Does unfermented wort need boiled again?

This is a first for me. I've on about my 12th batch of beer over the last 3 years and for the first time my yeast appears dead. I re hydrated nottingham but didn't notice much activity. Of course, homebrewers like myself often worry too much so I figured it was fine and pitched it in which was Saturday.

A little over 48 hours at 63 degrees and there is nothing and I'm 95% sure there was a yeast problem. So I took my last batch of amber, poured off the beer, swirled the 22 oz bottle and dumped it into a very small, about 1/2 cup starter. I've read to take this and make a larger starter off the smaller one next.

My question is how long can you just leave the wort sitting there in your fermenter. Is there a rule of thumb? Wondering if 3-4 days is too long or if I can just pitch my starter when done. I was thinking I could boil the wort again but that seems like a lot of work?

Assuming your sanitation methods are sound I believe you'll be fine letting it sit. Did you happen to take a gravity reading recently? Is is possible fermentation is going on but airlock activity doesn't show it? Yeast are pretty resilient, I'd do a gravity reading before worrying about repitching.

i'm with Dan here, take a gravity reading before you do anything. it may have fermented and given you no real sign or anything. if the OG hasn't dropped, maybe try a pack of s-05.

I agree! I pitched Nottingham into a stout on thursday and I never really got any airlock activity at all. Just a bubble every now and then.. With that being said I checked gravity after 2 days, and it's actually almost to FG already. As a lot of people will tell you... don't pay any attention to your airlock as a gauge of fermentation or a lack there-of. Always trust your hydrometer and nothing else..

I had this problem once with a stout. Even with a starter, I saw no signs of fermentation. 72 hours later I was getting worried. I pitched a pack of S-05 and fermentation began in <6 hours. Like Dan said, if your sanitation is good, your wort should hold up.

I've heard of people leaving wort at room temp for a whole week to krausen with later.

Not only is there no airlock activity, the airlock has had negetive pressure, sucking back and holding the vodka I put in it which tells me there is no co2 being produced.

yeastluvr said:

Not only is there no airlock activity, the airlock has had negetive pressure, sucking back and holding the vodka I put in it which tells me there is no co2 being produced.

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Have you taken any gravity readings? It's the only way to know what it's doing... If it's still at OG then you probably need to re-pitch. How well did you aerate?

I agree with taking a hydrometer reading and I will take one. I'm still fairly certain its not fermenting. In the mean time I'm trying a starter from my last batch. Another first for me. Sounds like what I'm hearing is I dont need to worry about the wort just sitting there for this time period.

I wouldn't worry about the wort.. Making the starter is a good idea just in case you do have to re-pitch. It's going to take quite a few days to grow an adequate starter from a bottle of beer. If you could buy another pack of yeast locally I would do that instead. I would think your wort would be ok up to a week or so, but I'm just guessing. Do you have a stir plate?