Belgian Triple - no bubbles yet

[libirm]

Greetings
I brewed my Belgian Triple from Brewer's best and used White Labs Yeast.
I droped the yeast in Friday night around 9:00pm and as of this am- there a little or no bubbling going on.
I brewed four other kits and within 24 hours the things a bubbling like crazy.

Should I be worried?
Or if it does not start bubbling what do you suggest? Another tube of yeast?

Thanks- worried on Long Island

 

[cluckk]

For one thing, if you used a single tube of yeast for a Tripel then you way under pitched. You should calculate your yeast amount and make a starter. Is there any activity at all? For example, do you see a Kraeusen forming on the top? If it is a clear carboy do you see what looks like clumps of yeast swimming around? You say you pitched White Labs, but which one? What temperature did you pitch at? What temperature are you keeping the fermenter? I see you are in Long Island. Is it possible your fermenter is too cold?

 

[libirm]

Hey Cluckk- thanks for the reply & questions
One tube is all my local brew store sold me- I call today to see if they think I need more .
My primary is solid white - can't see anything-bummer
I pitched WLP500- I pitched at 70 degrees and the primary is in a room that stays between 70 & 75 degrees

 

[aiptasia]

It sounds underpitched. Most tripels are high gravity and I have a simple rule of thumb where that's concerned. If the OG is 1.050 or below, one vial of White Labs is usually sufficient. If the OG is 1.050 to 1.100, two vials. 1.100 and up? 3 vials or more.

If your LHBS doesn't have another tube of the exact strain, you can use any of the other Belgian style strains or even a dry packet of Safale S-33.

 

[libirm]

Thanks to all-
I just talk to a bud who brews from the same shop-, same stuff, He me told sometimes it takes a couple of days to start- maybe I give to tomorrow and see before I do anything.

 

[libirm]

Double Bummer- still don no have any bubbles & the Local beer store is closed on mondays. I did email them.

I think the wort should be ok in the primary for a couple more days,right?

 

[RM-MN]

A solid white fermenter? That wouldn't be a bucket, would it? Many times the bucket lid leaks a little, just enough to let the CO2 escape without bubbling through the airlock. Pop the lid and look for krausen or the ring where krausen had been.

 

[libirm]

Just took a peak at the wort- not a blessed thing going on- I think the yeast must have been bad.

 

[RM-MN]

What is the temperature of the beer in the fermenter. You can use the temperature of the outside of the fermenter or room temperature where it is sitting. If it is sitting on a cold concrete floor, that can be the cause too because the fermenter can be much cooler than the room then.

 

[mesa4234]

I just brewed a dubble with WLP500. It took about 3 days to get going (so right where you are now). Have you tried swirling the bucket? I actually never had any airlock activity (despite always having it with the bucket I was using) but on the 3rd day or so, krausen started to form. I would swirl it a couple of times and see what happens.

If it still doesn't start, I would get another vial tomorrow.

 

[libirm]

Will do thanks for the post!

 

[libirm]

What is the temperature of the beer in the fermenter. You can use the temperature of the outside of the fermenter or room temperature where it is sitting. If it is sitting on a cold concrete floor, that can be the cause too because the fermenter can be much cooler than the room then.

Room stays a steady 70- to 75 degrees- I think thats about where it should be.
I do have it elevated off floor- just in case

 

[libirm]

Took a hydrometer reading- I have 1.084 as of today and it has been there since Friday- does say anything about the yeast?

 

[midfielder5]

You needed to start with 3 vials of yeast, or make a large yeast starter, for that high of an OG. It will of course "make beer", but obviously you have already encountered one of the problems from hugely underpitching.
So you either wait (it should start soon) and/or buy a bunch more yeast.

edit: what date is on the label? ie how old/fresh?

 

[libirm]

You needed to start with 3 vials of yeast, or make a large yeast starter, for that high of an OG. It will of course "make beer", but obviously you have already encountered one of the problems from hugely underpitching.
So you either wait (it should start soon) and/or buy a bunch more yeast.

edit: what date is on the label? ie how old/fresh?

I looked at date- It would be good for another 4 months-
My local brew shop suggested a yeast energizer-

 

[peterj]

I looked at date- It would be good for another 4 months-
My local brew shop suggested a yeast energizer-

You don't need yeast energizer, you just need more yeast. Since you WAY underpitched it, it's going to take it's sweet time reproducing and building up enough yeast cells to be able to ferment that much sugar. So you can either wait a little bit longer or pitch another vial or two.

Also, 70 - 75 air temperature is too hot for fermenting. Once fermentation gets started the internal beer temperature can be 5-8 degrees warmer than ambient. I would try to keep it under 70F.

 

[RIC0]

Pitch more yeast and get the temp down and you'll be fine, garaunteeeeeeeed

 

[libirm]

Good suggestions Rico & Peter- as I already put the energizer in- and nothing happens by tomorrow- i will pick up another tube- I think I do a starter next time for a high gravity brew- seems like the HG beers need a little boost to get started.

 

[kerant]

My triple is 2 weeks in. O.G was 1.072; my reading today was 1.002 which brings it to 9% alcohol I believe. That yeast went for 2 weeks straight; just starting to slow down.

 

[davefleck]

If you don't have equipment to make starters brew a lower gravity beer with the same yeast and reuse the yeast cake. It will have no problem chewing up all those sugars.

A stir plate might be a great Xmas request

 

[libirm]

Gentle man- we have lift off!!! bubbling away this morning!!

I have learned allot from this thread and this forum!!!
As most have stated here, and a lessoned learned for me- High Gravity Beers need or should have a starter. Youtube has allot of information as well as white labs on the the topic of how to make a starter. Or at least throw two tubes of yeast in!!
There is allot about stir plates there as well- here in one I liked: http://www.stirstarters.com/index.html
So cheers to those who contributed to this thread & to all the help one can get on this forum!!

 

[RIC0]

Or be simple and use rehydrated dry yeast and save yourself money and headaches. I quit wasting time on liquid yeast awhile back. Not saying its not good but why work harder instead of smarter, meaning making starters, stirplates,spending 2 or 3X the money, making that wheel roll a little better, etc?? I have superb results with the properly pitched amounts of dry yeast.

Once you get more into brewing do what you want but for those starting out dry yeast is the ONLY way to go.

 

[libirm]

Dry Brewing Yeast vs. Liquid Brewing Yeast |

I found this interesting-

 

[davefleck]

My (and others here) stirstarter required some tweaking. The magnets weren't strong enough and kept tossing the stir bar. Got a couple rare earth magnets from Ace and added it to the ones provided. Keep in mind if you have issues. They may have corrected this

 

[libirm]

Dave-
Maybe the the a little spent might be worth it?
http://morebeer.com/products/fermentap-magnetic-stir-plate.html?gclid=CO7H9K2-prsCFTEV7Aod4HoAQg

 

[libirm]

OK- so let me see if I got this right-
My friend bought me Brewer's Best Belgian Dark Strong!!
It has a OG of 1.079 max-
When I go to Mr. Malty- and type the specs.(Mr. Malty's Pitching Rate Calculator™ ) Mr. Malty tells me the pitch rate should be 2.8 vials or three to even it up. http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html
So then, I would add at least two of the WLP500 or WLP530- Right?