Victim of my own success (or I'm an Idiot)

[mudhut]

I recently brewed up JZ's ESB from BCS book. And I tried a couple of new things:

1) I built up a home made stir plate to do my starter. I used Wyeast 1968 smack pack in a 1.25L starter at 1.035 gravity. I have made starters before, but not using a stir plate. Basically followed the instructions from the BrewStrong show. And JZ's pitching rate calculator.
2) Diluted my SLC filtered water (very high in bicarbonate) by 1/2 with distilled water and added gypsum (don't have the exact amounts with me at the moment...).

I pitched the next morning at 67 degrees into the bucket, aerating wort for 30 min. with a pump system. Went snowboarding...was an epic day, didn't get back until late, so I couldn't check on the fermentation until the next morning. Next day, no activity-maybe a couple of bubbles after swirling. Waited a 3 days, still no activity. I have found 1968 to be a little quirky in the past (drops out like crazy)... I re-hydrated some Safale 04 and re-pitched. No activity....re-pitched again 4 days later with even more Safale04 and aerated again for 30 minutes. No activity...

Anybody want to guess what happened?...Well, I checked the gravity today, its at 1.015, right on the money for this recipe. It must have fermented out in a day (usually takes 3-4 days of activity) and obviously should have checked the gravity before re-pitching.

Would the changes in water chemistry make a big difference in fermentation speed, or was it likely due to just getting a good pitch of yeast?

Since I re-aerated after fermentation will the beer stale quickly? I'm hoping that the yeast took up the oxygen quickly and won't have a huge impact on the final result. But I'm planning to be drinking this one quickly. (The hydrometer sample tasted fine).

[straight cash homey]

something happened, it didnt magically ferment. was there any sign of kraeusen? are you using an airlock, if so, there wasnt any bubbling? seems strange that it could have started and finished overnight. i dont know what to say, except to say that there should be a giant churning mass inside that carboy that produces lots of signs that something is happening in there. the tell tale sign should be the scum left on the inside of the carboy from the kraeusen.

[siwelwerd]

Also possible you just didn't have a good seal on the bucket, and hence no pressure.

I wouldn't worry too much about staling. Just keep your packaged beer in a cool, dark place until you put it in the fridge for drinking.

[PseudoChef]

I have used 1968 for 3 brews now and each time it has finished in sub 48-hour mark.

That said, if using a bucket, there could still be some type of leak somewhere.

[Quin]

+1 on the leaking buckets. I used buckets for about 3 years before switching to stainless. I would brew a 10 gallon batch and split between two buckets. One would bubble and the other wouldn't.

The next time, you might try sloshing the beer around so that some of it splashes on the underside of the lid. It will get sticky and help to seal it off.

[mudhut]

It was probably about 36 hours between pitching and checking the fermenter...and conditions were better for the yeast than in the past for me. Maybe I just missed it. I think it started at 1.045.

Leaking bucket...that's a new one for me. Normally I use a glass carboy...but I have a lot going at the moment so I picked up a bucket. I don't like them. Worth the extra money for a better bottle or glass. The big clumsy lid is a pain and I can't see what is going on. And now leaking... But it fits in the mini-fridge for fermenting lagers. And cheap.

Didn't open it up so I didn't notice if there was kraeusen, but there was the typical scum on the side of the fermenter... Anyway, its fermented out. I'll get it kegged up and chilled soon...can't wait to try it.

[bashcraft]

How did you add yeast 2 more times without opening it up?