Why is NOTHING happening?

[ByronBunch]

Hi.
Well my first batch of Woodfordes Wherry is done and it's really good! I can barely believe it.

However...

Yesterday I started some Woodfordes Nog off in the fermenter (or at least I tried to. NOTHING is happening!).

Here are the things that I have done differently (or haven't gone quite right!):

1) The wort was gloopier than the Wherry so I used more hot water to rinse out the tins. This meant that my 23 litres were a bit warm (32 degrees).
2) I only realised this after I had snipped the top off the yeast sachet (would exposing the yeast to the air be a problem?).
3) I added the yeast a few hours later when the fermenter had come down to 28 degrees.
4) I am using a bigger airlock after the little one struggled to cope with the frantic bubbling of the Wherry.
5) I realised this morning that the lid of the fermenter wasn't perfectly airtight.
6) I have fixed this but there still appeares to be nothing happening.

Have I wrecked my beer? Is there anything I can do?

I can only get by on beginners luck until the barrel runs dry (not that far away!)!

Thanks in advance.

Geoff.

 

[Growler]

Don't panic!!!

It will be fine give it another 48 hours and it will be going

I did a nog and if I remember properly it was a bit slow and none too energetic when it did start

 

[Mark1964]

If it doesnt start in 24 hours you could try stirring a bit and wrapping it up to make it a bit warner. If that fails throw in some more yeast :thumb:

 

[doghouse gav]

Don't panic. If the lid was not airtight then it will take a while for the co2 to build up and fill the head space and result in airlock activity. :thumb:

 

[BigYin]

agree with all the above. Be patient :thumb:

Make sure the lid is sealed on and leave it alone for 2 days, chances are it'll be going like a train by then.

IF after 48 hours there's still no action, there is a tiny chance that you've been unlucky with the yeast included in the kit (opening it up early won't have done it any harm), in which case you can still save it by pitching in some new yeast (I'd recommend Nottingham dried yeast personally, and SO4 is also very reliable) - get it from your local homebrew shop if you can.

 

[ByronBunch]

Great thanks folks.
That's reassuring.

Good to know about the yeast too. I didn't think it would be that, but I wasn't sure.

Thanks again.
Geoff

 

[luckyeddie]

Yep, don't panic.

Sometimes dried yeasts can take as much as 72 hours to get rocking and rolling.