Fermenting Honey Porter lag time

Yeast & Fermentation
1

So I purchased the White House Honey Porter Extract kit recently after having done the Honey Ale numerous times.
I brewed the Porter this past Saturday and all went well. The kit came with Danstar Nottingham Ale Dry Yeast.
The yeast pack said to re-hydrate but I didn’t because I did not notice it said to until after I pitched the yeast. The Wort temp was about 65-70 degrees when I pitched the yeast.
I usually see activity within 12 hours, but I saw nothing until the next night and it was very very minor activity. Finally today when I got home after work at 1 a.m. it seems to be fermenting fine.

My questions are, was the lag time created by me not hydrating the yeast? With a fermentation that started so slowly do you think I stressed the yeast and will have off flavors or a ruined batch?

I’ve been brewing extract for a couple years now, and never had a fermentation take that long to really begin! I have heard that some fermentation’s can take as long as 36-48 hours to begin but anything over that can be a problem. I came close, but do you all think i’m safe?

By the way, the brew day went well, I hit my OG, and the area the fermentor is in is a constant 68 degrees. I know I didnt re-hydrate the yeast, but i’ve done the same with other yeast that says to re-hydrate and i’ve never had a problem. I have also never brewed a Porter, so maybe they just take longer to start?? But I wouldnt understand why!!

2

I would say it was just the way that yeast was. Maybe it was the package you got, or something similar. Maybe it was a higher gravity than what you have been brewing? I’m not sure, but I mean 1.054 is what the recipe says, which isn’t really high but I wouldn’t consider it a low gravity ale either.

I think it’ll be fine. If it started the next day, I don’t think 24 hours is that big of a deal for a fermentation to begin. From what I have read, even if it was an underpitch, it wouldn’t be as bad as pitching hot or letting it ferment too hot.

You could always dig into it a little more and use the brewer’s friend calculator to see how much yeast you need. The calculator is really helpful when making a starter with liquid yeast.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitc ... alculator/
3

RDWHAHB!

Nothing to worry about. It will be fine!

4

Will do! Thanks.

I was a little worried as it just took longer than I am used to. So it took about 48 hours to really get going. Now it is fermenting away like any other batch ive brewed. Just dont want any off flavors because of the slow start if you know what I mean.

I shouldnt worry, but I have 4 empty kegs that I really want to fill so ive been brewing like crazy trying to get them all going so in a few weeks I can keg them at the same time and have multiple beers to choose from when the friends come over.