Stuck / not started fermentation? help needed

[jimboedin]

Hi All

Hoping someone can help, I'm new to homebrewing and think my first batch may be in jeopardy!

I started a brew of IPA last Saturday, and have suspected that nothing's happening (in terms of fermentation) since. From the start there was very little activity, no head and only a few bubbles coming up after a day or so, and it's stayed that way ever since (it's Wednesday now).

Anyway, I've just taken a hydrometer reading and it's sitting at 1030 or possibly 1040 -don't have a test jar thing so just put the hydrometer in the fermentation bin. I'd have thought by now that it would be getting closer to the bottling mark (which on my hydrometer is marked at around 1.000 (or so). Starting to worry that fermentation hasn't even began yet.

When I made the brew it was a bit below (about 15 or 16 degrees C.) the recommended 18-24 deg. C. when I put the yeast in (which I just tipped from the packet straight in) also, I stirred in the yeast quite vigorously but then thought maybe I shouldn't have done that?

I quickly put in a beer heater and placed it in the warmest part of my flat (which still isn't that warm) to try to get it up to a decent temperature, it is currently sitting at 20 degrees c. But it still doesn't look any different and I'd be expecting some sort of head on the beer. There is quite a lot of a build up of sediment at the bottom of the bin.

Does this sound like fermentation hasn't began yet? as if so, is there any way I can save it / kick off fermentation?
I've heard you can stir up the yeast but is this a good idea?

Thanks in advance for any tips

 

[31bb3]

try stirring the brew it might reactivate the yeast did you take a start gravity reading

 

[jimboedin]

Hi Thanks for your answer

No I didn't take a reading at the start unfortunately, just hoped for the best. So it's OK to just stir it all up again? was going to do that but wasn't sure....

 

[Muddydisco]

Firstly you need to learn how to read your Hydrometer. If you can't tell the reading is 1030 or 1040 thats a big difference.
See here for a handy guide http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=3326

Yes you can stir it up but make sure your paddle is clean and sterile

It sounds like the brews fermenting and may of just slowed down towards then end.
You want to leave the brew in the fermentor for at least a week. :) You will learn to wait for it in time:thumb:
You won't reach 1.000 with a beer more like 1.012 or 1.014
It should say which in the instuctions for this kit?

Give us an update on the new reading and did you make a reading before fermenting this brew? ( Original Gravity)

 

[corby_brewer]

Just a quick question, you say its an IPA but is it a kit or a grain brew?

 

[jimboedin]

Thanks all for the tips. I just gave it a stir and this brought a lot of froth up so hopefully (but it's dying down already) this will kick start it into action.

Wonder if that fact that my flat has been fairly cold recently might have slowed it down? I did cover it in towels and there is a beer heater in it (an old hand me down from the 70's-80's mind).

Some more details- it is a Brewmaker IPA kit, the instructions say that it should read 1006 on two consecutive days for it to be ready to bottle. I didn't unfortunately take a reading at the start.

 

[jimboedin]

Just checked the brew with the hydrometer again and it seems to be sitting at around 1030. Very little activity now though, though a bit of a head did occur yesterday after I gave it a swish about. Think I'll leave it until about Tuesday then check again. I guess if it's not down to 1006 or so by then I'll have to chuck it out.

Any suggestions? / anything else I can do?

 

[Muddydisco]

Before you chuck it. Get some S-04 or nottingham yeast from any homebrew shop or the above sponsors.
Make sure your temp is around 20-22 c and bung one of those packets in. It's only a couple of quid and if nothing happens after that then I think there is something wrong somewhere :cry:
It may be a problem with the kit yeast not being kept very well in the past or it's an old kit?
If you are going to do some more brews it's worth swapping the kit yeast for some of the other yeasts that are availabe.

 

[jimboedin]

Yep I thought it might be the yeast. It was from a brewkit that I kept for quite a while in a cold room, wondering if that might have killed it off?

Will buy some more yeast at the weekend and try as you say. Thanks for the tips

 

[Muddydisco]

Keeping the yeast cold is the best way to keep it, most people on here keep them in a fridge or even freezer

 

[Wez]

The problem with yeast from Kits is you dont know how long it's been in the box and you dont know how it was stored before you got it.

I used to always replace the kit yeast with another packet of yeast such as s-04 or Nottingham.

 

[jimboedin]

OK. I've just checked my local homebrew shop's catalogue and they stock the S-04 yeast. I'm going to get down there first thing on saturday and get it in (hopefully can salvage it yet!)

So by Saturday it'll be 7 days since I started the brew- will it still be OK to re-start fermentation up again, or will it have gone past the point of no return??

Cheers

 

[Wez]

Abso-bloody-perfectly-fine.

 

[jimboedin]

Well, I 've been down to the brewshop and bought some Safale S0-4, put it in my brew about an hour ago and the temperature was 20 C.

How long should it take to start working / produce a 'head'? I was thinking that if nothing's happened by this time tomorrow it's probably had it?

 

[Muddydisco]

You might not see a head as some work has been by the other yeast, but look for signs of small bubbles rising up that will tell you something is going on. It could take 24hr to kick in but should really be doing something in 12hr, so don't rush it

 

[jimboedin]

Will do

Cheers

 

[jimboedin]

Well it's been nearly 24 hr. now. Nothing happened for a long time but I just put it right up next to a radiator and I can see some tiny, tiny (pretty infrequent) bubbles coming up. So hopefully something's happening.....