stopped fermenting

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grrtt78

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i know it is bad if the beer is not fermenting but what if it stops too early? I brewed it two days ago and it started fermenting after about 18 hours after i put it in the primary. i checked it the next day and there are no bubbles in my airlock. could something hav gone wrong and it stopped fermenting or do i have to worry at all if it has already started?
 
Is it in a bucket? The lid could be not fitting tight.
Is the airlock dry?
What was your fermentation temp? If it was relatively high, fermentation could be done.
What was the starting gravity? A smaller beer could be done already.
 
it is airtight. when i push on the lid the airlock bubbles (which is full). could it really be done after only two days? it got a little cooler but i dont think it got so cold to stop it entirely. i just cant imagine its ready after two days.
 
i just looked in and there is a ring around the sides. is taht the krausten(or watever its called) ? does that mean it fermented? would there be a problem leaving it in a little longer just in case or should i rack it to the secondary already? if i leave it how much longer should i leave it? also there is like some stuff on the top. its looks like yeast or something floating on the top.. is that bad?
 
thats what i thought i would o i just wanted to make sure it wouldnt hurt the beer. just let it sit in the primary for a week, no bubbles in the airlock, and it wont b bad?
 
No, it won't be bad as long as you stop peeking inside! Every time you open it, you run the risk of contamination. You really should get a hydrometer in order to determine when fermentation is complete.
 
i only looked once which took alot of self control! haha! i dont really kno how to use a hydrometer
 
grrtt78 said:
i only looked once which took alot of self control! haha! i dont really kno how to use a hydrometer
Good for you as far as self control! I know how tough it can be - I have the least patience of anyone I know. If someone told me there was a way to brew beer and drink it (finished) the same day, I'd be the first to try!

As for hydrometers and your lack of knowledge about them, that's what we're here for! A hydrometer measures the specific gravity of a liquid. Simply put, it measures the density, or "thickness," of said liquid. The more fermentable sugars are dissolved in your wort, the higher the specific gravity. As the yeast digests those sugars into alcohol, the specific gravity drops, since alcohol is much less dense (or "thinner") than water. When the specific gravity stops decreasing, fermentation is complete. It's helpful to measure the original (starting) gravity of your beer (SG or OG) to determine if you've gotten good results from your brewing. It's also helpful to measure the final gravity (FG) to determine if you have a stuck fermentation, how well the yeast performed, and the alcohol content of your beer.

A hydrometer is very easy to use - simply float it in some liquid! The reading is taken at the liquid level on the side of the hydrometer. The "thicker" the liquid, the higher the hydrometer will float. The temperature of the liquid will impact the reading as well. Most hydrometers are calibrated for 60 degrees F. There are conversion charts/formulas for correcting the reading for temperature if your sample is not at 60.
 
thanks for the info. i wrapped it in a blanket and i now get a bubble about every 25 seconds.
 
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