How Long to Wait Before Repitching Slow Start?

[Clint Yeastwood]

I pitched a Diamond starter into a lager around 34 hours ago, and I put the keg in the fridge at 60 degrees with a spunding valve on it. No sign of pressure yet. Seems really slow. I believe the wort was between 80 and 90 when I pitched, and the starter was definitely at about 75.

Last time, I used 34/70, and it was much friskier, but I fermented it warmer, too. About 68.

What's a good amount of time to give a batch before coming to the rescue with more yeast? I was thinking I might use the clever method someone here came up with for adding gelatin: rehydrated dry yeast, a syringe, a tube, and a disconnect.

 

[Bramling Cross]

Hmmmm....

I've found Diamond to be very picky about its temperature, especially on the first pitch. But that's at lager temps.

Those are *really* high pitching temps, so the above is off the table. I assume you're looking at your airlock for evidence of fermentation? If so, I would be questioning whether my fermentation vessel was airtight.

What temperature is the beer fermenting at? Do you have a gravity reading confirming that it hasn't started?

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

The temperature is 60, and the keg has a spunding valve with a pressure gauge on it. No action yet.

I guess I can spray soapy water around the O-ring and look for bubbles.

 

[Bramling Cross]

The temperature is 60, and the keg has a spunding valve with a pressure gauge on it. No action yet.

I guess I can spray soapy water around the O-ring and look for bubbles.

I think that's a good plan. Keg O-rings were, as I understand it, designed to be seated by pressure, so you can get a wonky seal sometimes...especially if your O-ring is a bit old or needs some lube. The problem gets worse if you store the keg w/o pressure seating it. Having it improperly sealed for a week or two can deform the O-ring and produce a slow leak.

Good luck, sir! I've got my fingers crossed.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Well, forgive me for starting this thread. Gas was escaping. I fiddled with the ring, and now it seems okay. Thank you for help that should have been unnecessary. Should have checked at the start.

The fermentation is going fine.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

While I was trying to pump up the keg to get the O-ring working, I had to attach a new tank to my old Taprite. Gas went everywhere. Turned out I needed a new flat seal on the end of the intake nipple.

A guy on Ebay is selling two for $5, which is actually not a bad deal with free shipping. Morebeer is cheaper, but when I added them to an order, the site said they would ship the seals separately, so an extra $9 in shipping. Forget that.

I should take one of these things to a hardware store and see if I can find a match so I will never have to order this piddly part from a website again.

I managed to pump the tank up with the gas leaking, so I think all is well. Ordering some extra Torpedo Megamouth O-rings in case I have trouble in the future.

 

[camonick]

I should take one of these things to a hardware store and see if I can find a match so I will never have to order this piddly part from a website again.

If you’re referring to the nylon regulator washer like this—

your CO2 supplier should have them.

Edit:
Or search Amazon… several options for $1 each or less with free shipping.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Taprite regulators have square-cross-section O-rings. It' s not a washer.

 

[VikeMan]

Taprite regulators have square-cross-section O-rings. It' s not a washer.

Taprite regulators do use a captive "permanent" (but not really permanent, as you have discovered) seal. But if you can't get a replacement quickly, standard nylon CO2 regulator washers, like the one @camonick posted, work fine with the Taprites. You can just install them between the regulator and cylinder outlet faces, just like with any other CO2 regulator.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I gave that a whack and did not get good results, but thanks.