Fermentation problem!?

derrickd · Mar 23, 2013

I brewed a clone of Hoegaarden two days ago and I used wyeast 3944 Belgian white. I checked on it last night to see how the fermentation process was going and I noticed that it has a nice yeast cake but there was no other signs of fermentation going on. I checked to make sure that the airlock was on the carboy properly and it was fine. The fermentation temp is also where it should be and there is no light getting to the beer.The only thing I can think of is that the yeast had been sitting in my fridge for about a month and the yeast may have went bad-- the yeast was sitting in the fridge for a month because I had to do a unexpected rebuild on my brewing pots! Does anyone have any idea of what my be going on with my fermentation?

Kaz · Mar 23, 2013

Since it was Wyeast, did the packet swell when you smacked it? What is your fermentation temperature? If you fermented warm, it could be done. Otherwise, I would wait a few more days and then take a gravity reading to see where it is at. The gravity reading is the only way to know whether the yeast have eaten or not.

kh54s10 · Mar 23, 2013

It is still too early to panic especially if you are using old yeast without making a starter. After a month in the refrigerator the viability of your yeast would be quite low.
I would suspect the yeast are still reproducing until they have a cell count sufficient to ferment your beer. To be sure that you have no fermentation you will need to take a gravity reading.

derrickd · Mar 23, 2013

The yeast pack didn't swell very much at all. When i put the yeast into the carboy the beer temp was at 60 degrees and is fermenting at 60.

duboman · Mar 23, 2013

derrickd said:
The yeast pack didn't swell very much at all. When i put the yeast into the carboy the beer temp was at 60 degrees and is fermenting at 60.

60 is too low for the strain, listed from 62-75! Raise the temp to mid 60s and rouse the yeast and then allow to self rise up to 70 or so to keep the yeast busy