Can my batch be saved?!?!?

[rich8932]

Did my first brew yesterday from an Amber Ale kit, but in my enthusiasm to be prepared I took my recipe out early to study and lost it. I ended up having to go from memory and some other resources to get started. After adding the yeast I expected to see some action. It's been 24 hours and there appears to be nothing happening. Here's roughly what I did:
steeped grains for 60 minutes ~155 degrees then removed grains. Stirred in malt extract as I was bringing to boil for the hops. Once it was to a boil added first pelet hops continually stirring, at 30 minutes added second batch and third batch at 40 minutes and quit the boil at 50. Removed from heat to cool the wort to take gravity reading, did that at 60 degrees. Pretty much followed the instructions on the dry yeast. Added it to warm water and let it set, slowly added wort to the yeast to get it up to same temp as the wort. The yeast seemed to be working because it got foamy in the water. Then I dropped the yeast into the pail with the wort and nothing. I have a feeling I missed a crucial step. Any ideas and can it be saved? Thanks

 

[Revvy]

More than likely there is nothing that your batch needs to be saved from, except new brewer's nerves.

First, fermentation can take up to 72 hours for the yeasties to start, it's called lag time. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/

But by visible signs they DON'T mean airlock activity.

Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2. And the peak of fermentation has already wound down, so there's simply no need to vent off any excess co2.

If your airlock was bubbling and stopped---It doesn't mean fermentation has stopped.

If you airlock isn't bubbling, it doesn't mean your fermentation hasn't started....

If your airlock starts bubbling, it really doesn't matter.

If your airlock NEVER bubbles, it doesn't mean anything is wrong or right.

The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....

Thinking about "doing anything" without taking a hydrometer reading is tantamount to the doctor deciding to cut you open without running any diagnostic tests....Taking one look at you and saying, "Yeah I'm going in." You would really want the doctor to use all means to properly diagnose what's going on. It's exactly the same thing when you try to go by airlock....

You'll be much happier if you get out of that habit...you will find that fermentations rarely don't take off, or just Stop...In fact I've never had a beer not ferment. BUT half of my fermentations, spread out across 9 different fermenters, never blip once in the airlock.

Fermentation is not always "dynamic," just because you don't SEE anything happening, doesn't mean that any-thing's wrong,, and also doesn't mean that the yeast are still not working diligently away, doing what they've been doing for over 4,000 years..

So, Relax, then wait 72 hours and take a hydrometer, and you'll see, more than likely that everything is fin...it is fine 99.95% of the time.

 

[boog321]

I am new here, and to brewing beer. but I have fermented some juice in the past.

Give it a bit longer to see what happens, from what you wrote it sounds like it should be fine. As long as you weren't over 80 degrees F, I would think it's ok.

As for boiling grains and such, I haven't gotten that far. Still on extracts.

 

[Nurmey]

Welcome to HBT!

Sounds like you did everything right and in a few weeks it will be beer. It's hard on the first batch but trust the yeast knows its job and will do it.

The good news is that there is a funny beer god joke they play. Just about as soon as a new brewer makes a post like this, the airlock will start jumping. If it doesn't you probably have a leak but as Revvy says above, nothing to worry about.

Start planning your next batch!

 

[Runyanka]

I myself have done 16+ AG batches and still to this day if I don't use a big starter, my dry yeast (fullly rehydrated) will take up to 24 hours to start active fermentation. RDWHAHB

 

[phrogpilot73]

Revvy, just curious... I've seen you post almost the exact same thing word for word countless times. Do you have it saved in a word file on your computer and cut and paste here? Or do you type it out every single time? Inquiring minds want to know...

 

[Revvy]

Revvy, just curious... I've seen you post almost the exact same thing word for word countless times. Do you have it saved in a word file on your computer and cut and paste here? Or do you type it out every single time? Inquiring minds want to know...

I go to user cp, find the last time i posted it, usually 5 minutes before, and cut and paste it again....

 

[phrogpilot73]

I go to user cp, find the last time i posted it, usually 5 minutes before, and cut and paste it again....

I figured you had to be cut & pasting. Unless you can type 90 words a minute...

 

[rich8932]

I appreciate the help and I'm sorry for making you repost. I swear that I tried to search myself before asking the question. Thanks again

 

[Revvy]

I appreciate the help and I'm sorry for making you repost. I swear that I tried to search myself before asking the question. Thanks again

no biggie, this time of year I do it 20-30 times a day....You all have the same worry about your airlock, and are all really nervous anyway.