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ryan_howard

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This is my first batch where I haven't seen any activity within 48 hours. It's a Belgian wit with Safale Belgian ale yeast. I just sprinkled the yeast directly into the wort. There's a chance it wasn't cool enough before I added it.

This morning, I popped open the bucket lid to take a peak, and nothing going on. There was no pressure against the airlock either. I'll take a gravity reading this weekend.

2 questions:

1) If the yeast truly didn't activate, can I add new yeast to try to save the batch?

2) How long do you feel like a batch like this is viable before pitching new yeast isn't an option anymore.

Thanks so much.

-Ryan
 
It's happened to me in the past. My assumption was that the yeast cells were either dead or too weak, so I just pitched another package of yeast and away it went. No harm, no foul.
 
Relying on the advice of others on my Bavarian lager yeast, I ordered back-up, but while waiting for it to arrive, the yeast got going on day 8. I had the carboy in a cold environment of 58 degrees. I had thoroughly washed out and sanitized the carboy beforehand and used vodka in the airlock so I had provided as much of a clean environment as I could so hopefully nothing else began to grow beforehand. But if so, the worst-case scenario is ill-flavor and learn from the experience. I can't reclaim the wort and I don't want to waste what I've already done. So, keep going until you can go no further. The losses can't increase really.
 
I´d say repitch some yeast and hope for the best. Most likely it will be fine after that.

Learn from the errors and check the temp better next time.

Plus rehydrate the dry yeast before pitching. Easily done, but the effect is nice. Actually do that with the repitch now too. Really worth it and no bother at all.
 
It's unlikely you killed your yeast with heat unless the wort was hot to the touch. I'm willing to bet that with high temperatures, it just fermented out very quickly (possibly generating some off flavors). Seriously, though, just check the gravity. Then you'll know.
 
Thanks guys. I went ahead and threw some more yeast in yesterday. I'll check it the end of the week and go from there. We'll see what happens. Thanks!
 
Did you rehydrate this time?

If you don't rehydrate, you're killing 50% of the yeast right from the start, and thus you're underpitching, resulting in a long lag time (as you're seeing right now), and stressed yeast, with the accompanying off-flavours.

Rehydrate your dry yeast, people!
 
Just an update. I took a gravity reading, and clearly some fermentation occurred. If my math is right, it's presently about 4% ABV. So, we'll just keep trucking along!
 
Did you rehydrate this time?

If you don't rehydrate, you're killing 50% of the yeast right from the start, and thus you're underpitching, resulting in a long lag time (as you're seeing right now), and stressed yeast, with the accompanying off-flavours.

Rehydrate your dry yeast, people!

conjecture
 
I think BYO magazine did a test in a recent issue and found that pitching dry was equal to or better than pitching rehydrated, without the added risk of introducing another brewing phase and possible contamination. Me personally, I've done it both ways and found no benefit to rehydrating.
 
Ive only been brewing since christmas but always have at least 5 gallons on the go. I used to get kits but now make my own mixtures of brew. Thru the batches I have made I do get the best results by starting the yeast before mixing rather than dropping it right in. It starts fermentation faster and ends faster. At least for me.
On the yeast not activating within 48 hours, I would guess the temp was over 100 degrees or so. That will kill off most of it and with it starting a few days later, the yeast had to grow enough to show it's working.
In the perfext conditions, you can add just a pinch of yeast and eventually it will ferment. After all, its living off sugar. So the time issue just bothers me. Im way to impatient. I mix my yeast with luke warm water and a little sugar. Normally I will see signs of fermentation in less than 24 hours.
 
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