Should I worry?

Last night, I put together a John Bull Stout, no-boil, 6.6 pound kit. I added some Galena hops, 3 ounces of blackstrap molasses, and some licorice from a separate small boil. In the kettle, I steeped 4 ounces of black patent malt.

Put it all together in the bucket, measured the temperature. At the first, my reading was 93 degrees. ( I don't have a chiller, but I've learned my lesson this time.) I put said bucket out onto the porch, where the ambient temperature was in the low 20's.

At bedtime, (10:30) I read the temp at 82 degrees.....so I pitched the yeast and put the bucket into the basement.

This morning, no bubbles in the airlock. With the cover off, I saw absolutely no sign of krausen. I pitched packet number two at 6 am.

By noon, still no bubbles in the airlock. Should I worry?

i wouldn't worry. just make sure the cover's on there tight, there's liquid in the airlock, and give it some time.

I've been told the rule of thumb is 72 hours before you should really start worrying about inactivity.

AHU

Four little words of advice for you - ALWAYS MAKE A STARTER!

This will reduce your lag (waiting) time and ensure your yeast is alive PRIOR to brewing.

Now you are involuntarily participating in the dreaded "wait and see if anything happens" syndrome. Making a starter will eliminate this.

homebrewer_99 said:

Now you are involuntarily participating in the dreaded "wait and see if anything happens" syndrome. Making a starter will eliminate this.

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Actually...since Jim elected not to make a starter, isn't he voluntarily participating in said syndrome

Sorry, been in an argument of a rather semantic (not to mention pedantic) nature with my seemingly deaf boss for the better part of the day. Pub in 30!

BeeGee said:

Actually...since Jim elected not to make a starter, isn't he voluntarily participating in said syndrome

Sorry, been in an argument of a rather semantic (not to mention pedantic) nature with my seemingly deaf boss for the better part of the day. Pub in 30!

Click to expand...

I see your point, but if he was unaware of starters I think that would have been involuntary. I agree with you the next time he doesn't make a starter.

PS - I enjoy this stuff!

With only having read the title of this thread, I'm going to take a stab and say yes, you should worry. Whatever the problem is, and I hope I never find out, start worrying now. Sell the cars. Sell the house. Sell the kids. There is no hope.

Take the bucket put the lid on and shake the hell out of it. Aerating your wort may just help give your yeast a better start.

It took me AT LEAST 36 or more hours to notice visible fermentation in a 5-gallon batch before I started making yeast starters. I highly recommend them...you'll be oh-so happy you did.

Well, let's see. The Middle east is on the brink of civil war, we've had the hottest winter on record and gas is over $2 per gallon. YES, you should worry!!!!

Well, after 24 hours from second pitching of yeast, I got bold/nervous and lifted the lid on my fermenter. I saw what had to be over an inch of krausen on my brew, and now I'm HAPPY! Thanks for all the input!