What would cause yeast to lag 75+ hours?

[Pivzavod]

I pitched Nottingham on Sunday, 3 days later there was nothing. During those days I tried shaking the bucket, added some yeast nutrient, aerated it more but nothing helped. Sometime overnight the yeasties woke up and I saw some white formation on top of wort. I wouldnt call it krausen yet, its not foam.

What could cause such long delay with the activation? I know of the problem that Nottingham had with a bad batch. I threw away the package so I cant check the lot number. I am pretty sure its a good batch since I had two of them and one had no problems. I got it recently from either AHS or NB (months after problems were reported and their stock should be fresh). Yeast was hydrated at ~80F, stayed in a cup for 30 mins before I added it to ~65F wort.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Temp would be my first guess. No starter not hydrating, etc. would slow yeast.

4 days isn't insane. I wouldn't go dumping unboiled yeast nutrient or anything in before 4 days.

 

[Golddiggie]

What was the OG of the wort??

 

[Pivzavod]

1.044 or so, temp as stated was hydrated at ~80F and later added to ~65F wort.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Only explanation I can come up with is that your yeast was bad, and you ended up severely underpitching.

I've had enough bad experiences with Nottingham, I used my last packet for a cider and will never buy it again.

 

[cheezydemon3]

1.044 or so, temp as stated was hydrated at ~80F and later added to ~65F wort.

Right, but 65f wort then placed in the 40F garage would slow yeast considerably. Bad yeast? OK.

 

[LVBen]

I pitched Nottingham on Sunday, 3 days later there was nothing. During those days I tried shaking the bucket, added some yeast nutrient, aerated it more but nothing helped. Sometime overnight the yeasties woke up and I saw some white formation on top of wort. I wouldnt call it krausen yet, its not foam.

What could cause such long delay with the activation? I know of the problem that Nottingham had with a bad batch. I threw away the package so I cant check the lot number. I am pretty sure its a good batch since I had two of them and one had no problems. I got it recently from either AHS or NB (months after problems were reported and their stock should be fresh). Yeast was hydrated at ~80F, stayed in a cup for 30 mins before I added it to ~65F wort.

I'm assuming you are making beer with no unusual ingredients...
Sounds like a bad batch of yeast to me.

 

[SkyHighBrew88]

Nottingham yeast is a gamble anymore, I've switched to Safale & Wyeast...

 

[theredben]

What is the current SG? Only the gravity of the beer will tell you if fermentation has not started for sure.

 

[stevedasleeve]

Nottingham - some lot #'s and exp dates are bad. Do a search and you'll find this out.