1214 yeast not starting

I knew 1214 abbey(smack pack) had a reputation for being a slow starter, but I do not appear to have active fermentation on a Midwest Flat tire kit that I brewed Sunday after 3 days, last night and I moved to a warmer room and tried to rouse the bucket a little. I will check again tonight but if I still have no activity, should I pitch some dry yeast or is it a waste at this point. I think I only have Munton's on hand so it really won't be to style, or will it possibly kick off the 1214?

Your thoughts?

Lemme guess- you pitched the smack pack directly?

Do you mean vs. a starter? Yes, I pitched about 5-6 hours after smacking, as per Wyeast instructions.

ommegosh said:

Do you mean vs. a starter? Yes, I pitched about 5-6 hours after smacking, as per Wyeast instructions.

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Then you underpitched- and are now experiencing a lagtime while the yeast multiplies to handle the conditions of the wort.

Making a starter anytime you deal with liquid yeast is a best practice.

wait 2 more days before repitching dry yeast.

ommegosh said:

Do you mean vs. a starter? Yes, I pitched about 5-6 hours after smacking, as per Wyeast instructions.

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was it an "Activator XL" pack?
if so, you pitched properly, otherwise, a starter is needed.

Are you judging it not working because of lack of airlock bubbling, or did you take a hydro reading? If you are going by airlock visuals only, then you are using a faulty indicator of fermentation....The airlock is just a relief valve, it is not a gauge of fermentation...It releases excess CO2 building up in the fermenter...But there could be plenty of fermentation happening and the co2 could just be happily sitting on top of the beer, or gearing out through the grommet of the seal in the bucket.

Read this,

http://blogs.homebrewtalk.com/Revvy/Think_evaluation_before_action/

Yes, this was an Activator XL yeast.

And no, I have not taken a hydrometer reading yet, there was no pressure in the airlock(double bubble) let alone bubbles. That led make to take a peek and there is no krausen at all, just looks like still wort.

Thanks so far to all

BelgianWannabe said:

was it an "Activator XL" pack?
if so, you pitched properly, otherwise, a starter is needed.

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I respectfully disagree. Even under ideal conditions, the Activator XL does not have the proper cell count.

Check out the MrMalty.com pitching rate calculator.

flyangler18 said:

I respectfully disagree. Even under ideal conditions, the Activator XL does not have the proper cell count.

Check out the MrMalty.com pitching rate calculator.

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ya know, it seems that i know way less about brewing than i should for someone who has been doing it for 2 years

but after reading the info on mr.malty.com and reading up on the activator pack, i realise i was quite incorrect, to pitch an activator pack without a starter, you had better be brewing an extremely low gravity session beer

Update: checked again last night night and its moving now, activity is vigourous even.