Ringwood Ale and the smack pack barely inflated.”

    How long after smacking the pack did you pitch the yeast? The fact that you stated: “smack pack barely inflated” is a strong indication that you did not have viable yeast.

    A manufacture date of August 6, 2012 means that the pack was not old but in the summertime if the pack is exposed to heat the yeast can die.

    The smack pack feature of Wyeast yeasts is a useful tool to proof the yeast. If the package of yeast does not completely swell after a few hours then this is an indication of damaged (killed) yeast.

    Cheers!
     
  9. jivex5k

    jivex5k Initiate (0) Apr 13, 2011 Florida

    I'd stir the crap out of it.
    No risk in oxygenating wort before it starts fermenting right?
     
  10. GameFreac

    GameFreac Initiate (0) Apr 8, 2011 Georgia

    I poured it into the fermenter. That's pretty much it.

    @ Vikeman

    I used the IPA kit from Williams Brewing.
     
  11. GameFreac

    GameFreac Initiate (0) Apr 8, 2011 Georgia

    Put it in the fridge for a few days, then smacked it and had it out for a little more than 24 hours at room temperature.
     
  12. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    The pack should have completely swelled up over a period of 24 hours at room temperature. It would appear that your pack got ‘killed’ by heat exposure (that is my guess).

    From the Wyeast website:

    “5. How long should it take for a package to swell?

    If a package is within 2 months of the manufacture date, the package should show signs of swelling within 5 hours and typically much faster than that. When the yeast is stored for long periods of time, they slowly consume their energy reserves (glycogen). When the energy reserves get low, the yeast are slow to produce CO2 and therefore are slow to cause swelling in the package. Improper storage at warm temperatures also has the same effect as long storage times.”

    You will need to add new yeast that is viable. I would recommend pitching a dry yeast package given that four days have passed without fermentation starting.

    Cheers!
     
  13. wattly

    wattly Aspirant (258) Nov 19, 2009 Connecticut

    Yeah, you'll want to pitch new yeast. The combination of an unswollen smack pack and lack of fermentation leans heavily towards your yeast not being healthy at the pitch. Get some fresh, healthy yeast in there ASAP before other nasties can ruin the wort.
     
  14. GameFreac

    GameFreac Initiate (0) Apr 8, 2011 Georgia

    What if I just got the same exact yeast from a store? Does it matter if I use different yeast?
     
  15. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina

    ^You will need to add new yeast that is viable. I would recommend pitching a dry yeast package given that four days have passed without fermentation starting.^

    +1. It is high time you pitched a dry yeast , infection is a high risk at this time.
     
  16. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society


    I suggested a dry yeast because I always keep a package of dry yeast in my refrigerator for emergencies (like yours) or for brew on a whim circumstances.

    “What if I just got the same exact yeast from a store?” That is fine but you need to do this now. Your wort has been sitting around for 4 days with zero signs of fermentation. Bacteria loves to ‘eat’ wort just as much as yeast so you are at risk of infection.

    “Does it matter if I use different yeast?” Yeast selection isn’t as critical as just getting some ale yeast in your wort to start up your fermentation.

    If you are willing to go to your local homebrew store right away to purchase a package of Wyeast 1187 (or equivalent), do yourself a favor and also purchase a sachet of dry yeast (e.g., US-05) and keep it in your refrigerator for a potential next time emergency.

    Cheers!
     
  17. GameFreac

    GameFreac Initiate (0) Apr 8, 2011 Georgia

    Is there different types of dry yeast? I've never made a yeast starter and have no Dry Malt Extract so would I need to do a starter? Or just buy "any" dry yeast and sprinkle it on top?

    Keep in mind this is my first batch so I don't really know what to do.
     
  18. raynmoon

    raynmoon Initiate (0) Aug 13, 2011 Colorado

    Wort was too hot or too cold
    Yeast was old
    Wort wasn't aerated
    Wort was oxygenated

    Does that cover it all?
     
  19. GameFreac

    GameFreac Initiate (0) Apr 8, 2011 Georgia

    I called my local homebrew shop...they said they have Nottingham dry yeast.

    Should I go and get it now and pitch ASAP?

    And should I try to aerate it before or will that infect it?
     
  20. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society


    “Is there different types of dry yeast?” Yes.


    “I've never made a yeast starter and have no Dry Malt Extract so would I need to do a starter?” There is no need to make a starter for dry yeast. In fact, you shouldn’t make a starter if using dry yeast.

    “Or just buy "any" dry yeast and sprinkle it on top?” Feel free to consult with your Local Homebrew Store guy if you want a dry yeast similar to Wyeast 1187. I am unaware of any dry yeast which will be exactly like Ringwood. I mentioned US-05 in my previous post. That is the yeast that I use to make American style IPAs.

    There is a suggested method to re-hydrate dry yeast but since this is your first batch I would recommend that you just sprinkle the dry yeast in and violently stir (whip) the wort. I prefer to use a big egg whisk (which has been sanitized) for this process but you could use a big spoon (that has been sanitized) for this job as well. This violent stirring is your aeration process.
     
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