Help save our ridiculous experiment

So you're taken a hydrometer reading to confirm that the gravity hasn't dropped at all? If so, I'd add another packet of yeast. I don't know if you did before buy try rehydrating the yeast this time before you pitch it, it might help.

 

Gator is correct, please ensure you've taken a hydrometer reading and aren't simply just looking for visual activity. If that truly is the case, follow the suggestion above and pitch another packet.

 

You asked: “Also, is that fact that it has sat for 9 days without any yeast activity going to destroy this brew? I mean, without the yeast converting that sugar, is the whole thing liable to get infected?”

If indeed the yeast did not do its job (fermenting the wort) then 9 days of inactivity will very likely result in an infection.

I would recommend that you check the gravity with a hydrometer. If the gravity is not consistent with a fermented beer (a low gravity) I personally would just dump it. Adding yeast to an infected wort is not going to result in ‘drinkable’ beer. If you just truly want to produce undrinkable beer then I suppose you could pitch another packet of dry yeast!?!

Cheers!

 

I would not be so sure that this beer has any infection yet,in case there is an infection it would be in an early stage, so i would add 2 rehydrated packs of dry yeast to get a huge qty. of yeast sooner to take wort environment control.Never dump a batch before you are absolutly sure there´s nothing to do.

 

Not the best advice imo. 2 packs of rehydrated yeast is probably not necessary since usually one sachet of dry yeast is usually enough for 1 batch of 5 gallon standard strength homebrew and most Mr. Beer kits are half the size. 1 pack will definitely be enough. Also, knowing when to dump a batch is an important skill to learn. I hate it when people make a beer they know is poorly fermented or has a recipe flaw--but will dry hop with 8 oz, add brett, rack onto fruit, add bourbon soaked oak chips...just because they don't want to throw the beer out. All you will have a crappy beer you dropped more money into because you didn't know when to drain pour it.

To the OP:
I'm not sure what comes in a Mr. Beer Kit, but I think there is a vent to allow the fermenting yeast to blow off CO2. It might be easily visible from the keg to see what is going on inside. I don't think you will have a hydrometer if you aren't a homebrewer already, so I would suggest you to draw some of the wort out from the tap (clean first with sanitizer) and taste it. If it tastes like beer, then it's one to bottling. IF it tastes still sweet. Then you need better yeast. If it tastes sour or funky, then I would throw it out.

If you need yeast, what you should do is get another pack of Nottingham (or other dry ale yeast) and rehydrate it by adding to 6-8 oz of boiled water you allowed to cool to ~90F, just warm to the touch. Usually I use a pyrex measuring cup and boil the water in my microwave and cover with plastic wrap right after it comes out and let it cool on the counter until warm, 45 minutes or so. Then pour the yeast into the warm water and recover with the plastic wrap. let it sit for about 30 minutes for the yeast to dissolve and then pour that into the fermenter keg.

 

Did you use the hops that came in that pack? Give it a sample and taste. If it is sour, but doesn't taste/smell like rotting garbage, and the sour is clean like lemons/yogurt, you have a good base beer to play with. Hit it with Brett, maybe some oak, and let her ride for a couple of months. Mr Beer pseudo-lambic. If you can't tell, I'm in the don't dump, just "fix" it camp, and I've had some nice "fixed" beers come out it

 

OP has said:

`The thing is, the yeast we ended up using hasn't done a damn thing. We pitched a packet of Nottingham Ale dry yeast. That was over a week ago and we haven't seen any action what so ever.`

So i don´t understand how this wort could be beer at this moment. It is a good idea to take a sample to try to figure some funky-nasty taste , but if it was a subtle sour taste i would insist on using 2 packs of new yeast to try to save the batch.The easiest thing to do is just to dump the whole batch, i prefer to give it another chance,let new yeast do the job,take another sample after fermentation is done and if it is not a perfect taste then wait,wait,wait, maybe you can save your batch.It is not a huge waste of money 2 dry yeast packs.

 

Have you fermented with a Mr. Beer Kit before? If it's like any I've seen, the fermenter is a dark brown, nearly opaque, plastic container that looks like a barrel on it's side. It doesn't have an airlock, just a vent that lets CO2 out. So it's hard to tell if the beer is fermenting, also new homebrewer might not even know what to look for.

A subtle sour taste? That does not sound like something I want in a pale ale. I wouldn't put effort into something like this because probably what will happen is that you'll have crappy beer, a case worth that you spent time and money on and feel compelled to drink it once bottled. Or it will rot forever in a basement somewhere until you move.

 

Sorry sir i have never seen such a beer kit like that,so i must think you are right and i am wrong

 

If it hasn't moved, that's a good thin as the wilds have yet to take over... I would repitch ASAP.

 

Check gravity. Gravity says it didn't ferment... pitch one pack of S-05, but don't rehydrate. If it ferments, yay. If it doesn't... it doesn't.

 

The following link was posted some time ago in another thread (on the old forum), but it seems appropriate here. Why it is best to use Mr. Beer kits right away:

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I agree with the advice of re-pitching. Maybe I missed this, but what style of beer was this kit? Don't give up on it. Perhaps add something to kick the yeast along like a fermentable? Sugar or maple syrup, or honey or something?

 

LMFAO! Around minute 7 this starts getting hilarious!
"Yeah, uh, yeah, tastes kinda awful."

 

A follow-up video: