72 hrs no fermentation...

[Colonel_Forbin]

I know rdwhahb. I did last night after 48 hrs had so many that I forgot to worry about it yesterday.
Brewing Austin Home Brew's American IPA, first time using liquid yeast wpl001, cooled the wort to 70, pitched the vial (I know should have done a starter) three days nuthin' hanging out at 68. Maybe has a lil CO2 in suspension. But no krausen.
Re pitch, I can get my hands on some 05 in the morning, and use that. Or wait it out?

 

[Face Eater]

I would take a gravity reading to make sure it's not fermenting. You also say it had some co2 which is a byproduct of the yeast so it sounds like it's fermenting. Take a hydrometer reading to know for sure.

Without a starter it will probably have a long lag time so it may be starting up. I have had a few fermentations take a few days to start with no negative effects or off flavors.

 

[Colonel_Forbin]

Thanks John, took a gravity reading after work today. Looked like the krausen was starting to form, after 96 hours. OG was 1.059, today was 1.055. There was for sure some mold on top. Sanatized a spoon and scooped it off, and will let it ride. Thinking fermentation will be going well in the morning. Hoping the active fermentation will kill off anything funky that crept up with such a slow start. Gonna let it ride.

 

[Stauffbier]

Mold on top?

 

[homebrewdad]

Thanks John, took a gravity reading after work today. Looked like the krausen was starting to form, after 96 hours. OG was 1.059, today was 1.055. There was for sure some mold on top. Sanatized a spoon and scooped it off, and will let it ride. Thinking fermentation will be going well in the morning. Hoping the active fermentation will kill off anything funky that crept up with such a slow start. Gonna let it ride.

Very doubtful that you had mold after four days. You probably scooped off krasuen/hop junk.

Seriously, best thing you can do is leave the beer alone for a week or two.

 

[Stauffbier]

You probably scooped off krasuen/hop junk.

Yeah, and a good chance that he scooped out a bunch of yeast, which doesn't help the underpitching situatuion...

I agree with just leaving it alone, and let the yeast do their job!

 

[homebrewdad]

Yeah, and a good chance that he scooped out a bunch of yeast, which doesn't help the underpitching situatuion...

I agree with just leaving it alone, and let the yeast do their job!

Yep. Standard new brewer instinct is to fuss and worry over your beer. Problem is, that instinct leads to unnecessary risks and needless actions... there is zero benefit from scooping right now, but a real risk of infecting the batch.

Yeast know how to make beer. Let them!

 

[Colonel_Forbin]

No it was mold, green fuzzy puffballs, not krausen, or hop residue. I've worked around food/beverages for 20 years, I know what it looks like. For what it is worth the growths were small, removed at most a teaspoon of matter from the top, from three locations.

Should have taken a photo, but I'm pretty confident that's what it was. Something could have crept in when I had the bad idea to pop the lid and look after 48 hours. All the other batches I've brewed had a healthy fermentation after 12-18 hours.

 

[TrubHead]

72 hours without fermentation would have me concerned and preparing to pitch more yeast. Especially if I didn't there was adequate yeast in initial pitch. If initial yeast count was acceptable then rouse by shaking/swirling fermenter. I had to do that in one batch where fermentation stopped too soon and it got the yeast active again.

 

[progmac]

sounds like something happened to kill off the yeast...maybe it was way past expiration or maybe it got too hot or partially froze. you should be able to pitch a vial in a normal gravity beer without issue.