StuMay

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So I brewed my first batch of beer and did everything by the book. The water was at 172 when we added the grains and after we took them out we brought it to a low boil and added the first set of hops, after 20 mins we added the second group of hops. 20 mins after that we brought the wort down to 70 degrees and aerated it. During this time we re-hydrated the yeast by putting it in 1 cup of warm water and letting it sit for probably 40 mins. The first 20 mins the yeast was uncovered and the second 20 it was covered.(mightve ****ed up there). We then added the yeast to the wort and then put the wort into the carboy and put the airlock on. It is now 24 hours later and there is no sign of fermentation. Also the OG was 1.041. Should we add a new packet of yeast or give it more time? If there is anything wrong, where did we mess up? Anything helps.

Revvy

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What are you using as a sign of fermentation? An airlock bubbling is not a sign of one, a drop in the gravity from a hydrometer is. But yeast often needs 72 hours to grow enough to start working, it's called lag time and it is normal.

You don't do ANYTHING for 72 hours...then before you even consider pitching more yeast you take a reading.

Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2.

Fermentation is not always "dynamic," just because you don't SEE anything happening, doesn't mean that anything's wrong, and also doesn't mean that the yeast are still not working dilligantly away, doing what they've been doing for over 4,000 years....


The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....

It's the same with your beer, you don't preform a "cure" until you ascertain whether or not anything is wrong. And 99% of the time nothing is wrong.

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jbpate6

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I had the same problem a few batches back, you can try a couple of things shake your primary up a bit to help aerate the beer with the yeast in it sometimes that will help kick start it, or you can just add another packet of the same yeast to it, you might have weak yeast!

northernlad

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Revvy are you a Buddhist?
I do not know how it is you have the patience to write the same thing over and over and over.

OP, your best bet is to install a 7 day time lock on the door to your fermenter. That way you won't be tempted to monitor it's progress on the half hour.
My first batch with dry yeast took off in 8 hours and went like the dickens. My second batch, with Wyeast, took almost 24 hours to get going and kinda plugged along for 3 days. My third batch the same, my fourth batch took off quick and I had to switch to a blow off hose in a 6.5 gallon carboy.
The point? Every batch is different. Patience is the key.
Next time you have a concern crack a cold beer, sit down in front of your computer monitor, and type your problem (stuck fermentation, dead yeast, etc.) in the Search drop down next to the "New Posts" button.
I promise there will be light at the end of the tunnel amongst the million plus posts.

StuMay

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revvy is it ok to take off the airlock to put in the hydrometer? its not in the carboy right now and i just want to make sure before i do it.

Revvy

Recipes 

There's no problem with openning up the carboy, but putting the hydrometer in the carboy is not a good idea.

This is what I use, and it works with both buckets and carboys



And



Here's what I do....

1) With a spray bottle filled with starsan I spray the lid of my bucket, or the mouth of the carboy, including the bung. Then I spray my turkey baster inside and out with sanitize (or dunking it in a container of sanitizer)r.

2) remove lid

3) Draw Sample

4) fill sample jar (usualy 2-3 turky baster draws

5)Spray bung or lid with sanitizer again

6) Close lid or bung

6) take reading

It is less than 30 seconds from the time the lid is removed until it is closed again.

Probably less if you have help.

You can also use a wine theif, and some folks put the hydrometer into the wine theif rather than drain it to a sample tube.

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Like my snazzy new avatar? Get Sons of Zymurgy swag, here, and brew with the best.

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