[weithman5]

just wait. i brew lagers mostly.  ive used single packs and starters. fundamentally i get very little krausen and nor do i see any significant activity in my air lock.  what you will see a few weeks out is the settling of the yeast on the bottom of your fermentor.  this is less obvious if you allowed the cold break to form in the fermentor but otherwise it is easily noticable.

[DW]

Take a hydrometer reading now and report back. Did the yeast packs swell at all? In the future, I recommend making a starter as a general rule, because that should ensure a healthy and viable pitch of yeast cells. An adequate amount of viable yeast is key to a healthy fermentation and a quality beer. 

Keep us posted. 

1.040 Gravity reading today, which is approximately 96 hours from initially pitching the yeast.  I was hoping to be suprised...unfortunately not the case. 

[davidgzach]

Take a hydrometer reading now and report back. Did the yeast packs swell at all? In the future, I recommend making a starter as a general rule, because that should ensure a healthy and viable pitch of yeast cells. An adequate amount of viable yeast is key to a healthy fermentation and a quality beer. 

Keep us posted. 

1.040 Gravity reading today, which is approximately 96 hours from initially pitching the yeast.  I was hoping to be suprised...unfortunately not the case.

I'd bring it up to 52-53 and give it another day or two.  Do you have the means to make a starter?

Dave

[DW]

Take a hydrometer reading now and report back. Did the yeast packs swell at all? In the future, I recommend making a starter as a general rule, because that should ensure a healthy and viable pitch of yeast cells. An adequate amount of viable yeast is key to a healthy fermentation and a quality beer. 

Keep us posted. 

1.040 Gravity reading today, which is approximately 96 hours from initially pitching the yeast.  I was hoping to be suprised...unfortunately not the case.

I'd bring it up to 52-53 and give it another day or two.  Do you have the means to make a starter?

Dave

Should I swirl the beer up at all?  I'll increase the temp a few degrees. 

[davidgzach]

What type of yeast?  I would bring it up as high as the recommended temp says for the strain and give it a good swirl when it gets there. 

At 6 days you may have to cut your losses.  However, the yeasties could be fighting hard to replicate and get fermenting! They are hearty suckers......

Dave

[a10t2]

Have you calibrated the thermometer you're using?

[weithman5]

i still don't see this as a problem was the og also exactly 1040?  i wouldn't even worry about taking another gravity reading till at least a week. i ferment for four weeks my lagers.  assuming it takes only twenty days to get to final gravity (nothing to base this on)  i would expect to be around half way give or take about 10 percent at day 10.  so if you fg is around 1016.  this means a total drop of 24 points or only about 12 at day 10.  most of this will NOT be occurring in the first few of those days i would only expect a drop from 1040 to 1037 or 8 after 3-4 days and i can't even see that fine on my hydrometer.  i personally don't check till the end.

[bluesman]

Take a hydrometer reading now and report back. Did the yeast packs swell at all? In the future, I recommend making a starter as a general rule, because that should ensure a healthy and viable pitch of yeast cells. An adequate amount of viable yeast is key to a healthy fermentation and a quality beer. 

Keep us posted. 

1.040 Gravity reading today, which is approximately 96 hours from initially pitching the yeast.  I was hoping to be suprised...unfortunately not the case.

I recommend calibrating your hydrometer and thermometer then measure gravity and temp again. You say it's been about 96hrs, so go ahead and raise the temp slowly to 55F then gently rouse the yeast.

Did the smack packs swell up?

[bboy9000]

I think thistles copper sulfate but even so it's not soluble in ethanol.

[DW]

What type of yeast?  I would bring it up as high as the recommended temp says for the strain and give it a good swirl when it gets there. 

At 6 days you may have to cut your losses.  However, the yeasties could be fighting hard to replicate and get fermenting! They are hearty suckers......

Dave

I used Wyeast 2007 Pilsen....Would you guys recommend repitching?  Should I throw some dry yeast in and see if that will do the job?  Or is it too late.....is my beer likely contaminated from bacteria that have not been outcompeted by the yeast? 

[a10t2]

Seriously, have you verified the temperature? I can't think of anything else that could be wrong. You did say that the packs swelled *somewhat*, right?

At any rate, if there hasn't been a drop in gravity, then nothing is fermenting, yeast or otherwise.

[DW]

Seriously, have you verified the temperature? I can't think of anything else that could be wrong. You did say that the packs swelled *somewhat*, right?

At any rate, if there hasn't been a drop in gravity, then nothing is fermenting, yeast or otherwise.

I use one of the digital thermostats, and it is consistent with the other digital thermostat that I have as well as the stick on thermometer that is stuck to the primary fermenter.  Otherwise, I'm not sure how to calibrate.....and honestly, the packs really did not swell much if at all(not like I'm used to seeing)

[davidgzach]

This is day 6 right?  I would go to the LHBS and see if they have any S-23 or similar and toss in a packet.

Dave

Edit:  After rehydrating of course!

[DW]

First of all, thanks for everyone's advice!  I really appreciate it!  NExt, and lastly (I think), I see mold growing on the top of the chilled wort...........Should I dump it? 

[Mark G]

Got a picture? Sure it's not yeast?