Fermentation can take 24 to 72 hrs to show visible signs. - Page 9

cglkaptc · 02-04-2008, 05:16 PM

Hi all,

I just made my first batch on Saturday, and all went fairly well. The OG was right on, and everything else went as expected.

Well this morning I checked the fermentor, and it is not bubbling. I thought at around 24 hours it was supposed to start bubbling. Does this mean that something went wrong, or that it is not fermenting?

Any help would be appreciated.

(I could just be overly anxious)

**bradsul** · 02-04-2008, 05:25 PM

It can take up to 72 hours for fermentation to begin depending on certain conditions. Check out this sticky, it should cover all your questions/concerns.

Congrats on the first batch! You'd better start a second quickly, that first one doesn't last long!

EamusCatuli · 02-04-2008, 05:50 PM

Yeah no worries, it can take a while but there is no reason to be concerned! Even if it goes past 72 hours you may still be okay and have options to take care of it. One day is nothing

cfos · 02-04-2008, 07:50 PM

I'm at about 1.5 days without any action in the airlock after pitching at about 4:45pm on Saturday (First timer -- using an IPA kit; dry yeast -- I rehydrated it in 6 oz of spring water at room temp for about 15 min before pitching).

I'm trying to remain patient although am considering picking up some extra yeast when I go to the brew store this afternoon -- just in case I'm still not getting anything on day 3 and yeast is pretty inexpensive. If I get additional yeast and I don't use it for this batch, how long will it remain viable? Should I freeze it (if in liquid)?

In other news, I haven't opened the lid of my bucket, but... I think I can see some krausen (sp?) at the 5 gallon mark when I turn on the light in the room. Is this just wishful thinking or can people really see this through a white bucket? Hoping for the best and thanks for all the useful posts!

**Yooper** · 02-04-2008, 07:53 PM

Don't freeze your yeast! Putting it in the fridge is best. It will last a long time in the fridge. They have "best by" dates on them, so try to purchase the ones with the latest date on them.

You might be able to see krausen forming through the bucket- I hope it is because that will mean it's fermenting!

cfos · 02-04-2008, 08:09 PM

Thanks for the advice on (not) freezing yeast. Not sure where I heard/read that. I'm still hoping that there is fermenting going on, but don't mind spending a fiver in case I need to re-pitch.

CurtFlood · 02-05-2008, 12:27 AM

I brewed my first batch last Thursday (4 days ago), and took great pains to follow all of John Palmer's advice in How To Brew (awesome book btw). I made an Irish Red Ale, and when rehydrating the dry yeast I used water that was about 100 degrees F. I then aerated the 70 degree wort really well before adding the rehyrdrated yeast, but I saw zero activity in the airlock after 60 hours. So...being a nervous mother hen I went to the LHBS and bought some wyeast and added that to my primary. The airlock was bubbling 12 hours later, so I'm happy to say the least.

My main question is this: Did I kill the yeast by rehydrating it at 100 degrees? I could have sworn Palmer's directions were to add it to heated water and cover for 20 minutes.

thanks

sliprose · 02-06-2008, 12:44 AM

I was a getting a bit nervous today (Tues) with an Amber Ale that I brewed on Saturday morning. No airlock activity at all since going in the fermenter. I thought I had aerated okay when racking from the kettle to the fermenter by splashing the siphon tube on the sides of the bucket. I used dry yeast, pitched directly onto the wort once it reached 75 F.

Going through my head were things like I should have made a starter, I should have at least rehydrated, I could have aerated better, so many things I should have done, but didn't....

After about 80 hours of no airbubbles in the airlock, I finally broke down and opened the bucket prepared to repitch. Sure enough, there was a ring of krausen on the sides and some still on the top - great sign. Took a gravity reading and the wort had dropped from 1.056 on Sat. to 1.022 on Tuesday night. Things appear to be going fine despite the lack of airlock activity.

Lesson learned 2 fold:
1) don't count on the airlock as a sign of fermentation
2) make a starter (or at least rehydrate)

Now I can relax and enjoy a homebrew.

**DeathBrewer** · 02-06-2008, 12:46 AM

Quote:

don't count on the airlock as a sign of fermentation

QFE

make sure that lid is sealed nice and tight, too

sliprose · 02-06-2008, 02:48 PM

Good point, DB.

I had thought of a loose lid, too. I made sure that the lid was properly sealed during the fermenting, by pushing it down on the edges. It was a bit** to get off when I opened up - so it seemed to be on tight. Checked the airlock seating, too. Still no bubbles. Don't know what else I could do there except add a rubber gasket to the lid. Never heard of anyone doing this one, though.

Now I have 2 lids and 2 buckets, and I can't be sure that I ever had this lid/bucket combo before, so maybe this combo didn't seal well?