5th batch but I think the yeast is dead

[ZOG]

I have very good luck with my first 4 batchs of beer they have been very taste.

this batch however seem like the yeast is dead

how long would you wait to pitch another pack of yeast?

and is the Wert OK waiting a few days to be sure the yeast is dead.

even if the yeast isn't dead if i pitch the same yeast again right away it would not hurt I.E. you cant put too much in can you?

 

[Yooper]

What makes you think it's dead? What kind of yeast are you using, and when did you start it?

 

[paul_h]

It wouldn't hurt, but chances of infections have risen.
Speaking as someone who has even had good yeast bubbling CO2 in the airlock within hours, it might already be past saving*.
Give it a shot if you already have yeast handy, dont bother buying new yeast at $8 to save a $16 brew though.
As they say, all HB has infections, if you are an absolute clean brewer with all the sanitisation tools and knowldege you may get lucky. If you are the average brewer, I don't fancy your chances.


* I'm here because I want a decent home brew. I haven't been able to get one yet, though most of my attempts were before internet videos and internet popularty waay back in 2000. Hopefully after a 8 year layoff I can get one brew working. first one this year petered out after a 2 week good fermentation and ended up infected. Second one was dodgy, it might work out. Third one I did after lot of reading and consultation, a basic stout, but decent malts and a yeast picked for my brewing temps and double pitched. I've seen a lot of failure, and a lot of non obvious infections that didn't show up until after a week.

 

[IlliniSox4Life]

Like Yooper said, what makes you think it is dead?

If you are going by a plastic bucket with an airlock that isn't bubbling, there is a chance that the lid isn't sealed correctly and the CO2 is getting out somewhere else. If this is the case, open it up to see if there is any krausen on top.


As far as pitching more yeast, you are correct, too much yeast really won't have an effect. In fact, a lot of people culture their yeast into yeast starters a few days before to increase the count. You may want to look into this in the future.The odds of infection will have risen, but you should be OK.

If it really is dead yeast, I'd repitch more, odds are it will turn out OK. NEVER throw out beer unless you are absolutely sure it is messed up. Even then keep it for a month or two in the bottle. You would be surprised how it can turn out alright.

It wouldn't hurt, but chances of infections have risen.
Speaking as someone who has even had good yeast bubbling CO2 in the airlock within hours, it might already be past saving*.
Give it a shot if you already have yeast handy, dont bother buying new yeast at $8 to save a $16 brew though.
As they say, all HB has infections, if you are an absolute clean brewer with all the sanitisation tools and knowldege you may get lucky. If you are the average brewer, I don't fancy your chances.


* I'm here because I want a decent home brew. I haven't been able to get one yet, though most of my attempts were before internet videos and internet popularty waay back in 2000. Hopefully after a 8 year layoff I can get one brew working. first one this year petered out after a 2 week good fermentation and ended up infected. Second one was dodgy, it might work out. Third one I did after lot of reading and consultation, a basic stout, but decent malts and a yeast picked for my brewing temps and double pitched. I've seen a lot of failure, and a lot of non obvious infections that didn't show up until after a week.

How long have you been waiting before trying your batches? My beers usually can taste off after a few weeks in the primary and even a couple weeks in the bottle, but after a while they usually end up tasting very good. I haven't had an infection yet. I've been pretty good about sanitation, but probably not ridiculous. If you are really losing that many batches, I think it is something other than infections happening to get into your beer.

 

[morrighu]

I'm sort of insane about sanitation. That happens once you culture your first light switch and door knob. I usually clean the kitchen and idodophor everything that might remotely come into contact with the wort once it's cooled. We've *knock on wood* yet to have an infected batch.

M.

 

[ZOG]

it was a wyeast "activator pack Octoberfest lager"

it was three days with nothing, I went ahead and pitch a second Exact strain that I went ahead and pick up saturday

I pitched late saturday night and this morning around 11:30 it was bubbling

I it may be OK

i will not throw it out that is for sure.

I try to be a sanitized nut but not to extreme.

we will see in a few months I guess.