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With any luck it might start before that <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: -->

Thanks very much for the offer, hendrixcat, I think I'll try to get to a health food shop later today (there's one in Newbridge) and pick up some brewer's yeast there - actually, it may be gettable in a chemist?? I didn't realise the wort could spoil, or rather spoil so quickly!

Edit, I wonder if I got some of these capsules and took the contents out of them?
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I've never seen brewer's yeast available anywhere except a home brew provider. The yeast in those tablets is most certainly dead. Yeast happens to be high in B vitamins and certain minerals and that's why it is sold in health shops.

The wort will spoil eventually because it is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria which will metabolise the sugar and produce nasty smelling stuff. This doesn't happen if the fermentation kicks off because the sugars are used up and the wort becomes acidic.

It might yet come to life, though.

And don't trust a bubbler. They wont bubble if there is a leak in you cap. If the wort has formed a brown foamy head then it's fermenting. You will also see a layer of dead yeast forming at the bottom of the fermenter.

I got some more yeast from The Homebrew Company and chucked it in about an hour or so ago. Looks like there's a slight skim of foam forming on the top now. I hope I've saved it...!

Thanks all for your help and encouragement.

Update - there's positive pressure in the fermentation vessel, so something's definitely happening!

Yep, it's definitely happening! Decrease in hydrometer reading of about .01, which is what, about 1% alcohol created? And a big foam of stuff at the top - seems like we're in business. Anything I should be looking for in tasting at this stage?