No noticeable fermentation activity

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sucram1989

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I put my stout into a fermentation bucket with airlock two days ago, still no airlock activity (bubbles). Should I be worried? Also, I let the wyeast packet sit out activated for like 3-4 hours before pitching and it didn't fully expand in that time.


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You probably don't have anything to worry about. Most buckets don't seal well. The CO2 produced by fermentation will escape around the rim. This is not a concern. Some buckets are designed so that the lid just rests on the top without any kind of seal.
The yeast package not expanding fully is not a problem. It is very unlikely all of the yeast could be dead. The nutrient pack contained in the smack pack is just there to confirm viability.
Viability of the yeast in the pack is determined by handling and the production date. Yeast exposed to high temperatures will have fewer viable cells. As the yeast ages from the production date viability also decreases. Starters are quite often required for beers with an estimated OG of 1.050 and above. This is the calculator I use now to determine if a starter is warranted.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/

Wait a day and open the lid to take a look. Or hold a flashlight to the opposite side of the bucket to candle for a krausen ring.
 
My OG was 1.79. If I didn't use a starter and just used the wyeast pack is that a problem, or will it just take longer?


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Probably just a bad seal on the bucket, no airlock activity doesn't mean everything, to be sure you could open the lid, and drop your hydrometer in for another reading.
 
sucram1989 said:
My OG was 1.79. If I didn't use a starter and just used the wyeast pack is that a problem, or will it just take longer?


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Yes, that is a problem. Check out the calculator. Plan on keeping this one is the fermentor for a long time. Check specific gravity after two weeks and report back. It may finish given plenty of time.

OG was 1.079?
 
sucram1989 said:
My OG was 1.79. If I didn't use a starter and just used the wyeast pack is that a problem, or will it just take longer?
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Yes and yes.

First of all, your OG would have been 1.079, not 1.79.

Secondly, an ale wort with an OG of 1.079 would call for approximately 316 billion cells. 1 perfectly viable, factory fresh Wyeast pack contains about 100 billion cells. I'm guessing yours was already at least a few weeks old, meaning its viability likely dropped a little. Let's say it was still 80% viable, meaning you would have pitched 80 billion cells into wort that should have had 316 billion. You underpitched by almost 75% (you pitched about 1/4 as many cells as you should have).

The good news is, it will still ferment, and you'll still end up with beer. The bad news is, it's going to take longer to get going, and it's going to stress your yeast, leading to off flavours. The severity of those off flavours will depend on other factors, like fermentation temperature and degree of oxygenation. If you oxygenated the wort well, and control your fermentation temperature to the mid-60's (beer temperature, not air temperature), then it'll likely still turn out alright. But if you aerated weakly (or not at all) and let it ferment too warm, then you're going to end up with coffee banana nail polish.
 
Lol yes I meant 1.079. Also could I just pitch more yeast?


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I have never oxygenated a brew before, is this crucial? If so, what exactly is it and how can you do it?


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sucram1989 said:
Temp is 70F, no krausen at all


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If there is no krausen at all, are you sure of your reading, both at the beginning and now? It really isn't possible to have no fermentation activity, but still have a drop of over 25 points. Something doesn't add up.

Either the initial reading was incorrect (what was the recipe?) or the current reading is incorrect.
 
It's possible the initial reading is incorrect, I could have just looked at it wrong, but the new reading is correct


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sucram1989 said:
Is my batch ruined?


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Probably not. If you can get another pouch or 2 of the same yeast today I would do that.

If your gravity dropped it is fermenting. The absence of krausen is puzzling though.

At 1.079 and just one Smackpack I wouldn't be surprised at not seeing activity for as many as 4-5 days. The first thing the yeast are going to do is to reproduce to cell counts sufficient to ferment the wort then they will start the fermentation.
 
Ok my brew looks like it has finished fermenting, took a gravity reading today and it showed 1.031 which still seems a little high. Should I let it did longer, or go ahead and rack to secondary?


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Keep it on the yeast cake. It is your only option to possibly find a way to complete the fermentation.
You have the classic stuck fermentation.
 
You are only at about 61% attenuation, Wyeast London Ale is 73 - 77%. You should let it go longer before secondary. Take a gravity reading every couple of days or so. If it does not change between readings try rousing the yeast a bit (swirl the bucket gently) and take another reading in a couple of days. If that does not work, bring up the temp to about 75 deg. Your FG should be between 1.021 and 1.018 (if your OG was correct). If the above fails, rack to secondary but expect some activity in secondary.

Hope this helps.
 
Fun... :-/ how long should I give it before I just give up and rack it, any idea?


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sucram1989 said:
Fun... :-/ how long should I give it before I just give up and rack it, any idea?


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Keep it on the yeast cake. No fermentation will occur in the secondary if you remove the beer from the yeast. Secondaries are for clearing and additions. You can warm it up and stir the yeast very gently so you don't introduce oxygen. Let it go another week then take a SG reading.
 

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