Over 48 hours and no action yet ???

Hey,

I did my first batch on Saturday afternoon. I did everything according to plan, sanitized, proofed the yeast, made sure all temps were good.

Its a Coopers Lager kit, they recomend a ferment temp of 21-28 Deg C. Its sitting at 21 steady.

As of today at 2PM there was no visible action out of the airlock. Could the yeast be dead? I havent taken the cover off yet so I cant see whats going on inside (its a pail). I didnt use what came with the kit for yeast, I used a certain german yeast I bought from my LHBS. He said its good at 20ish degrees.

Should I wait another day then pitch another batch of yeast?

Dave

You should probably wait another day or so, then consider adding fresh yeast if you still don't have any activity. Before doing that, though, you may want to pop open the lid (or put your eye to the airlock hole, after pulling the airlock off) and see if you have any visible signs of activity. I've had a few beers ferment out overnight, and never once saw a single bubble in the airlock! You won't harm it by putting fresh yeast in, but it may not be necessary.

OK, I will do that. Should I just sprinkle the yeast dry in the bucket or should I do a starter first? What is the best advice on how to do a starter?

Thanks !!

For dry yeast, you shouldn't make a starter. You can simply rehydrate according to the package directions- usually to add to 80degree water, but check the package to make sure.

Do you remember what yeast you used for this brew? I'm wondering if you got a lager or ale yeast. That makes a difference in fermenting temperatures.

21 deg C is awfully warm for a lager - that's 70 deg F. I try to ferment my ales lower than that for the most part.

First You should never rely on the bubbling or lack of on a cheap chinese plastic airlock as a "fermentation Gauge," it's not...It's an airlock, nothing more, a VALVE to release excess CO2, to keep from blowing the lid off the fermentor...If it's not bubbling that just means that there's not enough CO2 to climb out of the airlock, or the CO2 is just forming a nice cushion on top of the beer like it's supposed to, or the airlock is askew, or it is leaking out the cheap rubber grommet, or you have a leak in the bucket seal...all those are fine...if CO2 is getting out then nothing's getting in....

Over half of my beers have had no airlock activity...

The only gauge of fermentaion is your hydrometer.

More than likely your fermentation is going nicely at it's own pace but for a dozen possible reasons your airlock isn't bubbling...simple as that. Get out of the habit of thinking it is a precision instrument and you will find you are less worried...The only precise methid of gauging fermentation is taking gravity readings.

Secondly don't do anything til 72 hours goes by...then take a hydro reading if you don't see a krauzen..

But read this first https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-start-43635/

Remember, airlocks are vents not gauges...

Before you try to correct something that may not be broken read this http://blogs.homebrewtalk.com/Revvy/Think_evaluation_before_action/

And then if you still are worried use your hydros..but more than likely nothing is wrong (it rarely is!)

OK thanks guys. I am going to call the LHBS to ask them what kind of yeast. However to answer the question about the lagering temp...yes it is high however that is what the kit recomends. That is what I think may be wrong....is the yeast I used was an actual lager yeast and that the temp is to high to activate it. Perhaps I will do this.

Wait another day
If still nothing visible I will remove the lid and take a hydro reading, also checking for krausen.
If gravity did not go down I will add the yeast that came with the kit...I will add it dry.

What is the easiest way to take a hydro sample without contaminating?

Also, it is important to note that my OG reading was 1.070 ?? Is that high? Unfortunately based on the advice on this site I was going to use DME instead of dextrose but couldnt find any....so I did use dextrose, 1Kg as the kit recomended.

Thanks

Dave

DSeibel said:

What is the easiest way to take a hydro sample without contaminating?

Click to expand...

You sanitize your wine theif or Turkey baster....open bucket...draw a sample...close bucket...put sample into test jar...drop in hydrometer (or if using a clear theif just add hydrometer to theif) Take reading....Drink sample but don't judge the flavor...

It's that simple and if you sanitize your sampling tool then you don't need to worry about contaminating your beer....Your beer is way hardier than thinking that doing something recommended can harm it....If that were truly the case, no book, or brewer would recommend it.

i used to freak out on the airlock also. Until i got a few lids with the O-ring gaskests in them. since then, all my primarys have been bubbling away within the first 6 hours. If your lids have no gaskets, its touch and go as to airlock activity. What i have learned after about 50 or 60 buckets is that they all ferment regardless if the airlock bubbles or not. Heed the words or Revy, airlock activity is no good to indicate the signs of fermentation. Relax and have a home brew etc. They say this for a reason. In 6 months you will understand

just use hydrometer afer 3 days... if it is dropping, then all is well. sometimes there be very little bubblin. esspeciallyu in a primary bucket since the lid usually can let air through so no bubbles in the airlock.

DSeibel said:

.is the yeast I used was an actual lager yeast and that the temp is to high to activate it.

Click to expand...

Lager yeast loves warm temperatures, but you may not love the flavors it produces at those temperatures.

Revvy said:

First You should never rely on the bubbling or lack of on a cheap chinese plastic airlock as a "fermentation Gauge," it's not...

Click to expand...

My S-type airlock is clearly stamped "Made in Italy." That makes it fancy, like a Ferrari!