Fermenting Issues

Hi all! Could use your help...

I brewed my 5th ever batch a week ago today and have ran into some issues. I brewed an american wheat extract kit I got from my local brew shop... this was the first kit i'd done that had no grains to steep, just all extract syrups. I threw in an extra 1# wheat kicker, otherwise followed the instructions.

Also, half way through the boil I removed a few cups and mashed a couple containers of fresh blackberries in it with some pectin enzyme... then let it sit for about an hour. When the wort reached 75 degrees I added the water, yeast and blackberry juice/pulp. (I know, probably should have waited to add fruit until after or toward the end of fermentation)

3 days in, the airlock still wasn't bubbling... so i decided to aerate it. That got it to bubble about once every 30 seconds for about a day, then it quit.

Did the blackberries kill the yeast or does it sound like my yeast was bad? Can I save it or is it too late?

Thanks in advance!

What kind of yeast did you use and when was it produced? Just because you don't see any action in the air lock doesn't mean you aren't fermenting away...RDWHAHB.

Unless your yeast was old or you pitched too high temp, you'll be fine.

splattsmier said:

What kind of yeast did you use and when was it produced? Just because you don't see any action in the air lock doesn't mean you aren't fermenting away...RDWHAHB.

Unless your yeast was old or you pitched too high temp, you'll be fine.

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I used Wyeast Am Wheat #1010-activator... Didn't think to look at the date on it until after garbage day.

So it's common for the yeast to produce this small of an amount of CO2? I guess I was thinking the yeast would be extra active with all the extra sugar from the berries in there. Hmmm

A lot of times the fermenter just isn't sealed perfectly, and you won't see any bubbles. Did you ever get any kraeusen? You can oxidize the beer and get a cardboard flavor by aerating after fermentation has started.

ncbrewer said:

A lot of times the fermenter just isn't sealed perfectly, and you won't see any bubbles. Did you ever get any kraeusen? You can oxidize the beer and get a cardboard flavor by aerating after fermentation has started.

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When I took the lid off to aerate 3 days in it didn't look like there had been any kraeusen. Yeah, i knew it at the time it probably wasn't the best thing to aerate that late in fermentation but I thought it'd be worth the risk to get the yeast active.

OG? Current SG?