Think I under-pitched. What now?

[Kaiser442]

I tried yeast washing for the first time yesterday and I immediately used one of my freshly washed yeast jars to start a new brew (a Mild).

I don't think I got enough cells after washing. The liquid looked like chocolate milk when I put it in the jars (I actually used Starbucks Frappuccino jars... 1/2 pint or so), but when it settled out there was only about 1/8" of solids on the bottom.

Anyway, I pitched one jar last night (at half time during the super bowl, actually) and this morning the two water levels in the water lock were dead even with each other (i.e. zero pressure has built up in the fermenter).
The temperature is good (high 60's - ale yeast) and since I'm still doing partial boils and topping off with my kitchen sink sprayer from several feet up the aeration is as good as you can get.

I know it's still a bit early, but based on my previous experiences with white labs vials I think there should be a little bit of movement by now.

So should I:
a) Wait longer to give it a chance to work?
b) Decant down the other 3 wash jars I made into one and pitch everything I've got?
c) Stop by AHS on the way home (it's not out of my way) and pick up a new vial of yeast to throw in there?

I'm thinking I'll see how it's looking tonight (option a), if no progress, do option b, and if no progress tomorrow, do option c.

Thanks

 

[A4J]

you should've made a starter, but I think I've done it without a starter a couple of times before and fermentation started a couple days later without a hitch.

 

[mlg5039]

I bet you'll get home today to a bubbling airlock. If not, tomorrow morning then. You probably underpitched a little bit so there's going to be some lag time. But with a low OG mild, you should have enough yeast to do the job without too many adverse effects. I wouldn't worry too much.


Make a starter next time though.

Mike

 

[dcp27]

it'll get there eventually, its just underpitched so its gunna have a longer lag time. if you're impatient you can throw in another jar to speed it up

 

[Kaiser442]

There was nothing going on when I got home so I combined what had settled to the bottom of my other 3 harvested jars and pitched it.

If this works I'll still consider it a success.

 

[Seven]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/

 

[Kaiser442]

Hmm... still nothing.

I recently got one of those handle tools for prying the lid off of plastic buckets and I started to wonder if using it has made my lid leaky. I pushed down on the fermenter lid this morning and within 5 or 10 seconds the level in the airlock had gone back to neutral... so it appears that I've got a bit of a poor seal... maybe the beer is fermenting after all and I'm just not seeing it in the airlock because of that.

Unfortunately I haven't been doing the hydrometer thing so I don't know what my OG was, though I do have some Brew Balls in there. I know I saw the green one floating yesterday. Maybe I'll just leave it alone for another day and see what's floating tomorrow.

 

[Kaiser442]

Well I decided to just let 'er be and that ended up being the right decision. I just opened it back up to either transfer to a carboy or down the drain and only the white-spot brew ball was floating (which means the specific gravity is less than 1.010, more than 1.005).

It looks like my problem was a leaky fermenter all along. I think that lid opener tool ruined it. I'm going to retire this one and pick up a new one. I hear they have rubber seals now! (this old-school painter's bucket was given to me 3rd hand - it's been brewing beer for a loooong time)

It's going to be an interesting beer - my first mild - very dark in color and it tastes pretty much like the liquid that drips out of the grain bag minus the sweetness (I guess that's a big duh right there since that's the flavoring, but it's a nice earthy flavor that I like).

The AHS London Pub Ale (which I transferred to a corny keg at the same time) tasted GREAT - I'm going to like that beer a lot, though I may need to make some new beer-drinking friends since it's just me and my beer-hating girlfriend.

 

[Seven]

The AHS London Pub Ale (which I transferred to a corny keg at the same time) tasted GREAT - I'm going to like that beer a lot, though I may need to make some new beer-drinking friends since it's just me and my beer-hating girlfriend.

Glad to hear things worked out. I love English beers too and will be brewing one this weekend. Sorry to hear about your beer-hating girlfriend. Well at least it means more beer for you.