Absolutely no activity after 33 hours.

[kennyk2104]

Hi, so I just brewed a batch of northern brewer dunkelweizen extract kit using wyeast 3068. It has been 33 hours since I pitched the yeast and I have ZERO activity! upon receiving the yeast I refrigerated it. Took it out 40 hours prior to pitching, smacked it hard and stored it at around 78-82 degrees. The bag did inflate some (not all the way, but definitely did) Vigorously shook yeast and Carboy prior to pitching. I pitched the yeast around 72 degrees. I initially used a blowoff hose (heard about some blowoffs on the reviews, first time ever using one) after about 14 hours I switched over to an airlock (since it was my first time using a blowoff hose and was worried I maybe wasn't doing it right)

Like I said, it has been around 33 hours (and about 68-70 degrees fermenation temp) and absolutely no activity. This is only my second batch, but my first batch was bubbling away at around 7 hours! Just concerned. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[urg8rb8]

Did you take a a specific gravity reading before you pitched the yeast? If so, you should take another reading and see if it changed.

I had a similar experience in the past and what I did was take a long, sanitized ladle and mixed the hell out of it. A few hours later it started fermenting.

 

[Sublimis]

How much oxygen did you introduce into your wort before pitching?
If you ordered your Wyeast from Northern Brewer and live a far distance away from their store, it could have killed most of the yeast during shipment. If I order kits from online stores I will opt out of buying the yeast and pick it up local just to make sure I get a good pack. I never order liquid yeast in the summer months because of this problem, just in the winter.

 

[urg8rb8]

How much oxygen did you introduce into your wort before pitching?
If you ordered your Wyeast from Northern Brewer and live a far distance away from their store, it could have killed most of the yeast during shipment. If I order kits from online stores I will opt out of buying the yeast and pick it up local just to make sure I get a good pack. I never order liquid yeast in the summer months because of this problem, just in the winter.

And this is why I order dry yeast with mail in kits when possible.

 

[kennyk2104]

thanks for the insight. I aerated it for about 2 min of rocking back and forth. And I tried to take a gravity reading and failed miserably! HA. This is my second batch and I did the gravity before adding my additional 3 gal of watcher after cooling it. SO I did not get a proper reading. I may try the ladle trick. If that doesnt work, as per northern brewers instructions, I may re-pitch the yeast. We'll see..

 

[jaropkls]

Check the gravity. Maybe your lid isn't airtight.
I had a beer that I used WLP041 on and in 2 weeks never saw a single bubble. Checked the gravity and it was right where I wanted it and the beer tasted fine

 

[Sublimis]

If all fails go to your local brew shop and pick up the same yeast and pitch another one.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[urg8rb8]

thanks for the insight. I aerated it for about 2 min of rocking back and forth. And I tried to take a gravity reading and failed miserably! HA. This is my second batch and I did the gravity before adding my additional 3 gal of watcher after cooling it. SO I did not get a proper reading. I may try the ladle trick. If that doesnt work, as per northern brewers instructions, I may re-pitch the yeast. We'll see..

I never used a carboy, but I'm not so sure rocking it back and fourth would really oxygenate the wort well. I used plastic ferm buckets. It's easy to take a ladle to the plastic bucket since there is a lot of room at the opening. I use the ladle to cup the air at it goes into the wort.

 

[urg8rb8]

I'm curious. Any luck?

 

[kh54s10]

Since you did not make a starter, I would give it another 30 hours or so before getting worried. You need to take your OG reading AFTER adding the top up water and mixing thoroughly. You should also aerate longer. I shake for at least 5 minutes (I have a pump now).

You could take a gravity reading now and check again in a couple of days, It the number is smaller you have fermentation.

If you are using a bucket you may have to remove the lid and look for krausen. If you have a leaky lid your airlock or blow off may never bubble.

 

[podz]

48 hours is the time that needs to pass before you start to worry.

What is preventing you from taking a gravity reading right now?

 

[kennyk2104]

Okay, it has almost beer 48 hrs and I still have no bubbles but I do have a small white foam. I did purchase more yeast, but I may wait now. I am not taking a gravity reading because I currently have no way of getting the beer out of the carboy. I have included a pic, let me know what you think about the foam.


Primary - empty
Kegged - First Batch Pale Ale
On deck - Cornucopia Ale

 

[podz]

Your batch is fine, just leave it alone and forget about it for a few days.

If you are going to ferment in a carboy and want to take gravity readings, then you need to buy a "Wine Thief".

 

[kennyk2104]

Well, there was one thing I forgot to do, one of those most important steps in brewing! WAIT!!!!! Looks perfect today, bubbling away and a nice krausen!


Primary - empty
Kegged - First Batch Pale Ale
On deck - Cornucopia Ale

 

[9mmruger]

Pix looks good. It should be fine.

 

[urg8rb8]

Well, there was one thing I forgot to do, one of those most important steps in brewing! WAIT!!!!! Looks perfect today, bubbling away and a nice krausen!


Primary - empty
Kegged - First Batch Pale Ale
On deck - Cornucopia Ale

Awesome!! Can you share another picture?

 

[kennyk2104]

Primary - Banana Bread (unnamed)
Kegged - Middle of The Road Pale Ale
On deck - Cornucopia Ale

 

[urg8rb8]

Lesson of the day: patience is a virtue when it comes to brewing

 

[podz]

Summary: since your smack-pack's inflation was a bit on the limp side, it just took a little bit more time for the yeast colony to grow to sufficient size inside of the wort. 48 hours is still quite acceptable, although on the far end. Still, everything is within spec here - nothing to worry about.

 

[Sublimis]

Now that's a beautiful thing!

 

[eadavis80]

Yeah, double check the tightness of your bucket lid. Sometimes even the SMALLEST opening will result in no airlock activity, but once it's sealed good, you'll see those bubbles and be assured you've got fermentation. Of course, a hydro reading will also tell you that. And if you do another liquid yeast batch in the summer especially, I'd encourage the use of a starter. That's why all the vendors discourage liquid yeast purchasing in the summer as it can become damaged/die in transit. That being said, since your smack did inflate some, it SHOULD have been healthy, but maybe not healthy enough, thus the slow fermentation. It's only batch 2 - we all continue to learn with each batch, whether it's batch 2 or 22!

 

[dmaxweb]

Slightly off topic but very important -
DO NOT use that handle to pick up the carboy!

 

[kennyk2104]

I use it to help carry it...


Primary - Banana Bread (unnamed)
Kegged - Middle of The Road Pale Ale
On deck - Cornucopia Ale

 

[j1n]

Next time make a starter and pitch enough yeast. Sounds like you might have under pitched cause of the weak inflation after smacking the pack. Might get some off flavors from it but hopefully not.