Advertise Here
Main · BrewSpace · Recipes · Wiki · Groups · Clubs · Gallery · Reviews · Video · Blogs · Store

Ultra Portable Kits - $74.95, Kegconnection.com$69.99 Brand new 2.5 Gallon Keg Pre-OrderFREE Shipping!!!
Go Back   Home Brew Forums > Home Brewing Beer > General Techniques



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-25-2008, 05:13 PM   #1
Junior Member
Recipes 
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 13
Default Smack Pack Problem

Hey everyone,

My friends brought me a Northern Brewer Nut Brown Ale kit home about 10 days ago and I brewed it on Monday night (06/23). It's been 42 hours and it has not started to ferment yet.

I made a big mistake and did not refrigerate the yeast until 8 days after I received the Nut Brown Ale kit (because i didn't know it needed to be refrigerated -- it was inside the brown box and I didn't open it).

I'm not sure what information you all would need to know, but:

1) The smack pack inflated a "little", but not as much as my friend described it should.
2) My wort is sitting in my basement (64 degrees).
3) I chilled the wort properly to ensure I did not kill the yeast.

I'd appreciate any advice! Do I go try and find a brew store around the Milwaukee area and pitch some more yeast, or would that affect the flavor and i'm totally screwed at this point?

Thanks,

Mike


Knowlse11 is offline Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2008, 05:15 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Drunkensatyr's Avatar
Recipes 
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,017
Default

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/





That sums it up nicely.
Drunkensatyr is offline Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2008, 05:17 PM   #3
Junior Member
Recipes 
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 13
Default

Thank you!

-Mike
Knowlse11 is offline Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2008, 05:24 PM   #4
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
 
Revvy's Avatar
Recipes 
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: "Detroitish" Michigan
Posts: 36,050
Blog Entries: 6
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Drunkensatyr View Post
THat's what I was going to say....

Also bubbling or lack of is no a true indicator of fermentation, only your hydrometer is....If you're brewing in a carboy, you can see stuff happenning, but if you are in a bucket, don't go by the bubbler, there's to many variables that can keep it from working proberly...bad seal, being askew, etc.

Normally I'd suggest waiting a full week before checking your hydrometer, but since you had some yeast problem...Maybe check it after 72 hours.

If it's in a bucket, if you press down on the top of the bucket and get a big "GLORP" sound/bubbling in your airlock, that's a pretty good indicator that you have co2 production...And CO2= fermentation.
__________________

Revvy's one of the cool reverends. He has a Harley and a t-shirt that says on the back "If you can read this, the bitch was Raptured. - Madman

I gotta tell ya, just between us girls, that Revvy is HOT. Very tall, gorgeous grey hair and a terrific smile. He's very good looking in person, with a charismatic personality... he drives like a ****ing maniac! - YooperBrew
Revvy is offline Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2008, 06:03 PM   #5
Junior Member
Recipes 
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 13
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Revvy View Post
THat's what I was going to say....

Also bubbling or lack of is no a true indicator of fermentation, only your hydrometer is....If you're brewing in a carboy, you can see stuff happenning, but if you are in a bucket, don't go by the bubbler, there's to many variables that can keep it from working proberly...bad seal, being askew, etc.

Normally I'd suggest waiting a full week before checking your hydrometer, but since you had some yeast problem...Maybe check it after 72 hours.

If it's in a bucket, if you press down on the top of the bucket and get a big "GLORP" sound/bubbling in your airlock, that's a pretty good indicator that you have co2 production...And CO2= fermentation.
Thank you. If i do press down on the top of the bucket it makes the "GLORP" sound. I guess I was stating that is was not fermenting because the airlock was not bubbling, like it was for my last batch of beer. I'll wait another day or so and check the gravity of the beer, thanks again!

-Mike
Knowlse11 is offline Reply With Quote
Old 06-28-2008, 11:15 PM   #6
Junior Member
Recipes 
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 13
Default

In case anyone cares, it took this batch anywhere from 86 -> 92 hours to start fermenting.

-Mike


Knowlse11 is offline Reply With Quote
Reply
Thread Tools
Display Modes


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Problem with smack pack yesterday; hope it turns out ok. zippyslug31 General Beer Discussion 10 04-09-2009 08:56 PM
How long can I smack my smack pack Hilbert General Techniques 7 02-15-2009 09:23 PM
How do you smack a smack pack? Sumo Beginners Beer Brewing Forum 30 12-05-2008 12:20 PM
@#$&*%! smack pack... Junebug Beginners Beer Brewing Forum 7 05-26-2007 09:17 PM
How to smack a smack pack... This shouldn't be this hard... Driftwood General Techniques 13 08-23-2005 05:20 PM





Contact Us - Top - Privacy - All times are GMT. The time now is 01:30 AM.
Copyright © Group Builder, Inc - All Rights Reserved
Craft Beer & Brewery Forum