HELP. Risk of no crimbo beer :(

[dublicious]

Hi Guys,

Started a brew kit on tuesday and just looked tonight and it is doing nothing The kit was sitting around for a while but well in date. Shall I ditch it and try again with another beer kit?

cheers,

j

 

[olllllo]

72 hours or bust.

If you're particularly panic stricken, pitch some more yeast.

 

[dublicious]

Hi, will give it another day but normally it kicks off fine. What do you mean pitch some more yeast? sorry, I am a newbie.

Take care,

J

72 hours or bust.

If you're particularly panic stricken, pitch some more yeast.

 

[malkore]

pitch means to add yeast to the wort...he's just saying to give it 72 hours and if nothing, pitch another sachet of yeast.

I'd rehydrate the yeast first...if this is a particularly heavy beer it can be hard for the yeast to take in water to hydrate.

 

[olllllo]

Pitching yeast means to add yeast.

Was it dry yeast?
Liquid?
Do you know the temperature range that is best for that particular strain if yeast?
Recipe?
Why do feel nothing is happening? etc.

The more details you can provide, the better the help gets.

 

[Joker]

Go get liquid yeast and make a starter, pitch it and wait for the action to start. The only reason you should ever toss beer is if it tastes like @$$ my apology to anyone who likes that taste. And even then I have had beers that tasted rough but after 3 months in the bottle it was some of the best brew I had made. Sometimes it just takes time.

 

[TheJadedDog]

If you have no activity tomorrow get a packet of dry yeast (I wouldn't go to the trouble of making a liquid yeast starter for a re-pitch personally) and pitch it.
BTW, how do you know you have no activity? A quick search on the forum will show that the airlock is an unreliable indicator for fermentation.

 

[Joker]

If you have no activity tomorrow get a packet of dry yeast (I wouldn't go to the trouble of making a liquid yeast starter for a re-pitch personally) and pitch it.
BTW, how do you know you have no activity? A quick search on the forum will show that the airlock is an unreliable indicator for fermentation.

I have always made starters so it doesn't seem like any inconvienence to me. However, you have a great point about the airlock not giving the best info. If he is fermenting in a bucket and the lid is not on tight you might not ever see a bubble in the airlock.

 

[dublicious]

Hi Guys,

Appreciate all the feedback

The kit is a Tom Caxton Bitter with dried yeast. I am using a fermenting bin with the lid not clicked down as I was always told not to??? I am pretty sure it is doing nothing as there is not froth at all and no bubbles rising to the surface, looks pretty much like it has finished in comparison to my other beers which I would imagine wont be the case after two days!

To be honest I might ditch it as I have been having a issue with my brews taste lately. I have been using VWP to clean everything though I can never get rid of the chlorine smell from the bucket, no matter how many times I rinse. I have been told to use VWP primarily the get some sodium m?????????? from the homebrew shop to get rid of chlorine deposits.

Any advice is gratefully received

Take care,

Jamie

 

[Brewsmith]

I'd get another packet of yeast ready just in case.

 

[JeanLucD]

Hi Guys,

.... To be honest I might ditch it as I have been having a issue with my brews taste lately. I have been using VWP to clean everything though I can never get rid of the chlorine smell from the bucket, no matter how many times I rinse. I have been told to use VWP primarily the get some sodium m?????????? from the homebrew shop to get rid of chlorine deposits.

Any advice is gratefully received

Take care,

Jamie

Don't give up on the hoembrewing yet mate, I'd just give up on using chlorine based cleaners . If you live in the US you should be able to get this cleaner called StarSan, which seems to be a great no-rinse cleaner or you could go for Iodophor, which is another good sanatizer, the only problem with that being that it can leave brown stains on your fermentor. You should give the Equipment/Sanitation forum a quick look for some more info, and do a search on either of these products, there's heaps of info there. Oh and that would probably be sodium metabisulfate (Na2S2O6) btw.

 

[e lo]

To clarify the previous post: StarSan is NOT a cleaner; it is a sanitizer. Clean first with Powdered Brewery Wash (PBW) or some other percarbonate-based cleaner like OxyClean Free or its generic equivalent, and then stanitize with StarSan or Iodophor, neither of which require rinsing after use.

Good luck!

 

[Shoopdog]

Hi, will give it another day but normally it kicks off fine. What do you mean pitch some more yeast? sorry, I am a newbie.

Take care,

J

J,

Don't worry about being a newbie and asking questions...that's how we all started and how we learn. Do yourself a big favor tho...read John Palmer's "How to Brew." It should answer the majority of your questions and give you a leg up on the terminology you are going to find on the forum.

Cheers,
Shoopdog

 

[TheJadedDog]

I would still repitch and see what it does (never ever toss out a brew until you KNOW it has gone bad).

As for the cleaners, get rid of anything chlorine based and use PBW or Oxyclean as previously recommended. Then get either StarSan or Iodophor for sanitation.

Not sure why you were told not to put the lid on tightly unless you don't have a drilled lid with an airlock.

 

[Joker]

Ok lets get a few things answered.

Do you have a hydrometer?
Have you taken any readings?

If you have done this you have all the answers you need or at least the information we need to help you more. Otherwise we are all just guessing.

HOWEVER, do not pour out that brew!! You'll piss off the brew gods and you wouldn't like them very much when they are angry.

 

[dublicious]

cheers guys, I appreciate everyones help I will have a look about and readup before I head to the homebrew shop tomorrow.

By the way guys I am in the UK and will update my profile.

I have wasted so many kits over the years using that bloody VWP cleaner, asked the HB shop could it be it that is causing the funny tastes and they said no

Oh well I will suceed!

Take care and thanks again,

J

 

[Evan!]

one thing...what does "crimbo" mean?

 

[DUCCCC]

one thing...what does "crimbo" mean?

Urban Dictionary has that as slang for Christmas, but prior to reading that I was thinking "CRying In My Beer O???" or something.
/LOL!!!ROFL, umm I dunno... Where that translator link again?

 

[toadyus]

Two Words = OxyClean Free....best cleaner I've used so far (Yes I've used PBW, but it's to expensive)...all you need is a couple scoops + warm water = clean equipment with no smell.

 

[Evan!]

Urban Dictionary has that as slang for Christmas, but prior to reading that I was thinking "CRying In My Beer O???" or something.
/LOL!!!ROFL, umm I dunno... Where that translator link again?

I figured it might be a cross between crack and SWMBO. Crimbo.

 

[dublicious]

I have been reading John Palmers how to brew tonight and identified a few things.

Just to clarify for all I am just doing those kits which come with the yeast.

What I have been using:

Munton and Fison kits ( made in my hometown )
Brewing sugar

I think VWP is one of the culprits as the barrel smells of chlorine even after many rinses. I have been rinsing with water straight from the tap and not pre boiled water.
I know VWP is a cleaner and steriliser in one package which is a big attraction for me as I don't want to mess about, I just need to understand how to neutralise the chlorine smell, probably need to read the posts from you guys again.

I have also been brewing with water straight from the tap and I should be pre boiled water for adding to fermenter or buying bottled water apparently! Do I really need to use campden tablets? I don't know if my water has chloramine in.

I haven't been getting the yeast started as John Palmer describes at all, more just chuck it in as per the cans instructions!

Not so easy really. Wondering whether to carry on as I am feeling rather confused by these supposedly simple brewing beer kit concepts!

Thanks again guys