PLEASE HELP! 36+ Hours after Pitching, No Activity...

Evan! · 10-08-2006, 05:52 PM

So, on Friday afternoon, I brewed a Belgian Dubbel. Took a temp reading of the wort as soon as I was done transferring from the kettle to primary, and it was 69, maybe 70 degrees. So I immediately pitched my liquid Wyeast Belgian Abbey Activator SmackPack.

That was at about 9pm on Friday night. Here we are, Sunday, 1pm, and there's absolutely zero activity. No, I didn't do a starter because the decision to brew was a last-minute thing, so I didn't have time. I just smacked the pack a few hours prior, and pitched directly into the wort.

How long should I wait before giving up on this strain and repitching? I have some various Safeale dried stuff, and also a Wyeast London ESB SmackPack in the fridge...would the ESB yeast be okay to use on a Dubbel if I need to?

**david_42** · 10-08-2006, 07:16 PM

I'd give it another day. This is a fairly high OG, right? That makes for slower starts, as the yeast have to deal with a high osmotic pressure.

None of those other yeasts will give you the basic Belgian flavors.

G. Cretin · 10-08-2006, 07:42 PM

I would give it another day if you can stand the wait.

Evan! · 10-08-2006, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_42

I'd give it another day. This is a fairly high OG, right? That makes for slower starts, as the yeast have to deal with a high osmotic pressure.

None of those other yeasts will give you the basic Belgian flavors.

I suspected as much. This is my first true belgian (except for a Wit), but I'm beer-geek-ified enough to respect the importance of belgian strains. Fantome. I rest my case.

So, I'll give her another day. But, if, FSM forbid, nothing happens, what am I gonna do? I don't have an LHBS to raid for more belgian strains...so what do I do? Order more from AHS, and wait another 5 days? That seems dangerous to me.

G. Cretin · 10-08-2006, 08:01 PM

Since you already put all the work in to it and your looking at five days for delivery I would pitch one of the others you have on hand after making a big starter. $.02

Evan! · 10-08-2006, 08:10 PM

Yeah, I suppose that'll work. My plan was to make a cranberry dubbel. I ordered some cranberry flavoring to add at bottling. I guess I could just pitch the Safeale US-56 and call it a cranberry brown ale, and try a true belgian dubbel some other time. it just really pisses me off when these $7 liquid yeasts don't work.

But I'm still holding out hope!

Actually, there's a really cool microbrewpub here in town and the brewer is really great about sharing his strains. Maybe he has something I can use if I need it.

**Pumbaa** · 10-08-2006, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_42

I'd give it another day. This is a fairly high OG, right? That makes for slower starts, as the yeast have to deal with a high osmotic pressure.

Nice $3 word, havent heard or used that since Paramedic training. A high osmotic pressure IIRC is hard on yeast because it's trying to suck the water out of your yeast cells and into you wort in an attempt to balance out the concentration of water between the yeast cells and the concentration of water in the wort. It will take your yeast a bit to be able to adapt and get good an healthy and thats why ya get slower starts.

IMHO . . . . RDWHAHB I bet it turns out fine.

Evan! · 10-08-2006, 08:13 PM

I just had another crazy idea...I work in a fine wine/beer shop. I'm actually here right now. Our beer selection is sick...AAB rated us one of the top 70 retailers in the country. So what if I take a relatively new bottle-conditioned belgian dubbel and try to culture the yeasts from the bottle? Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Evan! · 10-08-2006, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pumbaa

Nice $3 word, havent heard or used that since Paramedic training. A high osmotic pressure IIRC is hard on yeast because it's trying to suck the water out of your yeast cells and into you wort in an attempt to balance out the concentration of water between the yeast cells and the concentration of water in the wort. It will take your yeast a bit to be able to adapt and get good an healthy and thats why ya get slower starts.

IMHO . . . . RDWHAHB I bet it turns out fine.

Thanks for the optimism, Pumbaa...I need it! I'm really gunning for these Abbey yeasts to get it done. I'm just not sure how long I should really wait before I should start worrying about peripheral contamination. Yes, I sanitize like a madman, and everything has been entirely clean, and it's been sealed, of course, but I've never let any of my brews go beyond 48 hours without repitching.

Also, do you think agitating the wort by swirling the carboy would help matters?

Orpheus · 10-08-2006, 08:21 PM

Did the smack pack expand like it's supposed to?