steaman64 said:
This is what I am doing at this time. Its my first at all grain brew and would like to know if I am in trouble with the ferment. Used the White Labs Cal Ale WLP001. Pitched it 1 April and nothing is going on yet. SG 1.080 to start. O2 added before pitch. Never had one that took as long to start. Do not know a thing about starters or how to make one. Brewed about 6 times from liquid extracts without any problems. :-\
Something is probably going on by now. Airlock activity is not an indicator of fermentation. One of my buckets hardly bubbles at all, but ferments just fine. There's a slight leak somewhere along the seal, but it makes no difference. Check your gravity.
Learning about starters is very worthwhile. They are quite easy and require no extra special equipment. Basically use a liter of water and 100g light or extra light dry extract, boil, cool, add yeast, let grow (covered lightly with foil, usual sanitization caveats), shake often. Once the yeast grows for a day, cold crash in the fridge overnight, decant the liquid on top, have lots of healthy yeast.
The standard smack packs and WLP vials only have 100 billion cells, and typically for five gallons you need 200+, so by not doing a starter you are under-pitching your yeast. I do a starter on all liquid yeast. Starters are easy and make for better beer.
Do not make starters for dry yeast. Simply rehydrate it. Dry yeast usually has 200 billion cells (assuming optimum freshness, of course).