Belgian Trippel w/ WLP550 liquid yeast hasn't started fermenting yet

[smithabusa]

This is my 5th extract batch (done 2 pumpkin ale, 1 gingerbread brown, and holiday cheer so far without issues).

Its been about 14 hours since I pitched the WLP550 and not seeing any activity in the blowoff tube as of yet. First time using a blowoff tube, only used the cylindrical style airlock in the past, but was fearing an explosion.

Temp when I pitched was 75F, over night it has cooled to 70F, but not seeing any activity yet, and the label on the container says usually in 5-15 hours, and all of my previous batches seemed to take off pretty quickly.

Starting gravity was 1.088 before I pitched. I stirred the living bajesus out of it trying to aerate, but wondering if I should have put the lid on and shook it. Have only stirred the other batches and seemed to have work.

Any suggestions on what I should do, Im still very much a newbie. Thanks in advance for any help.

Greg

 

[beergolf]

Don't worry. It will start.

It has only been 14 hours. Each fermentation is different. Some can take a while to start.

Did you make a starter? If not it may take a while to start. You really should make a starter for a beer that big.

 

[smithabusa]

But worry about each batch is what i seem to do best lol. Ive never done a starter, guys at brew shop said i wouldn't have to, maybe i better learn for next time. Really enjoying home brewing minus the worrying part, looking forward to tasting this one.

 

[smithabusa]

It's going now not fast, but I'm also not used to this huge blowoff tube versus airlock either.

 

[beergolf]

But worry about each batch is what i seem to do best lol. Ive never done a starter, guys at brew shop said i wouldn't have to, maybe i better learn for next time. Really enjoying home brewing minus the worrying part, looking forward to tasting this one.

I remember my first few brews. I almost wore out the basement stairs going down to check on my brews. Now after a ton of batches I just set them in the fermentation chamber and forget about them for several weeks.

Guess what, it is pretty difficult to really mess up a brew, if it was a good recipe. The yeast knows what to do. All we can do is get it at the proper temp and let it go. It will do what yeast does.

You definitely should learn to make starters. Your beers will like you for that. And of course they will taste better too.

 

[Yooper]

for a 1.088 beer without a starter, it would be best to use about four packages of yeast! One package is supposed to "work" for "up to 5 gallons of 1.060 beer" but even that is pushing it.

Bigger beers really need more yeast. If you only used one package of yeast, you may find that you need to wait 3 days for it to really get going. If you've got activity already, that's a good sign!

 

[smithabusa]

for a 1.088 beer without a starter, it would be best to use about four packages of yeast! One package is supposed to "work" for "up to 5 gallons of 1.060 beer" but even that is pushing it.

Bigger beers really need more yeast. If you only used one package of yeast, you may find that you need to wait 3 days for it to really get going. If you've got activity already, that's a good sign!

Thanks guys, an hour ago was getting a blowoff bubble every 45 seconds, now at every 25 seconds.

 

[smithabusa]

Can't believe how long its going. Went very active for about two days, and been at 12 beats per minute or so for about 4, days now, 7 days active and doesn't seem to be showing any past couple of days. Recipe said 7 days primary, but looking like bucket will be tied up for a while lol. Was thinking of brewing a nut brown, looks like i need to buy another primary bucket.

 

[smithabusa]

Quit fermenting after 9 active days. 1.088 down to 1.013 ish, such it in secondary. Color looks muddy right now.

 

[smithabusa]

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