Nottingham yeast slow to get started

[HighHops]

Thanks for the heads up. No signs of fermentation after 36 hours so pitched SO4.

I didn't re-aerate my wort and it fermented down to 1012 over the next 5 days with SO4. Just sprinkled it on top and then gave it a stir after a few hours of nothing.

I'll be bottling tomorrow.

[haZe]

Hmmm, here's mine after 24 hours...



I'd usually expect something by now, but this isn't looking like any krausen I've had before...any thoughts?

Linky if the image isn't working:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44089878@N06/4979644469/

[Scotty]

I used Nottingham yesterday with the 099V batch number. Whilst it didn't seem at its best, I re-hydrated and pitched anyway. 12 hours later and there is a thick foam head looking like ice cream.

I think I've got away with it this time but considering this the second concern with Nottingham yeast in six months, it doesn't fill me with confidence and I won't use it again. It's a shame because when it works, it's a very good, clean yeast.

[Blackaddler]

I used Nottingham yesterday with the 099V batch number. Whilst it didn't seem at its best, I re-hydrated and pitched anyway. 12 hours later and there is a thick foam head looking like ice cream.

I think I've got away with it this time but considering this the second concern with Nottingham yeast in six months, it doesn't fill me with confidence and I won't use it again. It's a shame because when it works, it's a very good, clean yeast.

If you're still worried about Danstar, use Gervin instead. These are effectively the same thing.

[Scotty]

If you're still worried about Danstar, use Gervin instead. These are effectively the same thing.

For some reason I believed Gervin was made by Danstar .

That opens up another avenue for dry yeast before I delve into liquid yeast

[GrowlingDogBeer]

I pitched some Notttingham on Sunday, I had never used it before so thought I would give it a go in a Porter. I rehydrated it and it didn't look like S04 but I assumed it was just the different Yeast. 40 hours later all I appear to have is some dead yeast floating on top of the wort, it has not started fermenting at all, no bubbles and the gravity has not changed at all.. Luckily everything is nice and clean and safely tucked away in my Fermenting fridge so I have thrown in some SO4 now.

This had an expiry date of 12/2011 so I don't think it was from the (dodgy) batch.

[haZe]

Steve, that sounds very similar to my first experience with this yeast (see my post above)

I pitched another pack 48 hours later and it finally got going, all turned out very well in the end.

[GrowlingDogBeer]

Yours looked a lot more lively than mine does.

The SO4 os in now, I've just sprinkled it on the top, I'm sure it will turn out alright in the end, I hope so anyway as the sample I took after the boil tasted wonderful so I have high hopes for this one.

[befuggled]

+1 to Blackaddler.
Although I use quite a few liquid yeast and slopes, I have never had a problem with Gervin and it is usually about half the price (99p@THBS).
Anyway, it has got to be good, Jim uses it!

[BarnsleyBrewer]

I'm still using the dodgy batch stuff, and it's also out of date since August.... Slow start but ferments great.