Using the 1 gallon Cream Ale kit, I decided to give hydrating the yeast a try on the advice of a book (“How to Brew” by John Palmer). I followed the instructions in the book and then pitched half of the liquid (because I put the whole yeast packet into the water) when the wort was ready.
I did not take an OG reading, dammit.
Five days in, and I’ve seen no fermentation activity. The wort is cloudy, very little trub seems to be collecting at the bottom. So questions: could I have screwed up the yeast by liquefying it? And: should I just go ahead and pitch some more? And if so, should I try liquefying again?
When you say there’s “no fermentation activity” do you mean no bubbles in the airlock? Are you fermenting in a bucket or carboy?
If it’s a bucket sometimes the CO2 will take the easy way out around the lid rather than through the airlock, take the lid of and have a look, see if there’s krauesen.
How did you rehydrate the yeast? What was the temp of the water when you added the yeast?
Take a gravity reading now. If this was an extract batch your OG will be what the kit instructions say if you hit the appropriate volume.
Fermenting in a glass carboy. Yes, I mean there is no bubbling, and no krausen forming. The last couple batches I did, I had krausen dried to the inside top of the carboy by now.
Yea you should have had some krauesen. If your water was too hot when you rehydrated the yeast you could have killed it. If your gravity reading is still high you could pitch some more yeast.
Can’t argue with John Palmer since he certainly knows more about brewing than I ever will but…
The yeast packet is designed to ferment five gallons of wort. Even half a packet is 2.5 times more yeast than you need for one gallon. Why bother rehydrating it? Just pour in about half the packet and forget it. Seems like and extra step that could (and may have in this case) cause a problem.
I never rehydrate dry yeast. Even went as far as to rehydrate one packet of US-05 and just pour in one in side by side carboys of the same wort from a twenty gallon batch. I could see not any difference. YMMV
I second that caution about the rehydrating water being too hot. While I still see recommendations that say the water should be like 105F or thereabouts, it seems too easy for someone without a good thermometer to screw that up.
I boil my water and then cover it and let it cool to the point that it feels sort of cool. I do use a thermometer too, but I think that recommending that the water feels sort of cool is the best way to avoid disaster.
I have found that rehydrating is worth it since the batch always shows air lock activity sooner, but I also just direct pitch when I’m in a hurry. Both methods work, if you have the time, rehydrating is better. Just be sure the water is cool enough!
I have NEVER had a failure when direct pitching. I have had multiple failures when rehydrating first. I have decided that I will no longer try to rehydrate.
I think that must be it - the water must have been too hot. I was using the thermometer that came with my turkey fryer, can’t remember the temperature but it was within the range of Palmer’s book.
