Hi all. I began brewing my first batch yesterday, and decided to start the hobby with my favorite type of beer: Bavarian Wheat. I ordered this recipe kit from Midwest Homebrewing.

I thought everything went well. THe only possible problem was that I rehydrated the yeast before I started the wort boil, so the yeast stood in the measuring cup (with plastic wrap on top, of course) for over an hour--though it was still foamy at the bottom when I pitched it. But, 24 hours later, I still have no sign of life from my fermenter. Everything I've read has stated that if bubbling doesn't start within 24 hours, there is probably something wrong.

Should I pitch new yeast? Or does it take weizen a little while longer to begin bubbling? If I should repitch, how do I do it without taking the lid off and possibly contaminating the wort?

Thanks!

Tags:
danstar munich german wheat dry yeast forum, fermenting a weizen, when should I pitch yeast in a weizen?, repitching yeast

What type of dry yeast did you pitch?

If you have an extra package, it wouldn't hurt to pitch it. The yeast are probably just having a slow start (lazy yeast!), and you will more than likely see fermentation by the morning.

Cheers,
Dave

I think the package said German Wheat Yeast. I don't have a package of the same type, but I did stop by my local brew store and picked up a couple packs of generic ale yeast. Could I use that?

I'll wait until tomorrow and check on the fermentor in the morning before I do anything else. Thanks for the info.

I think the package said German Wheat Yeast

Those darn German yesties. Always laying around instead of being industrious. Things have changed there since the days before the Berlin wall

Ok, bad joke.

I did stop by my local brew store and picked up a couple packs of generic ale yeast. Could I use that?

For a Weizen I wouldn't. A generic ale yeast doesn't contribute as much flavor as a german wheat yeast would. The yeasts are named after the common styles that contain flavors they impart. Therefor for a German Weizen you probably want one that produces flavors common to weizens. A generic yeast will probably be much more neutral in terms of flavors. I wonder if generic yeast are Swiss?

penguinfogel wrote:

I did stop by my local brew store and picked up a couple packs of generic ale yeast. Could I use that?

For a Weizen I wouldn't. A generic ale yeast doesn't contribute as much flavor as a german wheat yeast would. The yeasts are named after the common styles that contain flavors they impart. Therefor for a German Weizen you probably want one that produces flavors common to weizens. A generic yeast will probably be much more neutral in terms of flavors. I wonder if generic yeast are Swiss?

Thanks for the help. Does anyone know where I can get a package of Danstar Munich German Wheat Beer Yeast without paying $9 in UPS shipping?

not sure what the selection is like at your homebrew store, but it doesn't have to be the exact same yeast. Just ask whoever is in charge if they have anything close.

penguinfogel wrote:not sure what the selection is like at your homebrew store, but it doesn't have to be the exact same yeast. Just ask whoever is in charge if they have anything close.

True, though there doesn't seem to be a huge selection of dry wheat beer yeasts available. I've heard good things about Safbrew WB-06. Hopefully, your LHBS will have something specific to wheat beers.

Cheers,
Dave

If your homebrew shop carries smack packs you could look there.

Wyeast's German Ale may work for you.

My local homebrew store is pretty lame.

One last question...hopefully...

How long can I let the mixture sit in the fermenting bucket before I re-pitch? I'll have to wait for a delivery, which will probably take a week at this point. THanks!

a week shouldn't hurt, but buckets don't seal well.

I'll bow to more superior knowledge, but if it'll be a week I'd just pitch the generic ale. It won't be close stylisticly, but it'll be beer. You might wanna wait for curlyfat or guitarlord to respond since they have more experience then me.

A week is scary, but penguin just jogged my mind a bit.

I have one primary lid that doesn't seal well, and I didn't realize it until a few batches didn't show signs of fermenting, but ended up a lot like beer.

That's one thing to check, especially since wheat-beer yeasts are usually very active fermenters. Sanitize everything around you (including your hands), and crack the lid. If it looks like something's happening and/or smells like beer, you might be alright. This has fooled me more times than I'd like to admit....

Edit:

If it hasn't fermented, I'd throw whatever ale yeast was available into it quickly. Beer out of style is a lot better than infested wort.

Thanks for the tip. I just went down to the basement and took the lid off the fermentor...no dice. No action at all, and it smelled unlike beer.

Pitch the ale yeast. No way your beer is gonna still be good after sitting for a week waiting on the UPS man.
That's my $.02.

Cheers,
Dave

OK, I will.

So, now I want to figure out what I did wrong...or if the yeast was just bad. I thought I sanitized everything (and then wrapped it all in plastic). I used tap water to top off the wort in the fermentor. Straight from the tap. Should I have boiled that water first?

Got a hydrometer you could measure it with?