I must have just gotten sloppy or something.
1. The yeast smack pack that I pitched never got started with the fermentation process. I actually was going to chalk that up to the fact that I've had it since August and when I smacked the pack it didn't expand. However, auditory inspection of the pack yielded the finding that the yeasts were doing something.
2. The fermentation vessel that I used had something growing in the bottom. Now, I realize that I should have just bleached it to be safe but I used some OxyClean (sans perfume and whatnot) prior to the sanitizing phase. I'm guessing that's where the problem is.
I might post a picture later but it's really not that interesting, just some vaguely mold-like blobs about the size of a BB pellet floating at the top near the sides of the carboy.
It sucks because I brewed it on Veterans' Day but what are you going to do? At any rate I just thought I'd post this and see what others think.
Recipe:
Warbler Pale Ale kit, London 1028 Yeast
Could have been the water too, I suppose. I used some store bought bottled water that I had sitting in the garage for a month. I've never let it sit there before.
All goes to show how many factors are at play when making beer.
1. The yeast smack pack that I pitched never got started with the fermentation process. I actually was going to chalk that up to the fact that I've had it since August and when I smacked the pack it didn't expand. However, auditory inspection of the pack yielded the finding that the yeasts were doing something.
2. The fermentation vessel that I used had something growing in the bottom. Now, I realize that I should have just bleached it to be safe but I used some OxyClean (sans perfume and whatnot) prior to the sanitizing phase. I'm guessing that's where the problem is.
I might post a picture later but it's really not that interesting, just some vaguely mold-like blobs about the size of a BB pellet floating at the top near the sides of the carboy.
It sucks because I brewed it on Veterans' Day but what are you going to do? At any rate I just thought I'd post this and see what others think.
Recipe:
Warbler Pale Ale kit, London 1028 Yeast
Could have been the water too, I suppose. I used some store bought bottled water that I had sitting in the garage for a month. I've never let it sit there before.
All goes to show how many factors are at play when making beer.