Not Fermenting? What to do?

[zjhoss]

This is only my third 5 gallon batch... I'm still struggling to get one right.

This is the first time I've run into this problem, so I'm looking for suggestions on what to do next. My previous brews were bubbling (the air lock) the day after I closed the lid. I brewed Sunday night (it is now Thursday noon) and have yet to see ANY action in my air lock. Nothing.

The last BB kit I did called me for me to make a yeast mixture with warm water to "get it going" before adding it to the wort. This recipe (and the instructions on the yeast packet itself) said to sprinkle directly into the wort, covering the surface, and then mixing in.

I'm lost as to what to do next.

Do I need to buy another packet of yeast to add in? This recipe talks a lot about the flavor characteristics this yeast adds to this beer, if so would adding another packet effect the outcome?

Any/all suggestions are appreciated,

Thank you

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

First off, you added the yeast correctly. With Safale yeast, you're actually hampering it by rehydrating.

Take a peek inside the fermenter and see if you see krausen (frothy stuff on top). If you do, your bucket just has a leak and no big deal. If you don't see anything frothy, just still liquid, get some more yeast in there ASAP. Adding more yeast will not harm the beer, at all.

 

[BigFloyd]

No bubbles does not mean no fermentation. Unless your lid is sealed completely, the CO2 will find an easier way out than via the airlock.

After 72 hours of no visible activity, I'd want to check it too. You can try (w/o removing the lid) to shine a light to see if you note any krausen forming against the sides of the bucket or you can pop the lid and take a peak. You might as well get a gravity reading while you're in there to see if it's still at OG or not.

What was the temp of your wort when you pitched yeast?

What kind of yeast did you pitch and how exactly did you rehydrate it?

When you first sprinkle dry yeast into rehydration water, you should not stir it right away, but leave it be for 15 minutes, then stir and let it sit for another 5 min before adjusting the yeast slurry temp to within 10*F of the wort temp. That gives the yeast a chance to build up and strengthen their cell walls since dehydration apparently messes those up.

I've rehydrated both Safale (US-05/S-04) and Danstar (Nottingham/Windsor) brands of yeasts in 90-100*F water with excellent results. As far as I know, the simple manufacturing process used to produce dry yeast does not substantially differ from company to company.

 

[zjhoss]

Thank you both, I did flash a light and notice Krausen forming near the top, so that's a good sign it sounds like. Tomorrow I am going to take a reading, and if everything is OK at that point, I'm going to go ahead and transfer to secondary for a little bit longer.

Floyd, I did not rehydrate this yeast. I did stir it very shortly after pitching it though, I will take your advise of waiting a little longer next time.

I appreciate the feedback,

Thank you both

 

[BigFloyd]

Glad to hear that you're seeing some signs of activity.:rockin:

 

[BansheeRider]

Thank you both, I did flash a light and notice Krausen forming near the top, so that's a good sign it sounds like. Tomorrow I am going to take a reading, and if everything is OK at that point, I'm going to go ahead and transfer to secondary for a little bit longer.

Floyd, I did not rehydrate this yeast. I did stir it very shortly after pitching it though, I will take your advise of waiting a little longer next time.

I appreciate the feedback,

Thank you both

I wouldn't transfer to secondary after only a few days of primary fermentation. If you are pleased with your hydro readings just leave it alone for at least two weeks. Make sure your beer has reached FG before racking.

 

[gcdowd]

First off, you added the yeast correctly. With Safale yeast, you're actually hampering it by rehydrating.

Take a peek inside the fermenter and see if you see krausen (frothy stuff on top). If you do, your bucket just has a leak and no big deal. If you don't see anything frothy, just still liquid, get some more yeast in there ASAP. Adding more yeast will not harm the beer, at all.

Re-hydrating dry yeast is always a good idea. You are not hampering it at all, you are helping it.

 

[ajf]

When I ferment in a bucket, I see no bubbles in the airlock more often than not.
If you have krausen now, I wouldn't bother taking a reading as it is still fermenting, and I certainly wouldn't transfer to secondary.
I'd wait until the krausen drops before taking a reading, and then take another reading three or four days later. If those readings are the same, you could transfer to a secondary or bottle. If the gravity is still dropping, you should leave it in the primary a bit longer.
I no longer use a secondary for most beers. I found a long time ago that I got better brews if I left it in the primary for at least 2 weeks, and when I heard that the secondary was usually not necessary, I tried 2 - 3 weeks in the primary and no secondary. I could detect no difference other than less cleaning/sanitizing, so I now use primary only for 3 - 4 weeks.

-a.

 

[billpaustin]

This is why I like glass carboys to ferment in (yeah, I'm gonna go there )

With carboys, you don't have that leak, you can see the airlock bubble. And you don't have to take the lid off to see the krausen (a HUGE mistake in my opinion, if you are worried about infection).

 

[zjhoss]

ajf do you still transfer to a seperate bucket for bottling?

 

[kh54s10]

This is why I like glass carboys to ferment in (yeah, I'm gonna go there )

With carboys, you don't have that leak, you can see the airlock bubble. And you don't have to take the lid off to see the krausen (a HUGE mistake in my opinion, if you are worried about infection).

This is why I like my Better Bottles. And so much safer than heavy slippery glass carboys.

People take the lids off buckets to take readings all the time.

Note to OP at this point you krausen is probably falling not increasing. I suggest leaving the beer alone for at least another week and a half before doing anything. Then take a gravity reading wait another 2 days and take another one. If the gravity is stable you can bottle.

I ferment 3 weeks in primary with no secondary for almost all of my brews. By then I am pretty sure fermentation has finished and the beer has had time to get clear.

If you are using a priming solution, start the siphon into your bottling bucket and, without any splashing add the solution, point the tubing along the side so that there is an eddy and it will mix well.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/

 

[ajf]

ajf do you still transfer to a seperate bucket for bottling?

If I am going to add priming sugar, then I add the priming sugar to the bottling bucket and then rack the beer on top of the priming sugar, stir gently, and then bottle from the bottling bucket. This ensures that each bottle gets its fair share of priming sugar and a minimum of sediment. If you add the priming sugar to the fermenter, then stir to mix it, you will get more trub in each bottle. If you don't stir it in, you will not get even carbonation. If you add the priming sugar directly to the bottle, you will spend much more time in measuring out the priming sugar.

I usually keg my beers, but when I need to bottle, I do so from the keg, after force carbonating, which results in a very clear beer.

-a.