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panfishrfun

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So I started washing yeast and collecting them in mason jars, I have a few stored up, so I made my first starter two days ago. I made a batch yesterday and pitched the starter into the wort. Today there is no fermenting going on, is this normal? I thought the yeast are supposed to be all amped up, and fermentation is gonna be fast and furious, but nothing is goin on. Is this too soon to worry, or do I need to go buy some yeast and pitch that.
How long can the wort sit without fermenting (and still be good to make beer), if I wait to see what happens with this starter?
 
1) One day is too soon to worry.

2) I've left beer 7 days without issue until I got "un-dead" yeast before.
 
Sticky in the beginner section warns that you may not have visible fermentation signs for up to 72 hours and it be perfectly normal.
 
You're fine at this point. As HomeBrewDad noted it can take up to 72 hours. I have a packet of dry yeast, some Nottingham as an emergency back-up. Haven't had to use it yet.
 
Thanks for the reassurance, so if it doesn't take off in a few days, do I just pitch some yeast like I normally would, and all will be well?
 
Sure, but before you do pull a hydrometer sample to make sure fermentation hasn't started. Often times I see very little airlock activity even though the yeast are doing their thing.
 
Sure, but before you do pull a hydrometer sample to make sure fermentation hasn't started. Often times I see very little airlock activity even though the yeast are doing their thing.

This. Lots of bubbles indicate active fermentation, but lack of them does not mean lack of fermentation. Could have a leak in the seal that is letting CO2 escape.
 
That's a great idea thank you! How long should I wait between readings? Just do 1 a day for a few days to see what's happening in there?
 
Have you opened the bucket to see if the beer is showing visible signs of fermentation? You may have a poor seal of the bucket lid or around the airlock, and it could be fermenting just fine despite no airlock activity.

I've had that happen, no airlock activity, but the yeast were busy, a hydrometer reading every other day will let you know. Plus any krausen (foam) on top is a sure indicator of fermentation. And opening the bucket, or taking out the airlock to look is not going to hurt anything.
 
I've had that happen, no airlock activity, but the yeast were busy, a hydrometer reading every other day will let you know. Plus any krausen (foam) on top is a sure indicator of fermentation. And opening the bucket, or taking out the airlock to look is not going to hurt anything.

Thank you. So many new brewers seem terrified to do this because somewhere along the way they were informed it was taboo. As long as sanitary measures are maintained there should be no problem.
 
Thank you. So many new brewers seem terrified to do this because somewhere along the way they were informed it was taboo. As long as sanitary measures are maintained there should be no problem.

I am but a humble student of the masters here on HBT. I seriously believe the accumulated knowledge here is, if used, equal to a Masters Degree in Brewing. I'm definitely a freshman, but eager as hell to learn. And totally appreciate my teachers. :mug:
 
CBXBob said:
I've had that happen, no airlock activity, but the yeast were busy, a hydrometer reading every other day will let you know. Plus any krausen (foam) on top is a sure indicator of fermentation. And opening the bucket, or taking out the airlock to look is not going to hurt anything.

It's not going to hurt anything to open it but a flashlight on top of the bucket will let you see if there is any krausen clinging on the side of the bucket
 
Thanks for the ideas, I will definitely use them in the future to see what's goin on in there! I took a hydrometer reading after work today, and it was barely slightly lower than the OG. I couldnt let it go, so I just checked the airlock, and there are bubbles, so I guess my seal is good, and the yeastiest are taking off! That's a load off my mind.
 
Starter 2 Days ago and brewed yesterday? You may have not let your starter really START. I usually make my starters a good 48 hours b4 pitching unless you have a stir plate and then it's a GOOD 24 hrs
 
Also if you want the fermentation to rock in 6 hours OXYGENATE!!!! Starter (I love them) put more yeast cells in but if you give them oxygen the work there little ass's off for you. O2 in a torch setup is the same that granny is breathing in her chair. So if you can get your hands on one of those sweet. Oh and don't worry about regulater I just spray sanitizer on the valve and hold hose to it drop hose in wort and crack valve barely open. 15sec of that and pow HAPPY YEAST!
 
I guess I need to make my next starter earlier! Well live and learn, I'm just glad everything turned out ok, and now I know.

Can you use a little aerator from a fish tank? If so, would it be hard to sanitize the air-stone, or would you just leave that off and just have the air coming out of the tube? And just to be straight, is this in the starter or the fermenter?
 
Never used a fish tank unit but have seen some on uTube. You get a pure'r oxygen from a tank an it don't take very long.
 
. Oh and don't worry about regulater I just spray sanitizer on the valve and hold hose to it drop hose in wort and crack valve barely open. 15sec of that and pow HAPPY YEAST!

Glad I don't live close to you, not going to be a small fire when you screw that one up, and it goes POW
 
Glad I don't live close to you, not going to be a small fire when you screw that one up, and it goes POW

Screw it up and pow? It is Oxygen not natural gas.
If Granny can sit in a chair and breath it all day and not blow up, crap if hospitals don't explode it must be safe. Oxygen isn't going to catch fire. And some times you wake up head ace from drinking to much homebrew a quick hit of oxygen make you feel good.

JeepDiver, your name would suggest you Dive. Have your oxygen thanks ever exploded? I wouldn't want to be close to you while your diving POW!
 
Well I don't dive with 100% O2 so no. But 100% O2 makes everything extremly flamable, so when you are letting it out of the tank without a regulator, and dipping it in your wort, you are risking a good chance of an explosion, if there is any accidental ingition source near by. But hey it's your life, keep on keeping on.
 
Oh well I guess if it will make you feel better I will run a line from my 60# tank and put a quick connect with ball valve on the line off of the regulater and a inline shut off for back up safety. I am lazy and haven't done it yet but could get all the parts today. If pure o2 coming out of a tank with less pressure than you can make with your mouth makes you nerves don't do it 90% of the gas hose in the vessel and I don't worry about it.
 
JeepDiver said:
Well I don't dive with 100% O2 so no. But 100% O2 makes everything extremly flamable,

That's not quite true...

O2 is needed to make anything flammable but it is not flammable by itself. Unless he has a source of ignition and some kind of fuel lying around he's fine. I can't imagine what fuel source (besides propane) any of us would bring near our beer.

So the lesson here kiddies is don't aerate your gasoline while trying to light a match.
 
That's not quite true...

O2 is needed to make anything flammable but it is not flammable by itself. Unless he has a source of ignition and some kind of fuel lying around he's fine. I can't imagine what fuel source (besides propane) any of us would bring near our beer.

So the lesson here kiddies is don't aerate your gasoline while trying to light a match.

any lint/dust in the air becomes flamable in 100% 02, unless you are in a clean room, there is plenty that will burn in a 100% 02 air stream. silicon lube (keg lub) is highly flamable in 100% O2, and if you keg you have that around. All you need is the ignition source. And once it starts burning, the metal of the tank valve itself can burn.

He can do what he want's but telling someone to just open the tank without a reg, is a good way to get someone killed.
 
At what point in the post's did put a hose up to the tank opening hold it there and put the other freaking end in a vessel of beer. Turn in to open the freaking bottle and leave the room. The oxygen in the tank I use is the same purity as medical oxygen, there is more oxygen leaking out of the hose's in people's noses into the air than in 15 sec of when I oxygenate beer. Thergo the the hospital has not blown up. Think I am ok.
 
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