The one time I don't use a starter.....

[MilesDavis]

....I get a non-start.
Here's the recipe, shooting for 3 gallons:
3-32 oz (by weight) jars of Smucker's strawberry jam. No sorbate or benzoate preservatives.
2-375mL bottles of E.D Smith's strawberry syrup. No sorbate or benzoate.
1 lb. honey.
"Soup" of three large ripe bananas.
9L water
5tsp. acid blend to bring TA to .5% (after letting the pectic enzyme work overnight, and checking s.g.)
1.5 tsp. yeast nutrient.
1.5 tsp. yeast energizer.
3 tsp pectic enzyme.
1.3 g K-meta.
Montrachet
S.G. of 1.084

I added the yeast using the instructions on the package instead of using a starter, which I usually do.
24 hours and couple of good stirs later, nothing. Not a single bubble. Room temp has varied between 68 and 72 degrees.
Right now, I have a starter on the counter with another packet of Montrachet. If that doesn't get it going, I'll try EC-1118.

 

[rob]

What's the time frame on all this

 

[MilesDavis]

I pitched the yeast over 24 hours ago.

 

[rob]

Oh relax, you don't always see bubbles and 24 hours is a very short time, I have gone 3 days before I see a bubbles that does not mean it is not working, do you have a hydrometer?

 

[MilesDavis]

do you have a hydrometer?

I've accumulated three of 'em so far.

All of my other batches have been bubbling away within a few hours, so this one kinda threw me. I have a roiling starter going now. I'm gonna chuck it in in a couple of hours.

 

[rob]

Everything looks normal, watch it It doesn't have to bubble but if you look close in a few days you should see movement in the surface....is this in a bucket?

 

[MilesDavis]

Yeah, open top fermenter.

 

[jamesngalveston]

what yeast did you use

 

[MilesDavis]

I used Montrachet. Last night around 11:00, I pitched a starter using the same yeast, and it's bubbling away quite nicely now.
Starters will be the order of the day on everything but Apfelwein from now on.