Dragging signs of fermentation

[Chefflahertycec]

I am new at the craft of home brewing and am on my 3 rd solo brew. I brewed a Belgian wit similar to Blue Moon (AG) I know this is a little advanced for someone new at the craft. With the recipe I found and my diligent research, I thought it seamed relatively simple. My issue is that I brewed this Super Bowl Sunday and it's now Friday morning and I am just seeing activity in the carboy. The recipe called for White Labs 400 Belgian Wit. My LHBS was out so with a conversation with the dude at the store, I went with White Labs Hefe IV. The brewing process for the most part was good with hitting temps and such and as I am a chef, my sanitation and cooling time are top notch. So after pitching my yeast ( direct pitch) I noticed the tube of yeast was 3 days past the best by date. Should I be concerned? Or could this just be an amateur mistake and over reaction? My past 2 brews took off and have been outstanding. Is 5 days too long to see signs of fermentation? No gravity reading taken yet for fear of contamination. Oh and I have no choice but to keep my fermenters in my basement @ 55- 60 degrees.... any feedback would be great.

 

[Hopinista]

I'm not sure about 5 days, but I had a pale ale lag almost 3 days (I used wyeast west coast) and it turned out awesome! I'd say you're probably going to be fine. The yeast can be acting without a lot of obvious signs

 

[fartinmartin]

If it's 55 and on a cold floor it will be slow and that is a long lag time, get it wrapped up to keep some of its heat in. Keep fingers cross and hope.

 

[Corey_SS]

Yeah what fart said. At temps that low the yeast prefer to sleep in. You wanna be careful with that because the longer it takes your yeast to get started the more time the wild beasts have to take hold.



Sent from my ADR6400L using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Mquezada]

I wrapped my carboy in a heating pad and then a towel. Once the fermentation gets going it seems to hold its temperature relatively well. I give it a boost with the heating pad here and there.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[BigFloyd]

The main reason that you're having fermentation problems is that, based on what you described, you pitched a 4-month old vial with no starter.

Assuming an OG of 1.050, it needed 189 billion cells. That pack brand new only had 100 billion (despite what it says about "direct pitch"). By the time you used it, it was down below 20 billion or about 10% of what was needed.

Bottom line, it's hard to say exactly what flavors problems, if any, you may taste in this brew. It may also not make it down to expected FG. If you want to continue to use liquid yeast instead of dry, learn to make yeast starters.

 

[Chefflahertycec]

Thanks for all your input... This was a rushed brew. I've been researching a ton and was actually considering tackling starters right before brewing this. Every brew is a learning experience. Thats why i love it. The night I posted this, she took off bubblin and is still going strong with a nice aroma from the airlock... we'll see...

 

[fartinmartin]

I was going to suggest the blue tablets till you mentioned the aroma .

 

[Osedax]

That's great that you got it going. FYI you posted this in the wrong section. I think you meant to post this in fermentation and yeast. Unless this thing is gluten free than I'm wrong.

Sent from space for your convenience

 

[Chefflahertycec]

Yeah, I'm learning. Realized I was looking into gluten free and just posted my concerns at will... another armature mistake. @ fartinmartin, what are blue tablets? And I'm assuming that the sulfur egg smell told you everything is good and to just wait it out..... She's a bit stinky, but I'm prety confident that I'll be throwing em back in a few weeks. Again, Thanks for all the feed back even though this is a wit bier and is loaded with gluten...

 

[Chefflahertycec]

Fartin, sorry forgot to mention that a few days in to the bubblin, a nice aroma switched to a sulfur rotten egg smell but that has diminished a bit. I did some research and found that with Belgium's it's common and to walk away bottle it give it it's time and enjoy. so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[Hopinista]

#belgiannotbelgium

 

[fartinmartin]

Nah, someone must have farted.

 

[RmikeVT]

Bucket or Carboy?

Are you basing fermentation on bubbling airlock or visible signs (Krausen, etc). Anyway, Im sure your beer is fine. Sulfur is normal with hefe yeast. Smells like rhino farts.

 

[Chefflahertycec]

#Istandcorrected Hopinista. Fermenting in a carboy... Bubbles and krausen are looking good at this point....

 

[fartinmartin]

Little blue tablets, are Viagra, they get things going, I however don't need them.
I glad your brew is progressing, enjoy it and get another going.