Help! Yeast isn't fermenting

I harvested some yeast from my last batch of brew. I made another batch 2 days ago and used the yeast. No airlock activity has occurred. I tried to make a starter with the remaining yeast and its bad as well. Is the batch ruined, or can I run and grab more yeast? Additionally, any ideas where I went wrong harvesting? It was near the back of the fridge, can it get too cold? Thanks for the help!

Take a gravity reading. Airlocks do no indicate fermentation, only positive pressure in the vessel.

If it hasn't budged, repitch.

Most importantly - RELAX.

AmandaK said:

Take a gravity reading. Airlocks do no indicate fermentation, only positive pressure in the vessel.

If it hasn't budged, repitch.

Most importantly - RELAX.

Click to expand...

I will take a gravity reading when I get home. The only thing that has me concerned is the starter I made with the other yeast I harvested. I use a "sports type" bottle so I can leave the lid off for air exchange. I let it sit overnight, and shook it pretty good this morning. Usually the pressure almost blows the lid off, but nothing happened this morning. If I do need to re-pitch, has any harm been done to the wort as long as everything is air tight? Thanks so much for your help!

As long as you where sanitary you will be fine.

Seems that a lot of people worry when the yeast isn't going like they expect.
Two things.
1) Make a starter so you know what you have before you pitch. You either have good yeast life, or you open another pack and try again. The extra yeast cells can be a good thing also.
2) It's just beer. Re pitch and it will probably be fine. you've already put the time and money into it so why wouldn't you just pitch more yeast and wait?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/

Fermentation can take 24-72 hours to show VISIBLE signs.

I just don't buy that it takes 72 hrs to show. Maybe but you've got a sad/slow fermentation. I know people treat that like the gospel around here but I'm not buying it. If it takes 72 hours and everything else is regular (average OG, no crazy ingredients) then you did something wrong.

MrManifesto said:

I just don't buy that it takes 72 hrs to show. Maybe but you've got a sad/slow fermentation. I know people treat that like the gospel around here but I'm not buying it. If it takes 72 hours and everything else is regular (average OG, no crazy ingredients) then you did something wrong.

Click to expand...

I agree.
I would say though that people that post worried because they don't see yeast activity and don't know what to do MAY be at a slightly higher risk of having done something wrong.
Could be the temperature, could be pitching very old yeast with few live cells. Who knows.

The yeast was only two weeks old, and I washed it using a tutorial written on this site. If it doesn't take off, any ideas where I could have went wrong?

Yep, just by attempting yeast harvest you sound like you are way ahead of most people who ask the same question though.
Almost added a disclaimer but didn't.
Not everyone who asks the question is going to be prone to lots of other issues, but percentage wise I would say a lot more of them are going to be guys that pitch into wort that hasn't chilled enough, had the fermenter in the garage where it got down to 40° or other issues.

I'm going to try a yeast harvest soon, but not till I get and read my yeast book that's on it's way in the mail right now. I want to know more about the little guys.
I will still do a starter and see signs of life before I start my beer. It just makes me feel better knowing that I've got good yeast ready to go.

MrManifesto said:

I just don't buy that it takes 72 hrs to show. Maybe but you've got a sad/slow fermentation. I know people treat that like the gospel around here but I'm not buying it. If it takes 72 hours and everything else is regular (average OG, no crazy ingredients) then you did something wrong.

Click to expand...

The key word is "SHOW." It may not SHOW any activity at all. The only way to know if it's fermenting is to take gravity readings.

*update*
So the airlock is moving, but it is moving very lazily. It is the San Diego Super Strain from White Labs, and the previous two times I used this stuff the airlock almost shot off the fermentor! I know airlock activity is not an indicator of fermentation. That said, should I be concerned? Thanks!

Did you warm the yeast to pitching temp over the course of your brew day? How much of the harvested yeast did you pitch (in ML) and how did you harvest? Did you wash or just harvest? Was there much grainy, darker colored layers to the yeast at all?

tre9er said:

Did you warm the yeast to pitching temp over the course of your brew day? How much of the harvested yeast did you pitch (in ML) and how did you harvest? Did you wash or just harvest? Was there much grainy, darker colored layers to the yeast at all?

Click to expand...

I did wash the yeast. I put a bunch (not scientific I know) into a milk jug, gave it a good shake and let it sit for about 20min. I filled 2 16oz (sanatized)water bottles with the nice yeast in suspension. I put it in the fridge, and when the yeast settled there was a nice cake on the bottom extending up about an inch and a half. I took it out and let it get up to room temp for about an hour and made a starter shortly afterword. The starter was cool before I put the yeast in it. About 6-7 hours later I piched the yeast into the wort. The yeast looked nice and bright in the bottle, and it appeared that the starter had taken off. Any ideas if/where I went wrong? Thanks!

Well the process technically doesn't seem wrong, but I still don't know how much yeast you had there. I'm guessing about 200ML but how long was it in the fridge settling before it compacted to the 1" layer in the water bottles?

tre9er said:

Well the process technically doesn't seem wrong, but I still don't know how much yeast you had there. I'm guessing about 200ML but how long was it in the fridge settling before it compacted to the 1" layer in the water bottles?

Click to expand...

It was in the fridge for 1 week and 2 days.

Nike_Eayrs said:

It was in the fridge for 1 week and 2 days.

Click to expand...

OK then if the 16oz. bottle was say 7" tall, 1" should have been over 2oz, or just over 60ml. If your gravity was even 1.058 or so you'd only need 100ml of yeast. That you woke it up with a starter should mean you're OK.

What was your OG and batch size again?

tre9er said:

OK then if the 16oz. bottle was say 7" tall, 1" should have been over 2oz, or just over 60ml. If your gravity was even 1.058 or so you'd only need 100ml of yeast. That you woke it up with a starter should mean you're OK.

What was your OG and batch size again?

Click to expand...

5.5 gallon batch, and OG was 1.050. Thanks a TON for your help, by the way!

You were right on the borderline there, but it's close enough that I'm betting you're fine. You still had way more cells than a vial/pack of liquid yeast.

tre9er said:

You were right on the borderline there, but it's close enough that I'm betting you're fine. You still had way more cells than a vial/pack of liquid yeast.

Click to expand...

So I know airlock activity doesn't mean much in regards to fermentation. However, this is the first brown ale I have ever made. No two row, like the other brews I have made as the recipe called for Maris Otter. Does the type of grain have anything to do with the ferocity that yeast produce C02? Could this be the reason the airlock is no really cooking? My hunch is no, but the curiousity is still there.

Nike_Eayrs said:

So I know airlock activity doesn't mean much in regards to fermentation. However, this is the first brown ale I have ever made. No two row, like the other brews I have made as the recipe called for Maris Otter. Does the type of grain have anything to do with the ferocity that yeast produce C02? Could this be the reason the airlock is no really cooking? My hunch is no, but the curiousity is still there.

Click to expand...

I don't think so. If anything it would affect the gravity if the lots had different potential extract, but I can't see it affecting fermentation for similar gravity beers. Make sure you have a good seal (I'm guessing you're in a bucket?) on the lid.

tre9er said:

I don't think so. If anything it would affect the gravity if the lots had different potential extract, but I can't see it affecting fermentation for similar gravity beers. Make sure you have a good seal (I'm guessing you're in a bucket?) on the lid.

Click to expand...

I actually checked that the first day there was no airlock activity. When I put pressure on the lid, the airlock bounces a bit leading me to believe that the seal is good

Nike_Eayrs said:

I actually checked that the first day there was no airlock activity. When I put pressure on the lid, the airlock bounces a bit leading me to believe that the seal is good

Click to expand...

I bet it will go nuts soon

I've had beers that didn't take off after three days- then all of the sudden the yeast started doing its thing and everything was fine- I've also had beers that didn't take off ever. If I don't see airlock activity I like to shake the hell out of the fermenter- it makes bubbles form in the airlock and gives me a much needed false sense of security