Brand Noobie from Virginia!

[wbrian]

Hi All!
I'm brand new at this. I've been making OK wine for a long time and always wanted to try my hand at beer. I bought a kit for a stout and for an american lager from a website my neighbor told me about. Well I made it per directions 2 days ago and pitched the yeast per my neighbor's instructions; sprinkle on top of "Wort". I've done all my wine in this manner and always did well. Well today is day 3 and I've got nothing in the form of fermentation. So, I've come to this site to fond out what to do about it before it's spoiled and not salvageable.

Looking forward to reading a ton here!

Take care,
Brian

 

[ACbrewer]

Well since you make wine, you probably have a hyrdometer.
1. did you take an original reading? if not, then we will need your ingredient list to estimate an OG for you.
2. sanatize a wine theif (or other liquid gathering device) and take a sample and take a gravity reading (note if you primaried in a bottling bucket, you can just open the spicket).

If this is close to the OG, then you probably have a problem. Most common would be ferment temp? is the aread this is fermenting about 70? (like 68-72) if so then you will want add replacement yeast as it has been 3 days and the yeast you had might have been bad.
If the temp is lower than 68, bring up the temp. Move the fermentor somewhere warmer.

IF the sample gravity is less than the OG by 10+ points (if og was about 1.040, I'd expect a test gravity of 1.020 myself).

Also now you can sample what you made - I personally drink some or all of the hydrometer test because A. I like to see how it is doing. Over time you get used to how the fermenting beer tastes at varrious stages. and B one less risk of contamination since I don't have to worry about the sanitation of the test tube, or open the beer back up etc. - this being the internet, someone will probably say I'm over hyping B, and honestly I'm more on the 'and how it is tasting, can I taste any alcohol yet'.

Some beers show signs of ferment (bubbling, foam, etc) some don't. A hydrometer measuring the SG will tell you if anything has happened to your malt sugars.

 

[BirdmanBrewingCo]

Hey wbrian! Welcome to HBT!