Do I have a problem?

[ronzonie7]

We pitched yeast (White Labs Trappist) about 18 hours ago, and I'm seeing no change at all inside the carboy. The sediment settled to the bottom, and it looks like a big glass container full of tea, or maybe flat cola. We pitched at approx 68-70 degrees, after boiling and chilling our wort (extract).

This is our second batch...first batch, using a different White Labs strain, was actively going within 12 hours...frothy foam on top, airlock going like mad, roiling particles all throughout the beer...should I be panicking?

I'd take a hydrometer reading, but I wonder if I'd even tell anything if it WAS starting the ferment, since it's so recently pitched?

 

[SporkD2]

I've had yeast that wasn't noticeably fermenting for as long as 2 - 2.5 days before. I'd leave it and check it again tomorrow.

If you didn't make a yeast starter then this is one of the exact reasons why people do.

 

[ronzonie7]

I've had yeast that wasn't noticeably fermenting for as long as 2 - 2.5 days before. I'd leave it and check it again tomorrow.

If you didn't make a yeast starter then this is one of the exact reasons why people do.

Yeah...I believe you might have a valid point. Does beer style make that much difference? This was a far more fermentable Belgian style beer, rather than our first try, which is prob going to be a low ABV pale ale. We are also in a 6.5 gallon glass carboy, versus a 6 gallon for the other batch. Maybe the C02 is taking longer to fill that space?

 

[SporkD2]

Yeah...I believe you might have a valid point. Does beer style make that much difference? This was a far more fermentable Belgian style beer, rather than our first try, which is prob going to be a low ABV pale ale. We are also in a 6.5 gallon glass carboy, versus a 6 gallon for the other batch. Maybe the C02 is taking longer to fill that space?

The higher OG the more lag time I usually have. It might take longer to fill that headspace, but thats not something I would worry about, when it starts it starts

 

[ronzonie7]

The higher OG the more lag time I usually have. It might take longer to fill that headspace, but thats not something I would worry about, when it starts it starts

Yeah, we're 1.063, versus the other batch at 1.039...I'll cling to that theory!

 

[shortyjacobs]

Did you use a starter? Without a starter, those white labs vials can take a few days to kick into gear. Wait at least 3 days before you start freaking out. 12 hours is NOTHING.

 

[phatuna]

Hi Ron, it's a common question, take a look here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/

 

[ronzonie7]

Hi Ron, it's a common question, take a look here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/

Thanks for the link. I had been trolling around looking for other information, but hadn't found that.

 

[BulldogBrewer]

Totally. My current batch was brewed on a friday night. I didn't see any activity until the following monday morning. At that point it was going gang-busters!

 

[dragnalus]

Hey guys,
I'm in the same boat as the original poster here. On Sunday I brewed a partial boil California Common kit, using white labs California ale yeast. On Monday there was no activity. Tuesday, it started a little... but no more than one "burble" from the airlock every 15 seconds... same today (Wednesday morning). I have a little foam on top, but VERY little activity.

This is the 6th time I've brewed, and it always started way faster the first 5 times. I pitched it with the wort at roughly 70-75 degrees, and the room it's in is roughly 60-65 during the day.

If activity never picks up, what should I do? Add more yeast?

 

[BulldogBrewer]

Hey guys,
I'm in the same boat as the original poster here. On Sunday I brewed a partial boil California Common kit, using white labs California ale yeast. On Monday there was no activity. Tuesday, it started a little... but no more than one "burble" from the airlock every 15 seconds... same today (Wednesday morning). I have a little foam on top, but VERY little activity.

This is the 6th time I've brewed, and it always started way faster the first 5 times. I pitched it with the wort at roughly 70-75 degrees, and the room it's in is roughly 60-65 during the day.

If activity never picks up, what should I do? Add more yeast?

Are you using a plastic bucket fermenter? If so, it's possible that you've hit the limit on it's ability to be air tight after 6 batches and the CO2 is escaping in other areas (as well as the limited activity in the airlock). I believe it was on Brew Strong that they mentioned they toss plastic fermenters after about 5 batches. But that just a wild-a$$ beginners guess. ;-)

 

[dragnalus]

Are you using a plastic bucket fermenter? If so, it's possible that you've hit the limit on it's ability to be air tight after 6 batches and the CO2 is escaping in other areas (as well as the limited activity in the airlock). I believe it was on Brew Strong that they mentioned they toss plastic fermenters after about 5 batches. But that just a wild-a$$ beginners guess. ;-)

Nope, I have it in a 6.5 gallon carboy. Haven't used a bucket.

 

[phatuna]

Are you using a plastic bucket fermenter? If so, it's possible that you've hit the limit on it's ability to be air tight after 6 batches and the CO2 is escaping in other areas (as well as the limited activity in the airlock). I believe it was on Brew Strong that they mentioned they toss plastic fermenters after about 5 batches. But that just a wild-a$$ beginners guess. ;-)

Well, a bubbling airlock is not indication of fermentation. Your hydrometer is the only true indicator. Don't worry if you are not getting bubbles, check your gravity if you are concerned. Or, better yet, cover it up, wait a month, check your gravity and bottle it up.

Don't throw out your bucket after 5 batches or if they don't have a tight seal anymore. They do their job just fine either way and we're all trying to keep these things out of the landfills... right?

 

[dragnalus]

My chief worry is that I perhaps added the yeast while the wort was still too warm. Could this have killed the yeast? Should I add more yeast? The guy at the supply shop said that California ale yeast likes lower temps, but I think I was well within its zone.

 

[shortyjacobs]

My chief worry is that I perhaps added the yeast while the wort was still too warm. Could this have killed the yeast? Should I add more yeast? The guy at the supply shop said that California ale yeast likes lower temps, but I think I was well within its zone.

If it's bubbling, it's probably fermenting. If it's fermenting, it's fine. Just leave it alone.

FWIW, the beer I made with California V had a very gentle fermentation too.

 

[ronzonie7]

Looks the same today as it did yesterday, as it did the moment we carboy'd up. I'm going to measure the SG in a bit, to see if this thing is moving at all.

 

[ronzonie7]

Hydrometer reading taken...

Exactly the same figure we had at OSG reading. At what point do we act to salvage this, and what do we do? I've got some yeast of a different strain that I could throw in...or maybe yeast starter or yeast nutrient?

 

[shortyjacobs]

If my math is right, you are at around 44 hours since pitching.

I'd wait another day and see what happens, per the "fermentation can take up to 72 hours!" thread....but I can understand your nervousness....

 

[ronzonie7]

Crisis averted. Shook it up last night, and the airlock let out a big burp. A few bubbles of krausen appeared. This morning, things are chugging along.

 

[shortyjacobs]

:rockin:
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[Coastarine]

Thanks for the link. I had been trolling around looking for other information, but hadn't found that.

I hate this, and I'm not saying it is your fault, I'm more frustrated that sticky threads are not more visible. People often have questions and undoubtedly spend time searching for the answer before posting a thread but don't check the stickies. They are there because the info inside is so important and commonly needed, but for some reason they don't get peoples' attention.