1st Batch Ever: No Fermentation In Primary

Well I was hoping that my first post would be to proclaim how great my beer is but unfortunately things are not going too well. Last Sunday, 4 days ago, I pitched my wort. Everything went smoothly up until chilling my wort. Here's where I think some potential problems are:

1. After 2 hours of chilling my kettle in ice in my kitchen sink I decided the risk of contamination was too great so I made sure the water in my primary fermentor was good and cold and then added my wort. I took a temperature reading (84F) and specific gravity reading and then sprinkled on the yeast. I would have reconstituted the yeast before adding them but I started to have trouble with my thermometer and the directions said sprinkling them on dry was a suitable alternate method.

2. Now, I didn't stir at this point. It wasn't in the directions and me being the science dork that I am I decided to follow the procedures to the letter. I capped the 6.5 gal bucket and crossed my fingers.

3. The night I pitched the downstairs furnace conked out and the temperature was ~60F for a few hours. I woke up in the middle of the night and noticed and immediately moved it upstairs.


For the past couple of days I had condensation in my airlock but nothing else. Tonight (Thursday) I decided to open the top and take a peek. No krausen. No nothing. Just dark brown wort that looked the same on the day I put in the bucket.

So any suggestions? I'm dying here. I'd really love to be able to salvage this batch. Any help is *greatly* appreciated.

I feel your pain. And frustration too. Four days is bit long but not unknown. Your pitching temperature was a little high but shouldn't be a problem...Nor the 60 temp in your cellar. A little cool, but also shouldn't be a problem. I don't use dry yeast anymore, but many have great results with it and just sprinkle it on. Some don't even stir (I would) and don't have problems. From what I have read, you didn't do anything wrong. Maybe one of the BrewMeisters might have a suggestion.

Question: What type and brand of yeast did you use? Expiration date? Can you just get another pack and re-pitch?

If there is no evidence of krausen on the side of the bucket I think at this point it would be a good idea to try some more yeast. Re-hydrate a pack and add it. Try to keep the temperature around 70. Good Luck.

If you have a hydrometer (and you should), step one is to take a reading and see if, perchance, the fermantion has already happened. It's not unheard of for buckets to not seal properly, so that the airlock never bubbles. You would usually see a krausen ring, but it's possible that it all fell cleanly. In any case, take a reading, get some Safale US-56 or Nottingham (get some extras to keep in the fridge), and if the gravity reading is still high, I'd re-pitch. If your sanitation was good, you may be able to save it.

Wow, thanks for the quick responses guys! I hadn't even considered that it may have already fermented. I was figuring at least 14 days for that step. I did notice a ring but assumed that was from the wort leavings that I accidentally let fall through when I poured my wort into the fermentor.

I guess the best thing to do would be to take another specific gravity reading and compare it against the initial reading.

Oh and the yeast I was using was Munton and Fison Ale Yeast. Thanks again for the great advice everyone! I'll let you know what the reading is.

I have a dumb question- you had condensation in your airlock? Um, you did put water in it, up to the line, right?

Oh my God. I didn't add water to the airlock. I just stuck the thing in there. And after googling "airlock" and "beer" I just realized how the lock works. I can't believe I did that.

Well, now you know why you didn't have any airlock activity!

Don't worry, it's probably just fine because the outgassing of the co2 is pretty intense at the beginning. However, go put some water and/or vodka in there NOW!

OK, water is now in the airlock and I officially have an embarrasing story about my first brew. Hopefully I'll see activity continue and I'll be able to keep this batch going. Thanks so much Lorena!

No problem- but be aware that your fermentation is probably finished and you may not see any airlock activity. But that's ok- your yeast is still busy cleaning up after themselves and your beer is improving. When you rack to secondary, you'll leave behind as much of the trub as you can, and then you'll be conditioning it.

We all have stories about our first brew- mine involves dropping the rubber grommet into the primary bucket. It's part of the initiation of the homebrewer's club!

Yeah. Don't feel too bad. THIS was my first brew and you can see nothing went smoothly for me either... but the result tastes fantastic now.

If brewing beer were truly hard, we wouldn't have figured it out thousands of years ago. You will probably be fine... just as I was.

Congradulations, brother - YOU'VE GOT BEER!

Welcome!

Awesome. Beer has been redeemed.

Lorena said:

I have a dumb question- you had condensation in your airlock? Um, you did put water in it, up to the line, right?

Click to expand...

Wow. Good diagnosis of the problem Lorena. You are now the official Bubbler Meister.

I'm sure it'll be just fine anyway. Good job with what sounds like a successful brew!

Just an update for those who so graciously helped me out with this batch. I moved the beer into my secondary feremen... into my clarifying carboy and I bottle tonight! I'll give this batch a few weeks to carbonate and then hopefully enjoy my 1st brew.

I've already bought my next malts and hops for American Cream Ale. Afterall, I have a fermentor that's just sitting there doing nothing, right?

I appreciate everyone's warm welcome, assistance, and shared stories of their experiences. You guys are the reason why I'll be upgrading my account right away.

Cheers!

Glad to hear that everything went so well! A first batch of beer is like your first baby- lots of worrying and pampering and anxiety. You want to do everything right. By the time you have the third or fourth kid, you're just happy they are still alive. You'll feel more confident with each and every brew and pretty soon, you'll be one of the experts around here!

Welcome and enjoy that first beer!