Ambient Fermentation Temps

[Saxis]

So I just brewed for the first time last weekend. I went with a stout recipe, as those are my favorite and I thought would be the easiest with the equipment and ingredients I had access to, as well as the ambient temps I was seeing in my house.

I set a thermometer in several areas of my house to see where I would be able to keep a fairly consistent ambient temp. I can go anywhere from about 63F to 68F, depending on location, hoping that would be sufficient for a good stout using Wyeast 1084.

I was figuring if I could keep the ambient temp around 64-65F, when good fermentation starts happening, the wort would be around 68-70F.

But, my Wyeast was about 8 months old. I pitched at about 72F. The first night, it cooled down to about 63F. I moved it and got it back up to around 67F. At about 40 hours, there was still very little activity. My bucket seems to be sealed good, and it has been back-sucking on the airlock as it pressurizes, but I've only seen a couple bubbles.

Do I have anything to worry about, or is it just a combo of older yeast with cooler temps than expected? I haven't checked it since this morning, so it's entirely possible it has taken off today. I'll find out soon!

My question: Are my expectations with the ambient temp solid? What do you guys usually shoot for with Wyeast 1084 to keep it in that 68-70 range?

 

[Northbank]

Did you make a starter or just drop the liquid yeast int your primary? 40 hour lags on older liquid yeast would not be uncommon. With a range between 62f and 72f you should be good 64-65 ambient temps without everything getting to warm.

Give it another day ...

 

[Saxis]

I did not make a primary. I activated the bag straight out of the fridge, about 4.5 hours before pitching, and set it on the counter. At first I could hear it sizzling inside, but that stopped shortly after. It never did swell. I kept giving it a shake or two throughout my brewing and double checking that I actually broke the pouch inside. Going on 51 hours now, still nothing. Sitting at about 65F, and I'm trying to get it a little warmer. Got it swaddled up in blankets like a baby next to a heating vent!

 

[IndyBlueprints]

If the yeast pouch didn't swell, I wouldn't have pitched it. How far is your LHBS? Is it easy to get another yeast? If so, I'd get another, let it swell and pitch it. If not, I'd order one online ASAP.

 

[Saxis]

If the yeast pouch didn't swell, I wouldn't have pitched it. How far is your LHBS? Is it easy to get another yeast? If so, I'd get another, let it swell and pitch it. If not, I'd order one online ASAP.

About 2 blocks. I will probably become his best customer...

If I don't see any action by tomorrow night, I'll probably stop by and see if he has any more Wyeast 1084. I got the last pouch when I was there.

 

[olotti]

8 months is a loooong time to have viable yeast not saying their completely dead but the lack of swelling in the packet would be a good sign the yeast may have been to old to pitch directly into the wort. What was you starting gravity? If nothing is happening by tomm I'd go to the lhbs if you have one or like another poster said order another packet asap because if nothing is going on at about 3 days now especially at those temps something should've happened and then I'd say the yeast was to old without making a starter and you'll need a fresher packet.

 

[IndyBlueprints]

About 2 blocks. I will probably become his best customer...

If I don't see any action by tomorrow night, I'll probably stop by and see if he has any more Wyeast 1084. I got the last pouch when I was there.

If he's still out of 1084, ask his opinion on a substitute. You need to get that wort fermenting.

 

[Sadu]

Going forward it is a good idea to keep a spare pack of us-05 or notty in the fridge for times like these. Although being 2 blocks from the LHBS is pretty awesome too.

 

[Saxis]

8 months is a loooong time to have viable yeast not saying their completely dead but the lack of swelling in the packet would be a good sign the yeast may have been to old to pitch directly into the wort. What was you starting gravity? If nothing is happening by tomm I'd go to the lhbs if you have one or like another poster said order another packet asap because if nothing is going on at about 3 days now especially at those temps something should've happened and then I'd say the yeast was to old without making a starter and you'll need a fresher packet.

SG was 1.061. A bit more than the recipe was showing, but I added a couple things. I just moved it to a warmer spot hoping to get it started.

 

[Saxis]

Thanks guys. I might have to visit my LBHS at lunch tomorrow and see what he has\recommends.

 

[olotti]

Thanks guys. I might have to visit my LBHS at lunch tomorrow and see what he has\recommends.

Ya brew and learn but yeah get another pack and pitch it if this hasn't take of already cuz the more it sits the more time for things to get into it.

 

[motosapiens]

If i'm not going to make a starter, I smack the pack the night before. imho same day is not nearly enough time.

but since i tasted the no-starter beer against the one with a starter, I know always make a 2-3 cup starter.

 

[sky4meplease]

While the pack swelling is a good indication of the vitality of the yeast it does not have to swell to use it.
I think doing a vitally starter is a great idea no matter the age to reduce lag times. They are typically small enough to pitch whole without cold crash and decanting.
OTOH airlock activity isn't necessarily a good indication of how fermentation is going.
Visually confirming or taking a gravity reading would be better.

 

[Saxis]

So all is good now!

Got my temp to about 72F, but still had no action when I got off work yesterday. Stopped in to my LHBS to see if I needed more yeast. He gave me a small bag of yeast nutrient, and recommended that I put just a pinch in and give it a gentle stir. In about 2 hours, I was getting about a bubble per second, and it was still going strong this morning!

 

[z-bob]

I just used a 10 month old Wyeast pack. It took a little over 2 days for the pack to swell up, but eventually it did and the beer fermented quite aggressively -- the yeast just took a long time to wake up. (I think I got lucky)

I'm glad yours is working.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

I did not make a primary. I activated the bag straight out of the fridge, about 4.5 hours before pitching, and set it on the counter. At first I could hear it sizzling inside, but that stopped shortly after. It never did swell. I kept giving it a shake or two throughout my brewing and double checking that I actually broke the pouch inside. Going on 51 hours now, still nothing. Sitting at about 65F, and I'm trying to get it a little warmer. Got it swaddled up in blankets like a baby next to a heating vent!

I recently made a beer using 2 year old (I think) wyeast.
I put it on a stir plate. It took about 7 days on the stir plate before there was any activity. But finally it came back to life.

Once it began doing it's work in the starter I brewed and pitch the active yeast right in.
Fast POWERFULL fermentation.