Fermentation does not start

[trentar]

Hello fellow homebrewers,

this is my fourth batch and I have prepared the wort for strong Belgian Pale ale last Sunday from this extract: Traditional Series Belgian Pale Ale. Instead of using 500 g of dextrose I have used 500 g (1.1 LB) of clear belgian candi sugar. I have added also yeast nutrient before picthing the yeast, half capsule of Servomyces: Servomyces Yeast Nutrient | MoreBeer. I have rehydrated the yeast in 2 cups of luekwarm water (23°C/73.4 F) two hours before pitching in the cooled wort at 24°C (75.2 F). Before pitching I even aerated the wort by stiring the wort vigorously for 15 min. However after sealing the fermentor tight and waiting for 72 hours nothing happend and it is still till today not bubbling in the airlock. It has been over a week and I think this was my first batch that I didn't do any mistake. I have noticed, that yeast after rehydration didn't swell not even a bit (I even put half of table spoon of dextrose in the water), so is it possible, that I have somehow received dead yeast? The best before date was however in 2021.

 

[schmurf]

How does the wort look? Do you have any resemblance of a krausen? Take a gravity reading to be sure it hasn't started.

 

[trentar]

How does the wort look? Do you have any resemblance of a krausen? Take a gravity reading to be sure it hasn't started.

I have just took the gravity reading and it is right on spot for final gravitiy according to the recipe - 1.004. How is this even possible, there was not even one bubble visible at the airlock and even the level of the water was the same for both parts. I have also sealed the lid with a wide tape two times, so I am wondering, where could the gas go out. There is a resemblence of a krausen as well, yes.

 

[schmurf]

There must have been a leak somewhere though... no other explanation what I can think of, other than the OG being 1.004 from the start

 

[Pkrd]

If the airlock level is the same on both sides there is definitely a significant leak. The sides will go up and down as the air pressure and temperature changes.

 

[trentar]

There must have been a leak somewhere though... no other explanation what I can think of, other than the OG being 1.004 from the start

The OG at the start was 1.070 (measured). Is this drinkable and can I bottle it or is it possible that it is infected? The taste and smell are kind of funny, a little smoked maybe, and a bit sour, however the ABV is high, 8,7%.

 

[trentar]

If the airlock level is the same on both sides there is definitely a significant leak. The sides will go up and down as the air pressure and temperature changes.

I think the leak was possible only through the plastic sides of the fermentor, or through the side of the hole for the airlock. However if I pressed the lid down the liquid in the solution went to the other side and bubbled if pressed enough.

 

[Pkrd]

There's a huge krausen there. What temperature was it during fermenting? What yeast?

 

[trentar]

There's a huge krausen there. What temperature was it during fermenting? What yeast?

It was about 24 degrees, the yeast was Belgian ale yeast M41 10 g: M41 Belgian Ale Yeast - 10g.

 

[trentar]

OK I have just brewed another batch of belgian beer, now Belgian Saison from Mangrove Jack's: Belgian Saison - Limited Edition. After one week of visibile fermentation (through the airlock) I got the same bad taste as for Belgian Pale Ale brewed two weeks before. Is it possible that I just don't like this kind of beer or do I get the same infection every time? I used my other fermentor for this second batch. The taste is kind of smokey and a bit sour, but very odd for me.

 

[trentar]

The first one looks like this.