S23, dry enzyme, Help! nothing happening!!!

Cervecero · Post by **Cervecero** » Friday Jul 13, 2007 5:56 pm

AWMAWGAWD! I pitched the yeast last night, for my new brew........24 hours now and still nothing happens! 12 degrees, perfect temp, and still nothing happens!!!

does the dry enzyme makes S23 sluggish?

what is normal?

all my previous brews it kicks in within 12 hours, even the 34/70 kicked in nice and strong at 12 degrees!!!

I just need reassurance!!!!

Help!!!!!

Rysa · Post by **Rysa** » Friday Jul 13, 2007 6:03 pm

Not sure if the enzyme have that effect but some of mine take a while.
I put one on wednesday night and it's only getting a decent head this arvo.
Give it a bit more time, might just be taking a while to get going with low temps.

KEG · Post by **KEG** » Friday Jul 13, 2007 7:01 pm

give it another day, i bet it'll kick in fine. what's the recipe? what OG?

Cervecero · Post by **Cervecero** » Friday Jul 13, 2007 7:14 pm

KEG wrote:give it another day, i bet it'll kick in fine. what's the recipe? what OG?

It is my Cerveza Mexicana Extra Seca!

450 g dex,
225 g LDME,
225 g Corn Syrup,
12 grams casade steeped
dry enzyme

OG 1036

(hoping for FG to be 1002 allowing for the ezime to lower it a lot)

That is if the bloody thing starts!!!!!!!! waitintg inconsolably, such pain!!

Rysa · Post by **Rysa** » Friday Jul 13, 2007 7:32 pm

When it does, make sure you leave it for as long as possible before you bottle.
Dry enzyme is notorious for bottle bombs as it takes longer to ferment than normal.

Mr_Booze · Post by **Mr_Booze** » Saturday Jul 14, 2007 12:48 am

I put down a Mexican Cerveza with dry enzyme/Saf-23 on Wednesday afternoon. My brewing temp is around 10 - 12 degrees. It started bubbling slowly tonight (after 48 hours). I intend to leave it in primary for 2-3 weeks (I don't rack), before bottling.

My advice is don't worry if it doesn't start straight away. It may not happen straight away, but it will happen.

Cervecero · Post by **Cervecero** » Saturday Jul 14, 2007 10:13 am

Mr_Booze wrote:I put down a Mexican Cerveza with dry enzyme/Saf-23 on Wednesday afternoon. My brewing temp is around 10 - 12 degrees. It started bubbling slowly tonight (after 48 hours). I intend to leave it in primary for 2-3 weeks (I don't rack), before bottling.

My advice is don't worry if it doesn't start straight away. It may not happen straight away, but it will happen.

Thanks, I knew the forum was better than Dr Phil! I am more relaxed now.

No bubbles stil, 36 hours, though a lot of sediment is forming, a tad of krausen and the hydrometer reading is marginally lower, i tasted it and it has a bit just just a bit of CO2 so I guess it is just bloody slow......... no, and the lid is not loose....is not a leak....

I am panicking though, i m moving to my new ( first ) house in 19 days! should be right.....

Trough Lolly · Post by **Trough Lolly** » Saturday Jul 14, 2007 6:11 pm

Patience, grasshopper - brewing at 12C requires patience. My best ever Oktoberfest took 5 days to take off (Wyeast 2000).

Cheers,
TL

Cervecero · Post by **Cervecero** » Sunday Jul 15, 2007 3:32 pm

70 hours, some krausen, condensation and trub but:

NO FARKEN BUBBLES!!

So, yes it is fermenting but at a bloody slow pace........ ( it is 10 degrees here in Geelong)

I moving to my new house in 19 days, there is no way this thing will be finished by then ( dry enzyme, takes longer as well...... )

if I rack it just before moving house, is it possible to load it in the car and drive 25 Km ( carefully ) without ruining it?

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Jul 15, 2007 5:08 pm

I am betting air leak. Are you 100% sure the lid is properly sealed?

If you rack it there is no reason you can't take it for a car ride, but please buckel it in safely and don't hit anything

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Jul 15, 2007 5:09 pm

Sorry that may have sounded a bit rude. The reason I think it is an air leak is that even at 12 C with all that Dex there should be something happening!

Cervecero · Post by **Cervecero** » Sunday Jul 15, 2007 6:11 pm

Kevnlis wrote:Sorry that may have sounded a bit rude. The reason I think it is an air leak is that even at 12 C with all that Dex there should be something happening!

I know!!

I have checked everything, I am almost totally certain is not an air leak... honest, I though it was a leak but I am now convinced that the thing is just bloody slow...

what if i stir it a bit?

what if i sprinkle a second S23 sachet?

SG falling a bit though, about .oo4 in 4 days though, so it is fermenting but slow as......

I am tipping car ride on the secondary.....

Kevnlis · Post by **Kevnlis** » Sunday Jul 15, 2007 7:18 pm

OK...try this...push down on the lid of the fermentor...you will see the water in the airlock move...it should hold position...if it falls back to even then you have an air leak...if you can hold it for 10 seconds and not lose the pressure then I am stuffed!

The enzyme might slow it a bit but with all that dextrose surely there must have been something happened by now!

But if you are checking gravity and the readings are being done properly then reply on that...not the airlock

Did you make a starter for the S23 or just sprinkle it on top? The starter I made with my dry S23 took nearly 2 full days to get going properly and that was in 2 litre of water with 250 grams dextrose @ 18 C. But the brew went off in less than 4 minutes once I poared the starter in

Maybe next time you should make a liquid starter with the dry yeast to be safe?

Cervecero · Post by **Cervecero** » Sunday Jul 15, 2007 8:16 pm

Kevnlis wrote: Maybe next time you should make a liquid starter with the dry yeast to be safe?

I did!!!!!!

it was bubbling like no tomorrow on the starter but once I added it to the wort, kaput, niltch, nada, ziltch, niente....

my last bet is: the bloody thing is fermenting slowly, plus there must be a minor, tiny leak in the airlock grommet, so, the inside pressure is enough to force air escaping out evding the gasket... once it kicks in propperly, then regardless of the minor leak, the bubbles wills tart happening.....

morgs · Post by **morgs** » Sunday Jul 15, 2007 8:27 pm

If youve got a krausen it is fermenting

Adzmax · Post by **Adzmax** » Tuesday Jul 17, 2007 6:37 pm

Yep, I agree. If you REALLY want bubbles duct tape the lid, not that it really matters though

Have a beer and relax

Aussie Claret · Post by **Aussie Claret** » Wednesday Jul 18, 2007 7:50 am

Give it a swirl to re-suspend the yeast and then leave it if you've got some krausen forming it's fermenting. Also with Dry enzyme (which I've never used) I thought that you had to add it towards the end of fermentation not at the beginning.
AC

The Carbonator · Wednesday Jul 18, 2007 1:13 pm

This sticky should be required reading:

http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... php?t=1471

I know your anxious, but just give it time.
Counting the hours shows how exited you are, Cervecera - and who can blame you.

I am also doing lagers, but I am counting in weeks.

Patience is not my best asset either.
I suggest that you buy another fermenter, brew another lager, and worry about that one

gibbocore · Post by **gibbocore** » Wednesday Jul 18, 2007 3:00 pm

i've had the same anxiety before, i took out the airlock for a few seconds and used a knife so smoothen the inject moulded edges of the shaft, put it back in and about 5 minutes later, bubble bubble bubble....

James L · Post by **James L** » Wednesday Jul 18, 2007 4:42 pm

i had to smooth the edge of my airlock too after i had the same problem occur with my first lager...

Didnt bubble the whole two weeks it was in the fermenter.. But becuase it was in the confined space of my brew fridge, i could smell the beer fermenting, so it was a leak... sure enough... that burring on the airlock was the culprit...

you think they'd make sure it was smooth before they packaged it and sold it to remove this unnecessary brewing anxiety that us novices experience...

I've had many a sleepless night thinking about all the things that i could be doing wrong with brewing...