Too Little Head - Update: Kegged

[MightyMouth]

Well, My first kit brew was started yesterday but 24 hours later and it is flat as a flat thing on flat world. No bubbles and nothing which looks remotely like activity. Now I gave it what I though was a good vigorous stir before pitching the yeast and another just after so i would have thought it had enough Oxygen and the temperature has been around 18c-20c but maybe closer to 18c most of the time so maybe that's it but I would have still expected something even at 18c. I have since put a new and sanitised aquarium heater in set at 21c so hoping that will kick it off over night.

If not should I pitch a fresh pack of yeast tomorrow?

[MightyMouth]

Well, its done nothing overnight. I am going to have to get more yeast. Now Should I Aerate again before I pitch the yeast as its been almost 48 hours. Also I can't find a very local HBS and Wilkos only has "Super Wine Yeast Compound". Can I use this instead?

[MightyMouth]

Thanks Daab, I could drive 20 miles and back for some yeast but as I already have the Wine yeast which I used for TC I'll use it.

[PieOPah]

Do you have a hydrometer? In the past I have found some of my beers to have fermented extremely quickly. While unlikely that it has completed, it may be worth taking a reading just to see where you are at....

[MightyMouth]

I do have a hydrometer but there was no need to use it as it was clear to even me that nothing had ever happened in the FV after I pitched the yeast. I Pitched the wine yeast yesterday and today have a large foamy head, the beer seems to be fermenting too

[PieOPah]

Glad to hear that everything has worked out

Always good when you can salvage something you had almost given up on

[MightyMouth]

Always good when you can salvage something you had almost given up on

Well it sat in there for quite a while so it might not be salvaged yet, There might be just as many Bacteria as Yeast though I was very thorough with my sanitising so hopefully not.

[MightyMouth]

Well my wherry has stuck, its been at 1018 for 2 days and is as still as a pond again even though I tried to rouse the yeast so I have pitched some more this morning in the hopes of kicking it off again. If it doesn't start again by this evening then I might rack it into a corni anyway and just leave it for a while and then start a new kit.

What do you think my chanced of getting a decent brew out of this wherry considering the following:

1. Kits yeast was dead and brew sat for nearly a week before I re-pitched and re-aerated.
2. Has stuck for 2 days at 1018
3. Pitched for a 3rd time this morning.
4. I have a cold so cannot smell what the brew is like but the taste seems ok but a bit sweet and not much hoppiness to it.

[SiHoltye]

I think only time will tell now. Some people's Wherry has taken 4-6 weeks maturation to peak.

I made a Wherry as my 2nd kit, it didn't work and I still don't know why exactly. Some of the Wherry kits seem cursed with wort that doesn't ferment well, doesn't clear well, and the yeast supplied is sometimes suspect.

DO NOT BE DISHEARTENED.

Consider a Brupaks Pride of Yorkshire Fixby Gold http://www.brupaks.com/fixbygold.htm. It's firm favourite around here. Also Daab has specific instructions to help http://www.18000feet.com/brupaks/my_met ... s_kits.htm

Good luck whatever is next, and keep us posted

[scarer]

DO NOT BE DISHEARTENED.

Consider a Brupaks Pride of Yorkshire Fixby Gold

My first was a Wherry which stopped at 1020 but after more yeast and yeast-vit I got it down to 1015 but it felt like hard work, nearly 2 weeks in the fermenting bin and finally barreled it 3 days ago so I hope mine turns out alright. It tasted ok when I barreled it but not amazing.

The next kit which I am starting today is the Brupaks Pride of Yorkshire Colne Valley Bitter which I have high hopes for given it has a hop bag to dunk and seems popular on this forum and with my HBS.

I'm going to check the enclosed instructions with info on here first to give it the best possible chance, I don't want another stuck brew. I will probably add yeast vit with the yeast this time and a campden tablet to treat my hard water.

I have a safale 04 yeast packet spare, do you think the kit would benefit from using that rather than the yeast that comes with it?

[MightyMouth]

I really want to do a Porter this time so think I am going to try the Brupaks Scammonden Dark kit. I am going to stop on my way home from work tonight and get it.

[Beer Terrorist]

I have a safale 04 yeast packet spare, do you think the kit would benefit from using that rather than the yeast that comes with it?

I tried a Noffolk Nog before Xmas which also became stuck at 1020. I've read that people have had similar problems using other yeasts so not sure if its worth it. I recommend having a sachet of champagne yeast handy to get it going again. I added that and got it down to 1014. Its conditioning at the mo but first impressions are good.

[MightyMouth]

I have a safale 04 yeast packet spare, do you think the kit would benefit from using that rather than the yeast that comes with it?

Well if it was me (bearing in mid I know nothing ) and seeing as its a good quality kit I would follow DaaB's kit brewing instruction and if the yeast kicks off like it shows in the instructions then use it, otherwise use the safale 04. That is what I am going to do on my next kit.

[MightyMouth]

If you have already added 1 extra yeast, adding another wont help. All you can do is to rouse the yeast back into suspension.

Oh well, we'll see what happens, I might pick up some yeast-vit on the way home and maybe some beer enzyme. If I can get it down 4 more points I'll be happy. It tastes like beer now but is just a bit too sweet.

[MightyMouth]

Well the home brew store I went to doesn't carry beer enzyme and they were out of yeast vit so now I have to make a decision. Should I keg it and see or put it into a secondary for a while. Its been at 1018 for more than 24 hours now and doesn't look to have changed at all since this morning.