Is it common to get yeast packets that are “dead”? I pitched it at roughly 60 degrees and got absolutely no fermentation. Waited 2-3 more days and the carboy is still as flat as a week old soda. (It was whatever American yeast comes with the W. Coast Radical Red). Figured maybe I didn’t use enough (recipe called for a 1/2-packet), so I added in some more, shook it a bit, and 2 days later still nothing. Looks like this beer is unfortunately headed for the drain.
What temp is the beer currently? Did you see any goopy brown looking so stuff in/on the fermenter?
Dry yeast? US05? did you rehydrate it?
Have to assume if the instructions say 1/2 the yeast it was a 1 gallon kit. The default is US05. I have used lots of US05 and it has never failed me. Sorry Danny, never rehydrate it either. Unless the packet went through something terrible I find it hard to believe it would not work.
Is it possible it fermented out without you noticing it? Any Krausen (foam) on the side of the carboy above the beer? Is the beer still at 60°?
Mark, I thought the same thing. A 1gal batch could ferment out pretty quickly with a large healthy pitch.
It’s been in a dark closet @ room temp for the past 10 days, so maybe 65-70 degrees. Didn’t get one bubble of foam after adding the yeast, and thus no residue on the sides of the carboy. Very odd, indeed.
Yes, it was a 1-gallon kit. Probably the 5th batch I’ve done, but first time using the Radical Red kit. Every other time I’ve had foam/fermentation enough to need the overflow tube for 2-3 days, before plugging in the air lock. This time I didn’t get a single foam bubble. Carboy has been in a dark closet at room temp since brew day, so maybe 65-70 degrees or so. Thanks…
The only thing to do now is take a sample to check the specific gravity.
