I brewed the Imperial Stout recipe below 6 days ago, pitched a big starter of WLP007 per Mr. Malty - then adjusted it according the advice of several people here (thanks Mort, Jim!). Aerated with an aquarium pump and obtained an OG of 1.090 (target of 1.099), then pitched @ 62 and was going to let it warm up.
After less than two hours the airlock was bubbling away, and there was a good 1/2" of krausen too. But overnight activity died, and since then nothing. The krausen has collapsed and the my gravity only fell a few points. The weird thing is the surface is 'clean', i.e. no bacteria (at least to the naked eye), and it smells nice and chocolaty.
I soaked the glass carboy overnight in PBW and remember washing it out very thoroughly since this was the first time I used a glass one and thought it was a good arm/shoulder workout given how heavy it was. And I even let my 2.5 yr old daughter put in the Starsan b/c she likes seeing bubbles.
I pitched another starter after 4 days of nada as a Hail Mary and still nothing.
Any thoughts as to what I could have done?
14.43 2-row pale
1.99 floaked oats
1.54 chocolate malt
0.93 15L crystal (used 20)
0.90 black malt
0.90 roasted barley
0.82 Carapils mal