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!!