No fermentation

Nevbrewer

Hello, new poster here, but I have a question for any homebrewers here , the question is I have been being brewing for a few months now and am on my fourth batch, it's an all grain. The problem is that it's a high alcohol small batch( 1 gallon.) So I mashed anf boiled and ended up with 1.064 reading put my yeast in and week later nothing. So put some more yeast in and put it in the hotpress still nothing and finally hydrated some yeast and still nothing. It all looks and smells fine when I open it. I put in half a pack each time. Does high alcohol high sugar being require different standards. The recipe I using said some yeast nutrient but I didn't bother as I never used or heard about it before? Thanks in advance for any help you can give, Nevbrewer.

BeerNut

Nevbrewer wrote: »

and week later nothing.

By "nothing" do you mean the gravity is still 1.064?

Nevbrewer wrote: »

I put in half a pack each time.

Never use a half packet of yeast. Dried yeast shouldn't be scaled down for smaller batches the way hops and malt are.

Nevbrewer

BeerNut wrote: »

By "nothing" do you mean the gravity is still 1.064?

Never use a half packet of yeast. Dried yeast shouldn't be scaled down for smaller batches the way hops and malt are.

Thanks beernut, well that was my mistake I should have taken a hydrometer reading it had gone down to 1.040,. Unfortunately I shook it quite vigorously before hand so im sure it's oxidised. But don't mind its all learning experience. Will try another one. When you say shouldn't use half a packet do you mean still use a full packet even for a small batch? Thanks again Marc

BeerNut

Nevbrewer wrote: »

Unfortunately I shook it quite vigorously before hand so im sure it's oxidised

Keep it running, bottle it when it's done, let it condition and give it a taste. It's quite possibly fine. There's no need to throw it out based on what you think it might end up tasting like.

Oh, and get it out of the hotpress. That's no place for a beer unless you live in 1965.

Nevbrewer wrote: »

When you say shouldn't use half a packet do you mean still use a full packet even for a small batch?

Yes. You can go and research pitching rates if you're interested but from what I've heard even a full standard sachet in a 20L batch is well below recommended pitching rates. A full packet in a small batch will only serve to bring you closer to the optimum rate, plus the other half of the yeast in the open packet isn't sanitary and is no use to you anyway.

RasTa

Hydrate the yeast too before pitching although I would use half a packet in a 4L brew.

Nevbrewer

Haha 1965 okay.
Will bottle it and let it condition, I'm interested in brewing a stronger beer so even if it doesn't taste great it will be interesting to brew a stronger beer. Alright thanks again guys, Marc

BeerNut

RasTa wrote: »

I would use half a packet in a 4L brew.

Why so?

RasTa

BeerNut wrote: »

Why so?

I just look at the calculator

http://www.brewersfriend.com/yeast-pitch-rate-and-starter-calculator/

BeerNut

That tells me it's OK to pitch 11g of dry ale yeast into 4L of 1.064 wort.

RasTa

BeerNut wrote: »

That tells me it's OK to pitch 11g of dry ale yeast into 4L of 1.064 wort.

Says the same for 6g

BeerNut

So what's your plan for the other dirty 5g left in the sachet?

RasTa

I'd usually do more than one brew if using 4L demijohn's