Beer Forum

Extract with specialty grains

• 6lbs Briess Light LME
• 6oz Cara 40L
• 6oz Cara 120L
• 4oz Roasted Barley
• .8oz Challenger (60min)
• .2 Challenger (10min)
• 1 vial WLP004 Irish Ale yeast

OG: 1.041
IBU: 22.2

Brewed this today, pitched the vial of yeast directly into the wort, as low gravity beer didn't think I needed a starter on it, but now worried if I should of did one just to proof the yeast.

About 12hrs from pitching (give or take an hour) seems to be little in the way of airlock activity. Temperature is about 70f, as waiting for it to start fermenting till I move it to 65f.

Gave the yeast a little stir to see if that helps things, but wondering how long I should wait before worrying

No need to worry. Chance are that the yeast are still settling in getting ready to work their magic; I suspect things will be rockin' after another 12. Even with starters I almost never have visible signs of fermentation within 12 hours regardless of gravity or strain.

Yep, no worries. 12 hours is way too soon to start a-worryin. Even with a starter many beers aren't going at 12 hours.

By the way, if you check out the Mr Malty pitching calculator, you were a bit under the ideal pitch. I come up with 1.5 vials of yeast if it is fresh for 5 gallons. Unless you are making less than 5 gallons or something in the low 1.030 range making at least a 1000ml starter is almost always a good idea. If nothing else it wakes the yeast up and proofs that you have a good pack of yeast in the first place.

For your beer I wouldn't worry at all until you get past the 48 hour mark as long as your temperature is good, for that yeast looks like 65-68ish. You'll likely see fermentation signs before then.

Cheers

If anything I would check to see that I got the lid on the bucket sealed all the way, I have done that and went back and yep the lid wasn't sealed.