So I'm msking one of "these" threads about dead yeast.

I made a baltic honey porter on sunday. Here are the ingredients:

8lbs of Pale LME
1Lbs of chocolate malt
.50lb of honey malt
.50lb of crystal 60L

.5 oz of horizon @ 60
.75oz willamette @ 40
.50oz Willamette @ 20

Recipe calls for two vials of american ale yeast. I bought two vials of american ale blend from white labs (WLP 060). I only pitched one...

This is where my problem starts. I ordered from midwest... was on a truck for a few days but had an ice pack. I did not use a starter. I understand I should have used one but never did it. I planned on saving one vial for another beer thinking the yeast would be ok.

It's been two days and no sign of fermentation. The OG def went up to 1.060 it was around 1.050 or 1.040 before I pitched the yeast. I'm getting close to the 72 hour mark and im just curious of my options. Should I pitch a new vial or make a starter and pitch a new vial. I was thinking maybe 8lbs of LME was way to much sugar LHBS only had 4lb cans of Pale LME. Its starting to smell a little bit like fermentation is beginning.

P.S. Next time i order liquid yeast online.... I WILL make a starter for sure. Just never tried making one.

The OG def went up to 1.060 it was around 1.050 or 1.040 before I pitched the yeast.

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Did you stir your wort well before taking a gravity reading? Did you compensate for temperature? Hydrometers are calibrated for a specific temperature - unless you measure your gravity at exactly that temperature (or very close) you need to adjust your SG reading. The reason I ask is because your hydrometer readings prior to fermentation should not vary by 0.01, nor should your SG rise after pitching the yeast.

GT

well I put the fermentor in my swamp cooler with the lid on brought it down to pitching temp. Then pitched the yeast. "I took the OG reading when the wort was around 80 - 85 degrees. Then I took it today it was probrably around 70 degrees.

^

I use white labs liquid yeast all the time and order online all the time. I never make a starter ( i know you always should as well ) but it always comes out just fine. If anything I use 2 vails if OG will be over 1.070. Anyway, Sometimes It takes a bit for it to start but 72 hours is a very long. Did the yeast vile have a best used by date on it? Was it reletively fresh?

I agree with Got Trub. Since you were using extracts and adding cold water at some point it probibly just took a while for it to diffuse properly into the water. Original gravity reading was probibly wrong and would assume 1.060 as OG.

I looked in it this morning... Now I'm kinda worried. It looks like there is something forming on top. I don't know if its finally fermenting or its some type of infections. I only took the lid off to look a few times but im kinda worried its been sitting there too long. We will see what it looks like when I get home.

I would guess it is probibly starting to ferment. It probibly was just a very low yeast cell count to begin with due to temperature conditions and if yeast was old. Does it look like Krausen or something out of a killer octopus movie?

It's just a few little white dots on top. Can't tell if its mold or bubbles yet though. It doesn smell bad iether. I'm just gonna leave it alone until tomorrow and if the airlock isn't bubbling by tomorrow then I will worry.

Relax. Don't do it, when you want to start to it.

It's fine. If you did not make a starter, then a bit of lag is expected. I recommend making one next time, but I'm betting it will be fine. (As long as you were good with your sanitation...)

jonbomb said:

It's just a few little white dots on top. Can't tell if its mold or bubbles yet though. It doesn smell bad iether. I'm just gonna leave it alone until tomorrow and if the airlock isn't bubbling by tomorrow then I will worry.

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Don't know if you heard the news yet, but you can't trust the airlock to tell you if your beer is fermenting. Especially if you keep opening the lid! It takes a small amount of pressure to make it bubble. Each time you open the fermenter, it releases all of the built-up pressure.

White dots could be yeast particles that came to the surface, or the start of krausen.

If you are VERY worried, open the fermenter, and take a whiff. if you get a burning sensation in your nose, that's CO2. But I recommend just leaving it alone.

I'm pretty sure I was really good with my sanitizing. We will see I hope it turns out ok this is my first porter I ever made and I want it to turn out perfect

Relax.... it's making beer. Read the stickies up top of this forum. Read the one about how fermentation can take 24-72 hours to start (especially if you underpitch)... it's called lag time.

Worry about something else - like the Phillies pitching staff.

XXguy said:

Relax.... it's making beer. Read the stickies up top of this forum. Read the one about how fermentation can take 24-72 hours to start (especially if you underpitch)... it's called lag time.

Worry about something else - like the Phillies pitching staff.

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I'm more worried about them losing werth because they kept joe blanton and payed him 21 mil and can't afford there best player...