First Time Brewer - Stuck Ferment - Help Please!!

[kippa7]

My first brew - Muntons Gold Pilsner doesnt seem to even have started fermenting.
Frothy head after 1 day, no bubbles in airlock. Apparatus seems tight and is brand new.

All apparatus sterilised and rinsed well.

Did what it said on the box - used tesco bottled spring water.

Added yeast to wort when the temp dropped to around 26 degrees then place in my spare room which is around 22-23 degrees all the time.

No life. Day 4. Took lid off and gently stirred. Couldnt even feel a sediment in the bucket really. Day 5 (today) still no life.

Tonight i will take a hydrometer reading. If still above 1010 then apparently fermentation has failed.
Can i kick start this by adding another sachet of yeast, or a few spoons of muntons beer enhancer????

I dont have enzymes or Vits, but can always get some i suppose.....??

Your help would be much appreciated lads - im new to this, and getting addicted, however, i can see how these failing kits will put new brewers off...

[Ditch]

Pity ye never read the massive thread about their stuff. Russian Roulette in a tin.

[flything]

Has there been any activity at all?

If it hasn't got down to 1.010 but is somewhere below 1.018 then I wouldn't panic, take a taste of the sample you use to check the gravity, does it taste like beer or like unfermented wort?

It's always worth having a sachet of yeast around for emergencies and that's probably you're best bet. Dry Beer Enzyme can thin the beer out too much and should be a last resort.

[kippa7]

I actually took the reading and it was around 1014, so i think i panicked too early.

Tasted it and altho cloudy, it tasted quite good for 5 days worth of no activity. Much like strong lager...

ANother reading tonight should make my decision whether to bottle or wait a little longer - but no, no bubbling activity whatsoever.
i reckon the lid isnt airtight on my bin, as ive got a 5 gallon batch of muntons gold smugglers bubbling away like a good un right next to it!


So MUNTONS are not great kits then i take it??!!!!
I chose them as they were the most expensive ( and therefore i assumed top quality...) - or am i sadly mistaken.

Hope not, as ive also got a box of Muntons Winter Warmer and Premium Golden Ale ready to go..... (gutted)

[EoinMag]

I actually took the reading and it was around 1014, so i think i panicked too early.

Tasted it and altho cloudy, it tasted quite good for 5 days worth of no activity. Much like strong lager...

ANother reading tonight should make my decision whether to bottle or wait a little longer - but no, no bubbling activity whatsoever.
i reckon the lid isnt airtight on my bin, as ive got a 5 gallon batch of muntons gold smugglers bubbling away like a good un right next to it!


So MUNTONS are not great kits then i take it??!!!!
I chose them as they were the most expensive ( and therefore i assumed top quality...) - or am i sadly mistaken.

Hope not, as ive also got a box of Muntons Winter Warmer and Premium Golden Ale ready to go..... (gutted)

They are great kits, but there are problems with attenuation, don't get hung up on the gravities and they'll provide you with very good beers.

[Jerry Cornelius]

I've done a couple of these and never got them below 1.014. They still tasted good though. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you want to try better kits, I'd give the Brupaks dry kits a go. They're much tastier (IMHO) but still don't drop down to the expected 1.009/1.010 though. Or a Cooper's kit, they have much better attenuation.

There's a thread somewhere about the dreaded Munton's stick, which you might want to search out and read...