Help Nottingham not taking off?!

[LoloMT7]

Hi all I brewed this last Saturday and split the 6 gallon batch into two separate 3 gallon carboys. The post-boil OG was 1.066 and both were at room temp which is about 66 degrees. 66 is what is still reading on the stick-on thermometers also. The problem is one of the Carboy's I pitched one package of US-04 into and it is actively fermenting away just fine. The other I pitched Nottingham Dry Ale yeast into and it has been 72 hours now and nothing doing. Maybe I should wait it out a bit longer or is it time to re-pitch? Also if I pitch more yeast does it need to be Nottingham since that is what i pitched into the carboy already? Would it totally mess things up if I pitched a package of US-05 because I have a pack of that handy! Thanks for any advice!

 

[LoloMT7]

Forgot to attach here was the recipe..

13.8 lbs 2-row
1 lb Cara-pils
.5 lb C-60
.5 lb C-120
.5 lb Roasted Barley
.5 lb Black Barley

60 minutes Magnum 2 oz
10 minutes Cascade 1 oz
5 minutes Cascade 1 oz

 

[Revvy]

What's the current gravities?

 

[jcdouglas]

Did you take a hydrometer reading with the Nottingham batch? If so, what is the result?

 

[LoloMT7]

I didn't check the US-04 batch because it is very active but as of this morning the nottingham batch hadn't moved and was still at 1.066 like i had a bad package of yeast or something ?

 

[LoloMT7]

Any thoughts? I agitated the wort a bit this am.. if it's still not dropping in SG by tomorrow maybe i should re-pitch? Is it ok if i pitch US-05 or is that a bad idea ? Thanks for any advise

 

[Kmcogar]

Wish I could help, that kind of yeast always rocks my carboy. I usually have to attach a blow off tube. Bummer dude

 

[TravisT]

72 hours and no change in the gravity reading.... i would re-pitch, its possible you got a bad batch of dry yeast.

 

[LoloMT7]

ok will check it out when i get home and report back .. thanks for the replies

 

[H-ost]

I agree, if nothing is happening tomorrow morning then I would pitch another pack.

 

[Special Hops]

Did you by accident pitch both yeasts into the same carboy?

I find it odd the Notty didn't do anything. But it's possible.

 

[TimTrone]

Was it a older Notty pack? I know some of the older packs had a problem with very slow starts

 

[Eckythump]

72 hours is a long time for Nottingham. I would repitch. It's fine to pitch a different yeast in there; the "mixing" of the yeasts is fine.

 

[LoloMT7]

Update -- I got home last night about 5 o clock and CO2 was just barely stating to bubble out of the airlock. By midnight it was releasing CO2 bubbles every 2 seconds and had a thick layer of krausen on top. I went and checked the package and the Exp date on the Nottingham was January of 2011 !! That was some old yeast and i just bought it a week ago at my LHBS. It looks to be fermenting now so i guess all is well. Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[jcdouglas]

I never check the expiration date before buying yeast, but I think I will be more diligent in doing so. Although you already pitched the yeast, maybe your LHBS will be willing to give you fresh packet as compensation? You could argue that it caused you increased stress in that fermentation did not start for over 3 days

 

[LoloMT7]

I never check the expiration date before buying yeast, but I think I will be more diligent in doing so. Although you already pitched the yeast, maybe your LHBS will be willing to give you fresh packet as compensation? You could argue that it caused you increased stress in that fermentation did not start for over 3 days

I will most certainly try for a free pack next time i'm there