repitching question

[sw341034]

So I am on my seconed batch. First one went very well a nice hefe thats been in bottle for about three weeks now. Very pleased with it and actually things went so smoothly I was a bit worried, no contaimination, no crazy fermentation spilling onto my basementfloor, good flavor, no bottle bombs. Anyway brewed my seconed batch two days ago. It was an amber ale using extract with some specialty grains and White labs cali ale liquid yeast. The brew went well everything looked good (havent got a hydrometer reading yet) and now its in about it 42 hour and absolutly no signs of fermentation. I had it in my basement at about 68-69 degrees for the first day/ night, saw no fermentation so decided to bring it upstairs in my house which is a little warmer, now its sitting at about 74 degrees and still nothing. So to get to it I have two questions. First is it still to early to decide if the first yeast failed. What are some of the longer times folks out there have waited for fermentation to start. And seconed if the first yeast never comes through for me and I decide to repitch, is there anything wrong with reboiling my wort first to clear it of any possible contaiminations?

 

[david_42]

Got krausen or even a ring of crud around the top? You may have had a fast ferment. I've had them go overnight. A gravity is the only thing that will tell you for certain, but if there was a krausen & you have a crud ring, I'd bet it's done.

Re-pitch if the gravity is still high.

DO NOT RE-BOIL YOUR WORT! It has a lot of oxygen in it (assuming it didn't ferment) and you would have some really ugly hot side flavors. If you are really worried, get some campden tables and follow the instructions before re-pitching.

 

[homebrewer_99]

...or go borrow a hydrometer if you can't buy one...and take a reading.

If the reading is low (under 1.014) then it's probably done.

 

[sw341034]

Checked the brew, no krausen, no crud, no nothing. Are there any ill effects to using campden tablets?

 

[homebrewer_99]

No evidence of any fermentation...time to repitch some yeast.

 

[sw341034]

So I repitched about 16 hours ago......still no action I will check back a little later today. What would be causing my yeast to not take? This is quite frustrating....I miss my airlock bubbling away.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Obvious question...do you have water in your airlock? Just kidding?

This is one reason why I push starters so much...all this wasted time...and frustration...

 

[sw341034]

wait...im supposed to put water in the airlock? No yes there is water in my airlock and actually I just checked the brew and I think I finally have got some fermentation going on. Thanks everyone for the help.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Great. You knew I was only kidding...

 

[sw341034]

indeed, but i understand sometimes you have to ask the obvious cause you never know.