No activity after 24 hours - advice please

Hi,
On Sunday afternoon, I made a seasonal concoction comprising...
2.5Kgs cr

• ushed pale malt
• 750g crushed crystal malt
• 350g (crushed?) chocolate malt
• 500g extra-dark s

pray malt powder

• 60g northern brewer hops

• 3 cinnamon
• ground nutmeg
• ground ginger
• a chilli

• 30g cascade hops

There is 17 litres of brew. I let it cool in an ice bath and shook up the plastic fermenter for five minutes before adding just left than half a pack of Safale S-04 dried ale yeast.

I had been anxious to get a new pack of yeast for this brew. The pack was left over from a recent brew about 2/3 months ago, quite well sealed, but was just less than half, since my ambitious mate poured just more than half in to the predecessor.

Now it's been a day since the fermenter was closed and there is no airlock activity.

What's going on?

• What I could say is that it's pretty cold here in the house this winter if I'm not indoors by day with the heating on.
• More than that, I was concerned that I hadn't used enough yeast.

Any validity to either of these concerns? Is something else the matter?

Could/should I buy a new pack of the same yeast and add that? Is that something you can do at this point?

Many thanks.

Remember, the only "activity" that means ANYTHING is a change in gravity, anything else can be deceiving, especially bubbles. Also remember that as the sticky in the beginners forum, and the million posts on here reiterate, it can take up to 3 days for yeast to get going- Fermentation can take 24 to 72 hrs to show visible signs. And by visible signs, we STILL don't mean airlock activity.

It's too soon to even begin to worry...after 72 hours take a grav reading and come back and say "You were right guys, thanks!!"

Yep. Until you get to 72 hours, don't worry a bit. You may have underpitched the yeast a bit... though if you had haf a pack of dry yeast, you are still golden.

Regardless, I'm betting you get activity before terribly long.

This happened to me recently on the last 2 batches I did. One took almost 18 hours to start fermenting and another took roughly 28 hours. Try using a starter next time so you won't have to worry or be anxious. Everything will be fine, just listen to Revvy.

Airlock activity discovered this morning (36 hours), though no big krausen.
Any consequences from using the slightly less than half a pack instead of the half a pack I wanted to use? Under-fermented - lower ABV?
Is it feasible/desirable to add more yeast, even if activity has started?

Thanks!

robertandrews said:

Airlock activity discovered this morning (36 hours), though no big krausen.
Any consequences from using the slightly less than half a pack instead of the half a pack I wanted to use? Under-fermented - lower ABV?
Is it feasible/desirable to add more yeast, even if activity has started?

Thanks!

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I would wait to see if your gravity comes out where you want it. You can always add yeast at that point.

chiteface said:

I would wait to see if your gravity comes out where you want it. You can always add yeast at that point.

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One, a slight underpitch is not likely to affect the FG. The yeast, may be stressed during the fermentation and produce some off flavors, but they'll get the job done. Two, just adding yeast to an already mostly fermented beer won't get you anywhere. It's an inhospitable environment with all the alcohol. You could make a starter and pitch at high krausen. However, the OP needs to just RDWHAHB.

pabloj13 said:

One, a slight underpitch is not likely to affect the FG. The yeast, may be stressed during the fermentation and produce some off flavors, but they'll get the job done. Two, just adding yeast to an already mostly fermented beer won't get you anywhere. It's an inhospitable environment with all the alcohol. You could make a starter and pitch at high krausen. However, the OP needs to just RDWHAHB.

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My point was to just relax. OP will probably get the needed results. But alcohol does not mean totally inhospitable to yeast. Especially if the abv is low. The other point is I don't think high krausen is entirely clear right now(which is what the OP indiacted in the previous post) or that there would be time to create a starter even if it was.

chiteface said:

My point was to just relax. OP will probably get the needed results. But alcohol does not mean totally inhospitable to yeast. Especially if the abv is low. The other point is I don't think high krausen is entirely clear right now(which is what the OP indiacted in the previous post) or that there would be time to create a starter even if it was.

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I just think people get all freaked out. Do I need to add more yeast? Do I need to do a yeast dance?! AHHHH!! The OP has activity. I'll bet you a beer it ends up fine.

My imperial stout took 3 days to start fartin thru the airlock.

My recent spiced ale took 2 days.

No worries.

If the local home brew stores could sell us some patiance with our ingrediants they would be gazzillionaires.