What to do with no yeast activity?

I brewed a Steam Beer yesterday and am yet to see any activity from the yeast. Granted, it's only been 16 hours since pitch, but I just have a bad feeling. At what point can I say, this yeast is no good? And then do I just pitch a new packet, or is the brew a loss (I hope not). Thanks!
PS - Wyeast 2007 Pilsner Lager pitched @ 70 degrees; OG 1.045

If you didn't make a starter, you might have to wait up to 72 hours or so to see activity. So, be patient!

+1 It takes time.

I can wait. I haven't had a beer yet that's taken more than 14 hours to start working, but I can wait. Another note that has me a bit skeptical about the yeast is that the smack pack never expanded. I smacked 4 hours prior to pitch and it didn't do a thing. Could be nothing, too. Do I need to airate the brew over these next few days, or just let it sit? Thanks again!

Just let it sit! That's the hardest thing. Next time you use liquid yeast, make a starter to ensure it's really viable. But for now, keep it at a steady temperature and wait it out.

What temperature do you have it at?

YooperBrew said:

Just let it sit! That's the hardest thing. Next time you use liquid yeast, make a starter to ensure it's really viable. But for now, keep it at a steady temperature and wait it out.

What temperature do you have it at?

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Can do. It stays a mild 66-68 in my basement.

jacksonbrown said:

I brewed a Steam Beer yesterday and am yet to see any activity from the yeast.

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I don't know how you judge yeast activity if you're brewing in a bucket, in a carboy it is a different story, you get to see all sorts of fun stuff...But if you're in a bucket remember airlock bubbling is not a true sign of fermentation, only your hydrometer is....

The airlock is outgassing oxygen initially and more importantly co2 (which is of course a byproduct of fermentation), but there are a lot of variables that come into play in terms of the airlock bubbling...You could have for example and bad seal between the grommet (or stopper) and the airlock, or the lid on the bucket isn't fully tight and gas is getting out elsewhere besides the airlock, or the stopper and mouth of the carboy and that would appear slow, while fermentaion is actually occuring rapidly... Or the little bubbler in the airlock could be sitting a little crooked, or become weighted down with tiny co2 bubbles and need to build up a good head of gas before blurping again.

Even having the airlock leaning slightly askew affects it.

I've got a beer in my fermentor that has had almost no airlock activity, but I see the liguid in the airlock is saturated with tiny bubbles so I'm pretty sure activity is occuring...But I won't really know until I take a hydro reading...But since I used a smack pack of yeast and a big starter I trust that the yeasties are doing their jobs...But my last beer on the other hand, the brown ale I pitched on a yeastcake from a previous batch sounded like a machine gun the way the bubbler was going up and down...I ended up needing a blow off tube once it got going...

So as you can see airlock activity varies, and should not be used a a sign of speed or lack of fermentation.

I only use carboys, and the liquid is pretty stagnant. Completely flat on top, no bubbles going through it. My airlock are good, and all is sealed well because I'm in constant use of all my equipment (I transfered out a beer on Saturday and put this one in Sun morn). I'll give it time, and if there's still no new activity in 72 hrs, I'll repost for help.

I just did a steam beer myself. Followed the directions on the dry yeast packet and pitched it. I only started seeing activity once I warmed it up to about 68-70 degrees. Give that a shot - those extra few degrees can make a difference. Once you get it started, the yeast doing their thing will keep the temperature up without any more need for intervention besides, say, insulating your fermenter.

42 hours later and we have krausen! I'm really excited for this brew. It was my first boil at over 2 gallons (3 gal - next purchase is turkey fryer kit for full boils), and my first with leaf hops and no grain or hop bags. Smelled soooo good! And the hydro reading tasted great, too!
This is the first brew in a month that wasn't made specifically for our wedding. We ran out of drinkable homebrew a couple nights ago and my fiance said "we don't have a drop of ale?"
"We have 25 gallons! We just can't drink any of it."
Soon, soon. Thanks again folks.