Ginger Beer- no action

[MissA]

Hello,
This is my first ever kit without help from my dad, so please, bear with me.

I have made a ginger beer purely from a kit. (Thought there was no reason to mix it up the first time).
There was a little bit of movement in the bubbler/ airlock in the beginning but it just seems to have stopped.
I thought maybe I could activate some more dried yeast I have in the kitchen and chuck that in.

Thoughts?
Is a ginger beer very slow to start? It's been in about a week now and it's still slow.
Is it too early to check the alcohol content and see if anything is happening.

TIA.
Sally.

 

[Luxo_Aussie]

G'day Sally,

Did you take a gravity reading at the start? If so, you could take another reading now to see if it's fermenting or otherwise. Open up the fermenter, you might have an infection (check for sour / bad odour stuff growing) - if so then it might need to be tossed. It wouldn't be the best idea to use kitchen yeast - this would create some adverse flavors. Is the fermenter in a warm location - it should be 16-22 degrees.

If there's the right temperature, still no activity & no infection, then first try giving the fermenter a swirl and waiting. If still no luck, then hydrate some fresh brewers yeast and add in some dry malt extract or yeast nutrient to try to kick things off!

Best of Luck!