Help! No signs of fermentation!

[wfred]

Brewed a porter with wyeast London ale on Friday. The packet never swelled as much as in the past but I pitched it anyway. I cracked the lid on the bucket and I have no foam and no signs of fermentation so I assume that yeast was a dud. I do have another pack for another beer. I'm thinking I'll make a 2L starter today and I'll pitch half of it in the porter tomorrow and keep the other half for my beer yet to be brewed. Is there anything else I should do? Am I totally screwed?

Thanks,

Fred

 

[Bamsdealer]

You certainly could... especially if you'll be brewing your other beer in a week or less. Plenty of time to step up a half pack of yeast. My guess is if you did get some swelling, the yeast is viable and is just taking longer than normal to kick off. I'll probably start on it's own, but it can't hurt to toss in more yeast to get their cell count up.

 

[cherrob123]

I've written this on other recent posts but I'll repeat it here. I boiled a kolsch on National Home Brew Day 5/03. For various reasons, (mainly SWMBKH) I wasn't able to pitch my starter for almost four days after the boil. I brought the starter to room temp twice before finally getting a chance to aerate and pitch. On a side note, I pitched the smack pack two days after the expiration date into my starter wort.

I had absolutely zero air lock activity. I am used to seeing bubbles within 18-24 hours and a vigorous bubble by 36 hours. I had nothing with this one. I figured I killed the yeast. I was fermenting at 64 degrees. I brought the temp up a degree or two and left it alone. There are many, many stories on here about beers doing just fine without air lock activity. I decided to try and see.

At the end of the month I tested gravity and had dropped from 1.048 to 1.016. My target FG was 1.012. I got to .014 a week later and racked to a carboy for further lagering.

I've since tasted this beer and it is going to be off the chain. I am kegging it in about two weeks.

So, hang in there and keep checking your gravity. You may be fermenting and not even know it yet.

 

[day_trippr]

"The Immaculate Fermentation"

Haven't experienced one of those. My fermentations are all rowdy, boisterous yeast orgies.

I like to watch.

Cheers!

 

[wfred]

I pitched half of my 2 liter starter last night and today I have bubbles pouring out of the airlock. It looks like this smoked porter will be alright.

Thanks,

Fred

 

[homebeerbrewer]

If you brewed on Friday, and checked it Sunday, it was probably a long lag time. I've had em take three days to show signs.

 

[Big Al]

"The Immaculate Fermentation"

Haven't experienced one of those. My fermentations are all rowdy, boisterous yeast orgies.

I like to watch.

Cheers!

Oh man I'm glad I read this.. just experienced my first immaculate fermentation.. as a steelers fan I'm kinda pumped about that!