Pitched year old dry yeast and no fermentation

[MikeMMM]

I pitched year old dry yeast in a 5 gallon batch of Scottish Ale. The yeast came with the kit and has been sitting at room temp which has gone up to mid 80's at times in the summer but usually around 65 -75 F. I sprinkled the yeast over the top of the wart which was cooled to 70 Deg F then mixed it well to aerate. It has been fermenting (or not fermenting) at 70 degrees. I haven't been getting any action yet in the airlock and it has been over 36 hours. I know I may have a leak in the seal. I use the 6 1/2 gallon bucket. I have brewed about 20 batches in the past all with good seals but this is only my 2nd batch with a new bucket. Maybe it's the seal but maybe the yeast is just dead? I took an OG reading of 1.031 before pitching yeast.

My question is this: Do I wait another day and then take another gravity reading to see if anything is going on in there while looking to see if there is any kreusen (sp?) buildup? If no kreusen and same hydrometer reading do I then pitch new (fresh) yeast? I'd hate to lose the batch.

I normally buy my ingredients fresh but this was a kit that I got last Christmas and have finally decided to use it. My beer store closed early on brew day (after driving 45 min to get there) so I couldn't get fresh yeast. And I can't explain why I couldn't wait one more day to get new yeast. I just had to brew NOW!

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[osagedr]

Most likely dead; it's happened to me with wine kit yeast (EC-1118) before well before the expiry date on the package. Not much you can do except re-pitch; the sooner the better.

 

[Revvy]

Well, we do have a sticky that says fermentation may take up to 72 hours.....last I heard 36 is less than 72...

Take a hydrometer reading. I'd wait another day, but you can take one now if it'll make you feel better. But more than likely you'll be like most everyone else and have a drop in gravity by then.

 

[badhabit]

Dry yeast will easily last over a year...I've seen Fermentis date stamps up to 2 years. Then again you don't know how old the kit was when you got it and in what kind of conditions it was kept. Obviously you did not keep the yeast refrigerated. That said I would give it a couple more days and if ther was no SG movement then pitch a new yeast.

 

[MikeMMM]

Thanks for the responses. Fermenting started today at about 60 hours after pitching the yeast. No fermenting at 5 am then two hours later sanitized the hydrometer to get a reading before buying new yeast and wouldn't you know that the airlock was a bubbling!