It's been 48 hours and no airlock activity.....

I pitched my yeast at 5:30pm on Saturday. It's now been over 48 hours and not a single bubble from my airlock.......

I'm getting worried..... It was Safel US-05, two packets and well within the expiration date. I rehydrated with boiled water cooled to 80 degrees and it foamed up well after about 30 minutes. Pitched at 70 degrees.

My brew had a OG of 1.062 (it was supposed to be 1.077 but that's no biggie...)

I'm using a plastic fermentor and the lid snapped on very tightly so I doubt I'm getting any blow by, and there's no strong hop smell (which there should be if it was blowing by; 7oz of hops in this IPA).

What should I do?

I'm thinking get some more yeast and make a starter, then re pitch it? Or wait 7 days and check the FG to see if it actually fermented somehow.

What do you guy's think?

fermentation can take longer than 48 hours to get started at times, but I suspect there is something else such as the blow-by issue that you have already ruled out. Airlocks are notorious liars. Considering that you saw that the yeast were showing signs of activity, I would vote for leaving it alone for a few more days and then checking the gravity. If there is movement downward, you have fermentation.

just wait it'll start, what temp is the fermenter stored in now? Try and keep it around 65

I personally would wait the 7 days then take a gravity reading. You may have a small leak that you can't detect causing the zero airlock activity. You already have enough viable yeast cells in there so I would trust them to get job done. Just my opinion.

Make sure the lid is secured. It's happened to me before. I thought the Lid
was tight but later found it wasn't.

Okay guys, thanks for alleviating my fears thus far.

I did double and triple checked the lid, its good, but perhaps there is a very small leak.... I knew I should have stuck to glass carboys!

I did AG back in the 90's and back then all we had were carboys. You could actually see what was going on.

Back then we always used the pop bags. Smack them and let them sit a day or two till they swelled then pitch. Never failed.

I guess I'll just let it be for a week then do a grav check and see what's up.

The temp in my basement is at about 69 degrees.

It is ideal to get airlock activity in the first 24hr but not necessary to still have a good fermentation. Many factors come into play but I would first check the airlock and bucket seal. I would give it a few more days and then if still nothing, lightly rock primary to wake up the yeast. Then if still nothing move to a warmer room. Good luck!

freshcope said:

It is ideal to get airlock activity in the first 24hr but not necessary to still have a good fermentation. Many factors come into play but I would first check the airlock seal. Are you using a bucket? I would give it a few more days and then if still nothing lightly rock primary to wake up the yeast. Then if still nothing move to a warmer room. Good luck!

Click to expand...

Is it really ideal? Everything I read says it doesn't matter how long as long as it ferments...

Just be patient...I had no airlock activity in an APA I am now cold crashing and hit my FG....AND the warm, flat beer tasted awesome

WoooHoooo! Alright fella's, all is right with the world!

I have sourced the problem!

After all of your help here I decided to do a very close sniff test.

While there is no strong hop smell in the 5x8 (Alcatraz?haha) size room my fermentor is in, upon leaning down and putting my nose right up to the lid/bucket junction guess what I could smell?

The MOST delicious aroma known to man. OMG and I mean O M G, this is incredible.

So I most definitely have a small leak in my lid seal. So the gasses must be escaping there. The smell is amazing, I simply can not wait to get this thing bottled up. I'm so encouraged right now! All was not for knought, and hopefully this will be the best beer I've ever tasted. If the hop aroma is anything to go off of it's going to be incredible.

Btw, I'm doing this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/ithaca-flower-power-clone-319619/

Ridiculous hop schedule, but the smell tells me it's all going to be worth it.

Thanks for all your help guys.

sounds good!