HELP! 5 days, no activity

I know, relax and have a homebrew but this is 5 days and I am concerned! Can't even get to sleep at night thinking about this

On Saturday I whipped up a wheat beer. Still no activity in airlock, no bubbles on surface and no CO2 smell

Only different thing I have done is add rind and juice of 6 limes and 30g of crushed corriander. This was all boiled for about 10 minutes though in the wort.

Temp is within the range of the yeast, although for the first day it may have been slightly too cold (about 14 degrees with the min of the yeast being 18 degrees). On Sunday I put a heatbelt around it, Temp up to 19 degrees, nothing happened. Tuesday night I put another sachet of yeast (wheat) in.
Wednesday night : Nothing at all happening.

Bugger this I thought, I shall make a starter (even though using dried yeast and never had to before). Mixed up half a cup of DME with some water in a 2 litre plastic bottle (fitted airlock to lid). Put in lounge where it is nice and warm. NOTHING! Still nothing this morning. Even shaking the bottle no airlock activity.

My thoughts are :
1. 3 packets of dead yeast
2. Acidic level too high from the lime (although this does not explain the starter not starting).
3. I am cursed
4. Ralph Nader not happy with being in my last poll.
5. Boil up the wort again and repitch?


Any ideas?


EDIT : SG of 1.070, used both LME and DME (both wheat)

Well, I'd first think of the obvious- problems with the yeast comes to mind first. Your starter should, well, start. I assume your dry yeast is dead, and if you got it all at the same time, maybe it got frozen at some point.

You definitely need to repitch, but do you have viable yeast? I'd suggest yet one more starter and a different package of yeast from a different store just to cover all your bases. Otherwise, I'm totally stumped!

Yeast was from two different sources. Two packs were from the LME tins and the other from the LHBS. LME was also purchased at the LHBS...

I have never made a wheat beer before and was not worried about a long lag time but 5 days is a bit much. I even took a OG reading last night just to be sure it had not started!

Strange because my coffee choc porter that I made the same day is chuffing away very nicely beside it!


I shall take a walk up to my LHBS at lunchtime and grab some more yeast. Will make two starters tonight.


What do you think about using an ale yeast just to get it going this time? Will this have a HUGE effect on the taste. I will do anything rather than dump it

Hey dibbs:

This is just a opinion. Snatch a sample and take a gravity reading. Hopefully the airlock seal wasn't good and maybe had some fermentation.

Cheers.

John

Corjyn said:

Hey dibbs:

This is just a opinion. Snatch a sample and take a gravity reading. Hopefully the airlock seal wasn't good and maybe had some fermentation.

Cheers.

John

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Did that, still at the same reading. The airlock seal is okay. There are NO bubbles on the top of the wort and no smell of CO2 either which I can normally smell.

dibby33 said:

What do you think about using an ale yeast just to get it going this time? Will this have a HUGE effect on the taste. I will do anything rather than dump it

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Well, what kind of yeast are the others? I assumed ale yeast was what you were already using.

I don't know what your supplies are like in Tasmania, but I use dried ale yeasts all the time without a starter or even rehydrating, but it's probably best to follow the package directions.

Yooper Chick said:

Well, what kind of yeast are the others? I assumed ale yeast was what you were already using.

I don't know what your supplies are like in Tasmania, but I use dried ale yeasts all the time without a starter or even rehydrating, but it's probably best to follow the package directions.

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There were all wheat yeasts.


...would the ale yeast change the taste a huge amount?

Doesn't a true hefe get most of it's flavor from the yeast?

If you used a clean ale yeast it would be closer to an american wheat...

Sucks man sorry! And that really is weird about the starter not taking off

Maybe try a liquid yeast?

crazy...did your original starter have activity? maybe you got some dead yeast all around. and what wheat yeast did you use...the only wheat yeast i'm aware of is liquid.

Did not make a starter at the start, it is dried yeast that I am using.
Have just got a couple of packets of Safale K-97. Will try again tonight when I get home.
Three packets of dead yeast in a row? I have never had problems with even one packet before!

the fact that your starter didn't get going tells you there's something up with the yeast.

you should get some liquid yeast. that safale k97 is not a true wheat yeast anyway.

I don't know much about yeasts, but while it does seem strange to have three packages in a row of dead yeast, it's even stranger to not have your starter get going. That's why I'm thinking the yeast. I've never used k-97 but it's supposed to be a clean kolsch-y type yeast. If you used a clean ale yeast, it would be comparable but not the same.

Dibby, let us know what happens next. I'm scratching my head over this one.

Next thrilling installment :

Starter did not start. Added another pack of yeast, it did start, slowly. Not much happening but at least there was some froth and some airlock activity. Put this into my barrel (which is now sitting at 24 degrees). Was fun putting it into the barrel as the lid was jammed on and after a few cleansing ales at the pub could not open it! Ended up pouring the starter through the hole for the airlock!

Checked on it this morning before going to work. No change. The airlock is showing negative pressure in the barrel. This I do not understand if I have heated it up, it should be expanding!

OG reading still the same.

Bugger me with a large, slightly warmed up chocolate bargepole, I don't understand what is happening here.

Before I left for work this morning I made up another starter, so I still have one more shot at it.

??? Would it be worthwhile to boil up the wort and kill off any potential infections at this point ???

I honestly don't know- it sure seems like it's been out a long time and at a risk for infection. If it were me, I'd probably do just that- boil it and start over with the yeast starter. That's probably a bit extreme, but safest. Before that, though, I'd do a taste test to make sure it doesn't taste like it's contaminated with aceterobacti or something else unsalvageable.

I think your LHBS practiced unsafe yeast practices, and it froze or something. No way all these packages should have these issues.

The yeasts are stored on a shelf, not in a fridge. I have never had a problem before and I buy all my gear from there. It has been cold here, maybe the package got frozen on the way to the store? This is doubtful.

Totally peeved with this! This was my first (and will NOT be my last) wheat beer. Grrrr...

..now how am I going to boil 25 Litres on a cooker!

I don't know Dibby- but it is strange that all these yeasts just didn't take off and it's cold there.

I'd boil it and cool it in stages- boil some, cool it, boil the rest, cool it, etc. I don't know how else to manage it if you can boil it all at once.

This is probably going to be your best beer ever, and you'll never be able to recreate it!
\

It is not too cold. It has been staying above freezing, just. I am sure the temp in the shop does not drop below zero.

Will attempt the boil at the weekend. Will be getting piddled tonight.

Yipppeeee!!! I checked it on Friday night and it is off. ...At speed!
About 3 bubbles every 2 seconds. Slowed to 1 bubble every 2 seconds by last night (Sunday). Nice and frothy on top. I actually hugged the barrel and I am not ashamed to say that!
7 days to start and four packets of yeast. The yeast is to blame.
I will inform the LHBS where I purchased.

Dibbs:

Congrats!! Hope it turns out well. You deserve it. I think you should celebrate with one of the fine brews you have bottled (or 2-3). That is sheer determination.:rockin:

Cheers.

John

Primary: empty
Secondary: Autumn Amber Ale
On Deck: Octane IPA

dibby33 said:

...I...hugged the barrel and I am not ashamed to say that!

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As long as you were fully clothed....no harm...no foul.

Good job on seeing it through. Ya better start thinking of an appropriate name for this one.

Good deal! I'm happy to hear that it finally got going for you.

Hugging the barrel? Hmmmmm. I've fondled my carboy gently, but never hugged it. I think you need help, man.

Yooper, I think that, "fondled my carboy gently", sounds a lot more *cough* interesting that just hugging the warm barrel in a cold cellar!

...yes I do need help.


As for the name, any suggestions?

Bunny girl wheat. (screwed by the heffe)
What the Wheat!!
Wheat until later

dibby33 said:

As for the name, any suggestions?

Bunny girl wheat. (screwed by the heffe)
What the Wheat!!
Wheat until later

Click to expand...

I'd say something with a resurrection, or back from the dead theme.

BierMuncher said:

I'd say something with a resurrection, or back from the dead theme.

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Lazarus' Favorite Weizen