no fermentation after 5 days?

SO i just finished my 3rd batch. First one took about 3-4 days before I saw bubbles (dry yeast) and the 2nd took 2-3 days (liquid yeast). It has been 5 days since brewday on my current batch (dry yeast) and I'm still not seeing any bubbles.

I know the standard mantra is to relax and let the beer do its thing, but after 5 days without fermentation I'm starting to worry. Is there anything I can do to kick start this thing? Or should i just keep waiting? Also, other than creating a starter (which I plan to do on my next batch), how can I avoid this problem the next time so my beer doesn't taste so yeasty?

Also, the current batch and my first one were both made using kits from a local place and both have taken a while to ferment. Both kits also used far less hops (1st had 2 hop additions, 3rd had only 1) than the other place I bought a kit from on my second batch and I'm wondering: should I stop getting kits from this place or is there a problem with my brew process?

what temp is it in the room where the fermenters are?

Once again, bubbles in your airlock don't mean fermentation or vice versa. Did you get an OG? What is at now? Are you fermenting in a bucket (notorious for leaking pressure (aka bubbles))? I don't mean to sound condescending but these questions are asked over and over and usually we are left asking the questions that matter...

You said liquid yeast, what strain? Starter or no? Recipe? Gravity readings?

Mr. Hydrometer is your friend!

step said:

Mr. Hydrometer is your friend!

Click to expand...

Absolutely! This is the only way to accurately determine when fermentation has both started and finished.

The temp on the first 2 was right around 67F. This one is at 72 currently in the basement with no other means to cool it down just yet.

Its a bucket fermenter. OG was 1.044. I haven't taken a gravity reading recently since I don't want to expose the beer to oxygen/lose whatever co2 is built up already.

The second batch (only one with liquid yeast) used Liquid yeast was Wyeast 1332 Northwest. No Starter. OG was 1.062. FG was 1.022.

I'm sure everything will turn out fine but its just a little unnerving.

@step no condescendence taken. Someone has to ask the questions that matter and now I know which ones do.

CO2 is heavy, if you have any fermentation going the oxygen won't sink into the bucket. The CO2 will leave a protective layer. ...As long as there is active fermentation. IMHO, If you crack the lid open and see a nice foamy krausen covering the top, then I would just close it back up quick and wait a few days before taking a hydrometer reading. Especially if your basement is prone to having any airborne mold spores or something. Again, if there is CO2 & alcohol the spores won't survive the plunge.

Read up on yeast and the importance of yeast starters. I made a lager once and to my horror on brew day I realized I had not made a starter. It took almost 7 days to get going. Surprising that it tasted so delicious. Imagine how much better if I would have given the yeast a better chance to start off right.

And yes, every once in a while, those buckets won't seal and the airlock appears dead. The ultimate truth is in your hydrometer readings.

Don't worry too much about oxygen exposure right now. Sanitize whateve implement you have to take sample and get a gravity reading as this is the only way you can really know whats going on.

Taking the lid of off and taking a sample (without cannonballing into the bucket) will not oxygenate your wort.

At an OG of 1.044 and assuming this is dry yeast because this is your 3rd batch "second batch (only one with liquid yeast)" you have plenty of yeast to ferment.

72* is a little high in my opinion especially if it has been that way since pitching. Could be a little "hot" depending on what strain you're working with. Next time put your fermentor in a water bath and maybe rotate some frozen water bottles into the bath as needed for the first 72 hrs of active fermentation to try to keep that temp down a little bit. Temp and pitching are the two most important factors in your beer, I know there are lots of recipes out there with different grains, but yeast is the most important

We can claim to be great wort makers, but yeast make beer!