No bubbling no krausen after 48 hours

[jeremiahjames]

I brewed 5 gallons American pale ale 2 Sunday with malt extract full boil and two days later no bubbles in airlock and no krausen in glass carboy. Used yeast packet mixed with warm water. This is my first batch. Not sure what to do next. I m leaving town until Friday. Is it ok to wait until Friday to check hydrometer reading. Also if yeast is not working can I add more yeast Friday. If anyone can help that would be great. Thx

 

[flars]

No need to worry yet. Fermentation can often take longer than 48 hours to show high activity. The yeast is just beginning to build in your wort before they begin to work.
Have you taken temperature control measures while you are gone? Swamp cooler?
You won't need to take a hydrometer reading when you return. In a glass carboy the krausen will be evident.
You can pitch more yeast if fermentation has not taken off. I really don't think you will need to though.

 

[jeremiahjames]

No need to worry yet. Fermentation can often take longer than 48 hours to show high activity. The yeast is just beginning to build in your wort before they begin to work.
Have you taken temperature control measures while you are gone? Swamp cooler?
You won't need to take a hydrometer reading when you return. In a glass carboy the krausen will be evident.
You can pitch more yeast if fermentation has not taken off. I really don't think you will need to though.

Thank you. Temp has been 68-70. Not sure what swamp cooler is. Had a thought last night. When I activated dry yeast, if 4 oz water was too hot, could it have killed yeast ? Thx

 

[jeremiahjames]

I had a thought. When I mixed 4 oz water with dry yeast, it seemed a bit hot. Could this have killed yeast ? Can I still put in more yeast, and is liquid yeast better than dry ? Thx

 

[flars]

I had a thought. When I mixed 4 oz water with dry yeast, it seemed a bit hot. Could this have killed yeast ? Can I still put in more yeast, and is liquid yeast better than dry ? Thx

The water may have been to hot if it felt hot. Just lukewarm water, about 80° to 90°, should be used. Go to the yeast site to look up their specs for the yeast. If they don't have spec sheets, Fermentis has a very good site.

If your wort is at 68° to 70° it is to warm. Fermentation produces heat. Typical rise is 3° to 5°. For a high gravity brew the temp can rise 10°.

A swamp cooler is a large container of water to set your carboy in. Put a cotton towel around the carboy so it wicks up water to stay wet. Point a fan at the wet towel to accelerate evaporation. This will cool the wort in your carboy by 6° to 10°.

If your yeast is dead, and the wort is to warm, you can save your brew by pitching new yeast and setting up a swamp cooler when you return.

There are more types of liquid yeast than dry yeasts. Each yeast can provide a flavor profile which is slightly different. A lot of people only use dry yeast though. With liquid yeasts a starter in required for all but the lowest gravity brews. A starter is never done with a dry yeast. An 11 gram package of dry yeast is sufficient for all brews except the very high gravity beers.

Look up 'blow off tube'. Decide if you need one instead of the airlock for the first three to four days of fermentation.

 

[BigFloyd]

I had a thought. When I mixed 4 oz water with dry yeast, it seemed a bit hot. Could this have killed yeast ? Can I still put in more yeast, and is liquid yeast better than dry ? Thx

I'd strongly suggest that you get a decent thermometer and use it consistently so that you can know the temps of important stuff like yeast rehydration water and wort before pitching yeast.

105*F is the highest recommendation (from Dr. Clayton Cone) that I've seen for yeast rehydration water. I would think that a touch higher would be OK, but above 120*F is probably going to harm/kill yeast cells. If you have no activity after 3 days, pitch another packet of dry yeast in there.

Liquid yeast is not better than dry. There are just more varieties which allows one to be more style-specific. Until you are ready, willing and able to prepare yeast starters, dry yeast is where it's at. I use both and have a selection of liquid yeast stored in jars, but I'm about to rehydrate a packet of S-04 dry yeast for a spur-of-the-moment coffee porter I just brewed.

 

[jeremiahjames]

Put the liquid yeast in Friday at about 4:00 pm. At 6:00 am Saturday a little bubbling on the bottom. By noon about 1/2 inch krausen By 11:00 pm at least 2". Full brew is on. Thanks for your help !

 

[flars]

Put the liquid yeast in Friday at about 4:00 pm. At 6:00 am Saturday a little bubbling on the bottom. By noon about 1/2 inch krausen By 11:00 pm at least 2". Full brew is on. Thanks for your help !

'Big Cheer!'

 

[jeremiahjames]

'Big Cheer!'

Thanks Flars. Yeast is settling down now. Will let it sit another two weeks then bottle. Going to get another carboy this well and brew up some thanksgiving pumpkin ale during the games on Sunday

 

[Amin]

had same issue few times recently i guess mine was due old yeast pack,
hard to find fresh ones where i live

i guess have to harvest them and keep on freezer more reliable than dry ones here