This is my first time trying to brew beer. I was trying a "brewer's best" recipe for an Irish stout. Everything went ok in preparing the wort, but I can't get it to ferment. I chilled the wort down to 69 degrees and then mixed the dried yeast directly to the wort like the directions said. I waited 60 hours, but still no fermentation. I went out and got a new batch of yeast. This time I disolved the dried yeast in 100 ml of 88 degree water, then let it sit for about 10 min. then mixed it into the wort. 30 hours later there is still no fermentation. I don't think wort temp is a problem, its staying at about 67 degrees and is in a dark area. What else could it be?
I can't get my yeast to ferment
- Thread starter jtthomas
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broadbill
Well-Known Member
what is your measure of fermentation?
jester5120
Well-Known Member
did you check the expiration dates on your yeast to make sure it's still viable?
mikeymac1183
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I'm sure you did have fermentation but my experience with brewers best recipes are that you won't see and kind of activity in your airlock until a few days...hope you didn't ruin the batch.....just be patient and let the yeast do its thing...gravity readings are really the best way to know what you have going on there
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turkeyjerky214
Well-Known Member
+1 more for taking a gravity reading.
I know first hand that as a beginning brewer, especially when doing more expensive extract batches, you want every last drop of beer to get into a bottle. Really though, you don't lose that much by taking a gravity reading (get a wine thief or something similar), so you should really get in the habit.
That yeast would have to be insanely old for it to not do anything at all. Like others, I'm guessing you've got an air leak somewhere.
I know first hand that as a beginning brewer, especially when doing more expensive extract batches, you want every last drop of beer to get into a bottle. Really though, you don't lose that much by taking a gravity reading (get a wine thief or something similar), so you should really get in the habit.
That yeast would have to be insanely old for it to not do anything at all. Like others, I'm guessing you've got an air leak somewhere.
There were now bubbles in the air lock, and the when I opened it up there was no foam or bubbles, just a flat stagnant surface. I think its pretty well sealed, the lid is a bitch to get off, and the air lock is down pretty tight in the lid. Any other ideas? I'll take a gravity reading later tonight.
jester5120
Well-Known Member
at this point no. your best bet is to just do the gravity reading and make sure there really is a problem before you start screwin with it and throwin more stuff in. It's possible the lid was down tight but the gasket didn't seal and a low alcohol stout like that could have completely fermented in 60 hours. don't get discouraged tho
jester5120
Well-Known Member
just an after thought but when you take your gravity reading don't dump out the sample. put it in a glass or measuring cup (somethign you can see into) and put about a teaspoon of table sugar in it. If your yeast is ok it will start eating the sugar in a few hours and should kick up a small krausen.
I've never done it that way after fermentation but in john palmer's book he talks about proofing yeast before pitching by doing a similar process
I've never done it that way after fermentation but in john palmer's book he talks about proofing yeast before pitching by doing a similar process
Ya, you need to take a gravity reading before you determine you have no fermentation. And I would wait 120 hours before you did that.
When you drained into your bucket did you shake it or any other way add some oxygen to it?
helibrewer
Well-Known Member
Just to cover all the bases, what did you sanitize your fermenter with?
So I went to go check the Gravity last night, and what do you know the wort had a nice foam head on top of it. I have no idea why the 2nd batch of yeast took 3 days to start fermenting, or why the first batch of yeast did nothing at all. Should I be concerned that the wort sat for almost 7 days before fermentation began??
no.
turkeyjerky214
Well-Known Member
There's most likely nothing to worry about, and at this point, you couldn't do anything about it anyway. Time to sit back and let the yeast do their thing.
JeeperDave
New Member
Went thru the same thing,(Brewer's Best Irish Stout, Third Brew) Brewed on the 5th, saw no activity. Removed bucket lid and stirred on 7th. Read your post, opened last night to take a SG reading and was happy to find some light foam forming on surface. About 72 hrs after brewing started to get action in air lock. I was about one day away from pitching extra yeast.
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