What's sticking my fermentation?

[gl0ckage]

I made a hooch added yeast etc, few days later no activity. Left it a week took reading, no change. Looked like yeast had clumped at bottom.

So I emptied it, sanitised and put a ginger brew on. No activity from this either but I used the same DJ, why is this sticking? Sick of wasting time and money on dead brews.

Could there be something in the dj not being cleansed by sterilising?

 

[BigYin]

What yeast are you using?

What temperature was the brew when you added the yeast?

Did you re-hydrate the yeast before pitching it?

Did you aerate the brew before adding the yeast (vigorous stirring)?

Did you give it a thorough stir after adding the yeast?

What temperature is your brew sitting at? Is it insulated or heated to prtect it from night time dips in temperature?

 

[jonnymorris]

Another question... what was the OG and FG?

 

[gl0ckage]

Youngs cider yeast

21 degrees

No, I dry pitch all my yeasts.

Yes aerated a lot same with my other brews.

And yes it gets stirred.

Kept in a cupboard at a stable 20 degrees all day/night

OG was 1046 for the hooch, 1038 for the ginger beer.

I do everything the same with every batch it's just this DJ that does go.

 

[Scott]

What's your sterilising routine?

Did you use a yeast nutrient?

 

[jonnymorris]

I assume they've been sticking at around 1.020? Re-hydrating your yeast would be a good start as 50% will die straight off the bat if you don't. That said, I used to sprinkle and rarely got a stuck fermentation. Are these all grain brews or kits?

 

[rpt]

He's making hooch and a ginger brew so neither are beer. I think he's saying fermentation hasn't even started.

Are the DJ's clean? I don't mean "have you sterilised them?". If they aren't totally clean then sterilising won't be able to kill all the bugs.

 

[gl0ckage]

Yes clean them really well the use sterilising stuff md left it there until the water cleared.

And I use nutrients in every brew but beer.

Side note I put the DJ near a radiator and not went to 22c now it's filling my airlock with bits of ginger, so this has started by getting warm :s

But is there anything that makes fermentation not start?

My beers have no problem because they are in 5gal buckets. Seemed to be this one dj, as I have a cupboard full fermenting.

There's even more in there now and they all start without a hitch unless it's this DJ that seems to need a higher temp?