Need help - No signs of fermentation

[im322305]

Hey guys. New to the forum and I've absolutely learn so much from everybody. So for that I thank you.

Last night I brewed my second batch of beer (Brewers Best Baltic Porter) and everything seemed to go well. When I got up this morning though there was no apparent fermentation activity (no airlock bubbling). Its been 12 hours since I've pitched the yeast so Im not totally pulling my hair out yet but if nothing happens in the next few hours im definately going to be worried.

Really the only thing I could think of that went wrong is that I didn't add enough water to the yeast during re-hydration (directions on the packet did not suggest rehydrating the yeast). I used 11.5 grams of Safale US-05 yeast and added that to only 1 cup of pre-boiled water. The temp of the water when I added it was about 80 F. Maybe too hot? I then let it sit in the water without stirring for about 10 minutes and then I stirred the yeast in with the water. I then let the wort cool down to 70 F like the directions told me to and let the yeast/water combination cool to about 75 F. I pitched the yeast but noticed that the yeast was basically a ball of paste and not liquid like.

When should I start to worry if no signs of fermentation have occurred? Is the pastey ball of yeast a problem? Is there anything I can do like apply another packet of yeast to the wort, is there is a yeast problem?

 

[Ace_Club]

Give it at least 72 hours. Then check the gravity to see if any fermentation has occurred if you still don't see any active signs of fermentation.

 

[beerkrump]

Look at the sticky at the top of this forum...

 

[Arneba28]

Give it 12 more hours. Bet its up and roaring by midnight. If your yeast balled up it might just take a while to separate.

Remember that yeast goes through 2 stages concurrently. Aerobic and Anaerobic growth and respiration. It needs to eat up some nutrients and oxygen before it can start pooping CO2 and alcohol

 

[Tizzomes]

I would give some time, make sure your temperature is right and wait.I'm sure your wort is fine, the worst possible scenario you have to pitch another batch of yeast.

 

[Becks]

Here's a little story for you, hope it puts some fears aside.
I brewed a batch last week monday. Threw some yeast fuel in there, pitched and stored the wort around 0100. Next day comes, I check in the afternoon, no airlock activity. Odd but no worries, my last batch was bubbling furiously by this point but I figure different yeast different times etc. Let it ride.
Check the next night (Wed), still nothing. Start to get a little bit worried, hit up HBT chat some fermentation threads. Still under 72 hours...so let it ride.
Thurs comes and still nothing. Cue the bit of a freak out. Dump it? Repitch? Sacrifice a goat to the beer gods? Just for good measure I shake up the bucket to aerate the wort and hope to jumpstart what may be a lagging yeast.
Come home Thurs night, still nothing. Screw it I say, pop off my airlock, draw some wort out to check the gravity after all of 3 days.
Starting Gravity 1.044. Gravity when I checked? 1.012. AHS recommends an FG of 1.010.
Well color me surprised. No airlock activity, 3 days in the primary and already almost to the FG.
You may have a leak and the CO2 is escaping or it may just not be bubbling.
Moral of the story; CHECK THE GRAVITY!
RDWHAHB

 

[Dome555]

Seconding or thirding or whatever the potential leak and checking gravity. Would wait a couple days before checking the gravity, but checking for potential leaks in your airlock/blowoff assembly is fairly noninvasive.

 

[Toga]

Cue the bit of a freak out. Dump it? Repitch? Sacrifice a goat to the beer gods?

I second sacrificing a goat. That always helps :rockin: Jokes aside don't worry about it. It has only been a short time. Next time you pitch a dry yeast give the wort a quick stir after.

 

[beergolf]

Don't worry about it. US- 05 does its job very well.

 

[im322305]

Sounds like I shouldn't worry just yet. Thanks for the advice. Oh and I sacrifice a goat before I start brewing any batch. Doesn't everybody??

 

[Becks]

The secret to any good fermentation.
I find its better to rack into the secondary on top of the baby goat. Just my 2 cents.

 

[donjr721]

my first batch started real slow like this, after a few days, it was down to 1.025, checked a few days later, still 1.025, i pitched some more yeast, finished at 1.014 like it was supposed to, probably would have been fine without the extra yeast. it was an irish stout. turned out really great. you may try to swirl the fermenter around without opening it to shake it up a bit. not hard, just gently swirl.