Ok, so maybe the professionals around this forum can help a rookie out a little. I have done lots of research (books and this forum) and know what to expect, however my current beer is showing poor activity in it's early stage as opposed to my last batch. I am currently on my 3rd batch. Yesterday I brewed my first high OG beer (1.070), it' a Black IPA extract kit. Everything I did throughout the process seemed right on the money and I am seeing no visible signs of fermentation. I know, I know, just be patient and take another hydrometer reading after 3 days if no activity is noticed. Can you guys take a look at a few of my steps and tell me if anything I did seems wrong? Thanks in advance!!
I made/used my first yeast starter: used 1/8 tsp yeast nutrient (added to boil), 1 1/8 C DME, 1.47 L water, and White Labs California V yeast. Boiled for 15 minutes, chilled in ice bath to 70°, and pitched yeast in. Covered with (sanitized) foil, and put it on the stir plate with a vigorous circulation for 21 hours prior to pitching. (I sanitized everything meticulously BTW)
Yesterday as brewing was almost complete, I added my wort to 2 gal of water in the carboy after chilling to 70° in an ice bath/immersion chiller. I topped it off to 5 gallons. I strained a large amount of the hops out while transferring to the primary with a funnel and strainer. I aerated the unfermented wort with pure oxygen for apprx 1 minute, then thiefed out a sample to check gravity and temp. prior to pitching the starter. The temperature was good, so I pitched the starter in. (I sanitized everything meticulously again BTW)
I decided to not refrigerate the starter since I was using it the next day. The starter stayed on the stir plate for almost 21 hours on the dot. It stayed at perfect temperature as well. Since I pulled it right from the stir plate, I had nothing to "decant" so I pitched the entire thing (after boil evaporation, the starter was smaller in size). I wasnt worried about clarity or of off-tastes since its a black IPA.
P.S. I used Mr Malty to determine what water/dme/yeast ratio to use on the stir plate.
The beer has been in the primary now for only 15 hrs. I put a blow-off hose on right away instead of using a 1 piece airlock. I have no Krausen and am only seeing 5-6 bubbles a minute coming out of the blowoff tube's water bucket. Last beer I brewed had a ferocious fermentation almost immediately right out of the smack-pack. The krausen bubbled over my 6 gal carboy into the airlock within 7 hrs causing me to have to install the blowoff. This IPA is showing weak signs.
It seems to me like I have done everything right, but I am still new at this so that's what brings me to request this forums expertise. I'm definitely not to proud to ask for help, LOL. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I realize I probably have a case of "noob anxiety", just not sure what to do at this point other than wait (impatiently).
I made/used my first yeast starter: used 1/8 tsp yeast nutrient (added to boil), 1 1/8 C DME, 1.47 L water, and White Labs California V yeast. Boiled for 15 minutes, chilled in ice bath to 70°, and pitched yeast in. Covered with (sanitized) foil, and put it on the stir plate with a vigorous circulation for 21 hours prior to pitching. (I sanitized everything meticulously BTW)
Yesterday as brewing was almost complete, I added my wort to 2 gal of water in the carboy after chilling to 70° in an ice bath/immersion chiller. I topped it off to 5 gallons. I strained a large amount of the hops out while transferring to the primary with a funnel and strainer. I aerated the unfermented wort with pure oxygen for apprx 1 minute, then thiefed out a sample to check gravity and temp. prior to pitching the starter. The temperature was good, so I pitched the starter in. (I sanitized everything meticulously again BTW)
I decided to not refrigerate the starter since I was using it the next day. The starter stayed on the stir plate for almost 21 hours on the dot. It stayed at perfect temperature as well. Since I pulled it right from the stir plate, I had nothing to "decant" so I pitched the entire thing (after boil evaporation, the starter was smaller in size). I wasnt worried about clarity or of off-tastes since its a black IPA.
P.S. I used Mr Malty to determine what water/dme/yeast ratio to use on the stir plate.
The beer has been in the primary now for only 15 hrs. I put a blow-off hose on right away instead of using a 1 piece airlock. I have no Krausen and am only seeing 5-6 bubbles a minute coming out of the blowoff tube's water bucket. Last beer I brewed had a ferocious fermentation almost immediately right out of the smack-pack. The krausen bubbled over my 6 gal carboy into the airlock within 7 hrs causing me to have to install the blowoff. This IPA is showing weak signs.
It seems to me like I have done everything right, but I am still new at this so that's what brings me to request this forums expertise. I'm definitely not to proud to ask for help, LOL. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I realize I probably have a case of "noob anxiety", just not sure what to do at this point other than wait (impatiently).