24 hrs with no activity?

My buddy and I brewed a kit he received as a gift yesterday. It has not started to bubble in his airlock. My question is when should I repitch? And when I do should I re-aerate ?

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Fermentation can take up to 72 hours to start, so id wait 3 days before repitching.

It is too soon to even begin to worry....after 72 hours is when you take a gravity reading and see what's going on. It's quite common for yeast to take 2-3 days to get going, it's called lag time.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/, and by visible signs we don't necessarily mean a bubbling airlock. it means gravity reading

It IS a sticky at the top of the beginners forum for a reason, afterall.

"Activity is irrevelent." Just gravity points on a hydrometer.
Airlock bubbling (or lack) and fermentation are not the same thing. You have to separate that from your mindset. Airlock bubbling can be a sign of fermentation, but not a good one, because the airlock will often blip or not blip for various other reasons...so it is a tenuous connection at best.

Fermentation is not always "dynamic," just because you don't SEE anything happening, doesn't mean that any-thing's wrong,, and also doesn't mean that the yeast are still not working diligently away, doing what they've been doing for over 4,000 years.

That's why you need to take a gravity reading to know how your fermentation is going, NOT go by airlocks, or size of krausen, or a calendar, the horoscope or the phases of the moon (those things in my mind are equally accurate).

The most important tool you can use is a hydrometer. It's the only way you will truly know when your beer is ready...airlock bubbles and other things are faulty.

The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....

So wait til you hit the 72 hour mark THEN take a gravity reading. I predict that like 99.5% of ALL the threads like this, you will have a drop in gravity indicating fermentation is happening.



I've been brewing for years and I've never had to repitch......and I doubt you will either....Modern yeast doesn't really not work anymore.....But you have to not equate airlock bubbling with anything other than......airlock bubbling.

The short version of your long winded lecture is.

1) I should never consider the need to re-pitch because you never have had to.

2) I could have a "mysterious" fermentation on my hands where CO2 is not a byproduct.

I asked this not because I ha reached the known 72 hr common practice mark. But because I have not seen ANY activity andI want to be prepared with a back up plan not running around after I reach the limit.


So for those brewers out there who don't have a perfect pitch record. Do you aerate when you re-pitch?

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So, if you really paid attention, read my answer without attitude, AND read the links I took time searching for for you, you would have noticed a mention of you taking a gravity reading...and in the time it took you to write a snarky come back to an experienced brewer who answers this question from nervous noobs like you every day, because he's trying to help, and cares about new brewers....you might have known what your gravity reading was, and if you'd need to repitch or like most of us.....never and have piece of mind...

Especially since the first thread is THOUSANDS of folks just like you who when they took a reading realized that after 72 hours...they had fermentation, and didn't NEED to repitch. If you had read THAT thread without making a snarky come-back, you might have known that as well.

I've brewed several thousand gallons of beer....so maybe I have numbers behind me, that proves that the yeast is more resiliant than YOU might think.....Seriously dude, I was trying to help, by showing you some things...but hey...If a couple hundred 5 gallon and smaller batches with NO need to re-pitch means nothing to you....what can I say?

99.99% of the time when someone posts asking this question, and they follow the advice we give to wait 72 hours and take a reading, they come back and say everything's fine.

*shrug*

kickrjason said:

I asked this not because I ha reached the known 72 hr common practice mark. But because I have not seen ANY activity andI want to be prepared with a back up plan not running around after I reach the limit.

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So you've taken a gravity reading?

Seriously, just wait it out and I'm sure your yeast will pull through. If after 3 days you take a gravity reading and your OG has not dropped, go ahead and aerate and repitch.

I love that I am suddenly a "Nervous Boob" because I asked a question to people who have more experience then I do.

Proper preparation in every aspect of this hobby is what leads to success and having a back up plan for a stuck fermentation should be no different.

I don't care that you have answered that question thousands of times before. I am merely asking the question to formulate a backup plan.

If you would rather yell at me and talk down to me because I am new then piss off. The people who don't ask questions when they have them fail in life.

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kickrjason said:

The short version of your long winded lecture is....

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You know I find the 72 hour blah blah blah default answer slightly irritating myself, but dude, you ASKED!? If you ask and get a response you don't like then be graceful about it or at least politely evasive. Me thinks are not so much of a nervous boob as an arrogant ignoramus actually. But of course YMMV and IMHO etc.

Steve da sleeve

PS wait 72 hours and witness the magic of yeast who love to make beer out of barley despite the ministrations and plaintive bleats of idiots.

Hey, this question gets asked many, many times everyday around here. Don't take it personal. Sometimes people reply a little snarky when they have to answer it everyday or when someone gives them some 'tude. Specially when a simple search could easily get you an answer.

So, your beer is 99.9% likely to begin fermentation soon. If it doesn't, come back here and there will be plenty of people to help you out.

kickrjason said:

I love that I am suddenly a "Nervous Boob" because I asked a question to people who have more experience then I do.

Proper preparation in every aspect of this hobby is what leads to success and having a back up plan for a stuck fermentation should be no different.

I don't care that you have answered that question thousands of times before. I am merely asking the question to formulate a backup plan.

If you would rather yell at me and talk down to me because I am new then piss off. The people who don't ask questions when they have them fail in life.

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I think you are saying Revvy should not get a job answering the Lifeline phone. Do not let his writing style get you down just read and learn.

2 things to check before repitching:

Is your fermentor sealed properly. If not you may have active fermentation but never know it by looking at the airlock.

Check the gravity. Has it gone down?


To wait 72 hours is debatable. But it is not unusual for it to take longer then 24.

You didnt say if you used dry or liquid yeast. If it was liquid did you take it out of the fridge and let it warm up to room temp? Whenever I had seriously lag using liquid yeast making wine it was because I didnt let them warm up proper like. Also what strain are you using? Some are slow starters

I used the small packet of dry yeast that came with his kit. I mentioned it was a kit and i thought that by doing that would relate to the quality of the materials we were dealing with. It has sat in his closet for a while (Since Fathers Day) and on the shelf since lord knows when. the packet itself did not have an expiration date on it otherwise i wouldn't be inquiring.

my only gripe about the earlier banter is that if this is an issue that had "Thousands" of posts, Then people who get annoyed with answering it should just ignore it rather then making new people to the hobby feel inadequate. If it is below there experience level then let someone else field a reply or two.

I was asking a question on a forum to a community of home brewers. I wasn't knocking on the door of the brewmaster at the local rockbottom asking him what to do if my ale isn't fermenting. I want to have yeast on hand if i need it and a plan to use it if necessary. this would be a contingency plan for ALL batches not just this particular one. the thread that is stickied is hundreds of pages long, reading through all of that after the first dozen pages i felt asking my aeration question was necessary. i would rather ask again then waste hours sorting through pages and page of the same banter about how people need to calm down and wait. i realize that but i also want to have a plan to use when i need it NOT wait till i need to do something to try and come up with a plan.

Proper Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance!!

kickrjason said:

my only gripe about the earlier banter is that if this is an issue that had "Thousands" of posts, Then people who get annoyed with answering it should just ignore it rather then making new people to the hobby feel inadequate. If it is below there experience level then let someone else field a reply or two.

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Good point. I didn't think Revvy was too hard on you tho.

Now then, you've been asked, repeatedly, by most posters here if you took a gravity reading. If you don't know what that is, just ask. If you do, maybe you could answer one of them. This is the true sign of activity you should be looking for. You've spent way too much time on this thread bashing / defending / bashing, and not enough time helping yourself.

I think you have a chip on your shoulder.

If you use a hydrometer and you don't see any drop in gravity after 2 days, I'd repitch. I have done this on several occasions. Yes, the yeast will likely get going sooner or later, but I don't see any reason to wait.

I just took a gravity reading. Same 1.040 no Kreusen or foam. Lid was sealed tight.

Their are many types of kits. The better ones from Midwest and such places offer liquid yeast. It seems that you are Inferring that kits are bad. Some are, but kits can make excellent beer if the kit is good. Next time I suggest getting a liquid yeast and making a starter. Then you'll know if the yeast is good or not.

Long story short there's no need to be a Dick. Revy doesn't have 30,000 posts because he pulls things out of his ass to make Newbs feel inferior. If you can stomach some reading and learn something about your new found hobby you'll find he's actually pretty helpful.

Since you did finally take a hydrometer reading and it hasn't moved feel free to re-pitch. Consider it lesson learned and always make a starter, but that's a whole other can of worms you can choose not to read because it takes too much time.

ChaosStout said:

Their are many types of kits. The better ones from Midwest and such places offer liquid yeast. It seems that you are Inferring that kits are bad. Some are, but kits can make excellent beer if the kit is good. Next time I suggest getting a liquid yeast and making a starter. Then you'll know if the yeast is good or not.

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So far kits have served me well. I was skeptical of this yeast packet because of its size compared to other yeast packets i have seen both with and without kits. and the lack of expiration date.

EuBrew said:

Long story short there's no need to be a Dick. Revy doesn't have 30,000 posts because he pulls things out of his ass to make Newbs feel inferior. If you can stomach some reading and learn something about your new found hobby you'll find he's actually pretty helpful.

Since you did finally take a hydrometer reading and it hasn't moved feel free to re-pitch. Consider it lesson learned and always make a starter, but that's a whole other can of worms you can choose not to read because it takes too much time.

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I am sure this entire conversation had it been done in person would have gone a completely different direction. typing things and reading things leaves a lot to the imagination as far as the attitude implied. i am not questioning Revy's Abilities i just initially thought it was a long winded way of saying wait without answering my question of aeration.

We followed the kit instructions which did not imply a starter was necessary.

EuBrew said:

Consider it lesson learned and always make a starter, ...

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It is not recommended to make a starter for dry yeast and in fact it can be counterproductive. You will likely see a recommendation to rehydrate the dry yeast.
This is one of many threads on the subject of dry yeast.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/starter-dry-yeast-244035/

el_caro said:

It is not recommended to make a starter for dry yeast and in fact it can be counterproductive. You will likely see a recommendation to rehydrate the dry yeast.
This is one of many threads on the subject of dry yeast.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/starter-dry-yeast-244035/

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yea it had instructions to rehydrate it. we followed them and a conversation ensued when we pitched them. "sure doesn't look like a lot of yeast" so i was leery from the get go.

kickrjason said:

So far kits have served me well. I was skeptical of this yeast packet because of its size compared to other yeast packets i have seen both with and without kits. and the lack of expiration date.

I am sure this entire conversation had it been done in person would have gone a completely different direction. typing things and reading things leaves a lot to the imagination as far as the attitude implied. i am not questioning Revy's Abilities i just initially thought it was a long winded way of saying wait without answering my question of aeration.

We followed the kit instructions which did not imply a starter was necessary.

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Don't let Revvy get under your skin. He's got several pre-typed canned responses to questions like " why am I not getting and airlock activity?" that he just copy/ pastes whenever the question comes up. Then complains when "noobs" don't read his dissertation on the subject which has (BTW) been stickied for a reason in the beginners forum.

I would be suspect of a dry yeast packet that has been in a kit for god knows how long. Maybe sitting in a hot warehouse for some time. I would just pick up a packet of dry yeast like safale04 or 05 ( or maybe Nottingham depending on the style you are making) and sprinkle it on top. It's cheap and won't hurt anything.

special hops said:

don't let revvy get under your skin. He's got several pre-typed canned responses to questions like " why am i not getting and airlock activity?" that he just copy/ pastes whenever the question comes up. Then complains when "noobs" don't read his dissertation on the subject which has (btw) been stickied for a reason in the beginners forum.

I would be suspect of a dry yeast packet that has been in a kit for god knows how long. Maybe sitting in a hot warehouse for some time. I would just pick up a packet of dry yeast like safale04 or 05 ( or maybe nottingham depending on the style you are making) and sprinkle it on top. It's cheap and won't hurt anything.

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+1

Special Hops said:

I would be suspect of a dry yeast packet that has been in a kit for god knows how long. Maybe sitting in a hot warehouse for some time.

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Right. Dry yeast is not inert, it is dormant (alive!). It really needs to be stored in a refrigerator. One of the dry yeast web sites says it will lose 10% viability monthly if kept at room temp.

OP - If it helps, I pitched dry yeast on Sunday and didnt "see" any signs of fermentation until this morning when my airlock was bubbling ever so slightly. That was roughly 36 hours after I pitched. This is only my 4th batch of brewing ever and usually I've "seen" activity in my airlock within 12 hours, so of course being a noob I got nervous too. I started to think about all the stuff I could have done wrong, but then I remembered all the posts on this site that say to be patient and dont panic. I've found that revvy is almost always spot-on in his explanations, which has helped me stay relatively calm in most instances. I know you said you want a backup plan, so you still have time to do that since revvy recommended you wait 72 hours; so if after 72 hours the gravity hasant dropped you could repitch more yeast, but I am betting that you should start to get some activity within the next 12-24 hours

kickrjason said:

I used the small packet of dry yeast that came with his kit. It has sat in his closet for a while (Since Fathers Day) and on the shelf since lord knows when. the packet itself did not have an expiration date on it otherwise i wouldn't be inquiring.

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I would suspect this. If the yeast sat in a closet all summer long it probably is very viable. Also, how hot was the water that you rehydrated it with? Too hot and the yeast could be killed.

I would sprinkle in some nottingham or safale 04 or 05 depending on your style and depending on your sprinkle vs rehydrate style.