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Fermentation not Started

Post #1 made 13 years ago
by redlegger
Hey everyone,
I introduced my Boss to BIAB last week, and cooked up this recipe...

FES Stout
9L Batch
Pale Malt - 68%
Flaked Barley - 10%
Amber Malt - 4%
Chocolate Malt - 6%
Roasted Barley - 6%
Carafa 3 - 3%
Black Malt - 3%
60g POR @ 60MINS
Nottingham Ale Yeast
Mash @ 66Deg for 1 hour
OG 1058 (missed estimated OG by about 6-8 points)

So we brewed it on Wednesday night, no chilled in the pot and poured into the fermenter on Thursday night...
Everything went well during the brew, the only thing that we did wrong was use an uncalibrated meat thermometer as we couldnt find the candy thermometer... it wasnt very accurate as it only had increments every 8-10 degreesC...

So, after 5 days there was no sign of fermentation starting... hydrometer reading confirmed this.... The bloke i got the yeast from said that there had been a recall on this particular batch but had no complaints from his other clients about it, so i took it knowing this....
I figured that the yeast must of been a dud, so we bought more from another supplier and pitched 4 days ago.... and STILL no activity.. and the hydro still reads the same last thursday when we first pitched (7 days ago now)

I have just about given up hope on this batch now , but wont chuck until i hear all your words of wisdom :)

If you need any more info just ask and try answer as best i can... otherwise... HELP!!

Any ideas? I thought the yeast was the problem
"I like beer. On occasion, I will even drink beer to celebrate a major event such as the fall of Communism or the fact that the refrigerator is still working.” – Dave Berry

Post #2 made 13 years ago
by stux
Proof your yeast before you pitch it

Add the yeast to a large cup with a cup of tepid water, stir until well suspended, then wait 30 mins.

If the yeast is good it should begin to foam up, and after 30-60 mins should form a nice puffy marshmallow pillow.

Swirl and dump.

If you wort is at pitching temp (20C?) and it tastes sweet (taste it), then there is really no way that it can fail to at least partially ferment

Did you aerate?

Boiled and cooled wort has virtually no air in it
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III

5/7/12

Post #3 made 13 years ago
by PistolPatch
Looks like stux has nailed everything :salute:.

That's bloody annoying RL :angry:. I don't think this is the first time I have heard of problems with Notty. Get some SO-5 (US-56) to try next. I have never had that yeast fail.

I hope your retailers are keeping the yeast refrigerated especially in that climate of yours :o.
:luck:
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Post #5 made 13 years ago
by dick
Can you do a test for starch with iodine? I have never done this myself but it looks like a simple test where a positive result is shown by the colour. I think this is worth doing because you might have mashed really high and have starch rather than fermentable sugars in your wort (if that is possible).

I find it hard to believe that you haven't got any fermentable sugar in there so you would still expect some fermentation to occur. If you do the test and there is no starch then your problem is definitely one about the yeast, not the mash, so you can focus your efforts there as others have suggested.

I really doubt that this is your problem - I just don't think it could happen unless the temperatures were way, way out - but doing the iodine test would determine this for sure.
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