So I had the white house honey ale sitting for about 4 months waiting to be used with the Wyeast in my fridge. I brewed the beer yesterday and was concerned when I activated the yeast pouch and it didn’t really swell. It has now been 12 hours since I brewed and there is literally no action yet. Is it too soon to worry or is the yeast dead? If so, I thought it was supposed to be good for at least 6 months? Am I really out the cost of a whole kit because the yeast didn’t survive or is it salvageable in some way?
give it 24 hrs . I’ve had lag times that long before. what is most likely going on is that you have under pitched, and what yeast is still active will take a lot longer to get going .If there is no action or if there is vary little action from the yeast after 36 hr I would pitch more yeast. i’m betting you do not have any on hand, if that’s the case I would not throw out the batch just yet, wait and see if you can get more yeast.
Just give it time. If the yeast pack swelled at all they are not dead. I have seen this several times…it just going to take a longer so RDWHAHB!!
The yeast was sitting in your fridge for 4 months, but do you know its manufacture date? I don’t think hope is lost, but it’s definitely going to take some time to get the party started in there. When you say “no activity” are you looking at the bubbler on a bucket or do you have a carboy where you can’t really see what’s (not) going on?
It this point I think it’s still too soon to worry, but is there a LHBS where you could get some more yeast, say Monday or Tuesday if nothing happens? That White House honey ale could do well with a variety of yeast substitutions.
