Fermentation help, day 3 and still no bubbling through airlock

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SilentT

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Hello everyone,

I am new to brewing and have just made my first batch of beer, I hope.

I got a True Brew Black Lager kit and it has been in the vessel for 3 days now with NO sign of bubbling through the airlock.
I started it in my garage where the temp was 42 degrees but with the cold front that just moved in and dropped temps to below freezing I moved the bucket to the mini fridge with the temp on low.

It has now been 3 days and no activity, I checked and the bucket is sealed.

Any advice? I'm starting to panic!!!!!
 
What is the temperature of the wort and what is the suggested temperature?

There is a decent chance the wort is offgassing CO2 and it is leaking out somewhere besides the airlock.
 
First off...what yeast? And how much did you pitch...lager yeasts will work a bit more slowly, but those temps are pretty cold for even a lager strain.

Second, take a gravity reading to confirm lack of fermentation. Airlocks are not a reliable indicator..
 
Airlock activity is not a good indicator of fermentation. Gravity readings are the only way to know for sure. What is the type of beer and what yeast did you use? 42 seems low for an Ale Yeast.

EDIT: Just saw that this was a lager...What JLem said ;)
 
The yeast was in a packet and it is: fermentis S-23 lager yeast and I pitched the whole packet as directed


I haven't opened up the bucket yet to take a temperature or hydrometer reading, should I? Will that harm anything?
 
I've found that the manufacturer's website is the best resource on yeast and the optimum fermentation temperatures.
As I'm sure you know, "below freezing" is too cold! With the minifridge on low, what is the temperature? I'm assuming it is still way too cold! My minifridge, even on "high" doesnt' get above 42 degrees!

Here's the info on S23: http://www.fermentis.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SFG_S23.pdf

Since the fermentation temperature starts at 53.6, up to 59 degrees, I'd say that you're WAY too cold for fermentation to begin, and then to continue. It must be brought to at least 54 degrees or so.
 
You can get a thermostat on your fridge. People use them for keezers. Just set the temp and put the probe in the fridge. It will keep the fridge running only at the temperature you designate. Once the yeast is in the right temps, give the tub a shake and it should wake up the yeast and get things moving!
 
Ok and update, but advice still needed.


It has been 5 days now since brew day and there was still no activity in the airlock. I couple of days ago I pulled the bucket inside and it regulated its temp to about 58ish and has been there for about 48 hours.

I opened the bucket to observe what's going on and take a hydrometer reading.

On top it was big foam and froth and greenish grass clipping looking thing and pretty much looked like where swamp thing would live (sorry I don't know the technical terms), so clearly something is happening.

I tried to take a hydrometer reading but I couldn't tell where the froth ended and the liquid began so I was unsuccessful.

So I gave it a stir and put the top back on.

This Sunday will have been a week since brew day, any advice on next steps?

Thanks!
 
I have the same problem now brewing coopers lager beer kit and light mail extract in airlock fermenter , brewing in ac room 20 degrees C. After 3 days fermentation becoming too slow nearly stop. I am also panic. Anyone does any help how to do now
 
SilentT, I would gently move the "swamp thing" aside with a sanitized spoon and take a gravity reading. Three readings the same (every day/other day) and it's okay to bottle. Generally the krausen/swamp thing http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plik:Krausen.jpg drops to the bottom. As you might've read here, three weeks in the primary and then three weeks in the bottle is a good rule of thumb.
shibao123, 20° C is a good fermentation temp. Some brews have a beginning fermentation that is very active and then slows down. No need to panic.
 
petey_c said:
SilentT, I would gently move the "swamp thing" aside with a sanitized spoon and take a gravity reading. Three readings the same (every day/other day) and it's okay to bottle. Generally the krausen/swamp thing http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plik:Krausen.jpg drops to the bottom. As you might've read here, three weeks in the primary and then three weeks in the bottle is a good rule of thumb.
shibao123, 20° C is a good fermentation temp. Some brews have a beginning fermentation that is very active and then slows down. No need to panic.

Don't forget that these are lagers...so fermentation times and temps will be different. 20C is much too warm for s lager yeast (and even for most ale yeasts in my opinion). Lagers should be fermented cool, then lagered even colder for several weeks, then bottled...so the standard ale schedule doesn't really apply.

As for taking a hydrometer sample...sanitize a measuring cup and scoop out about 1/2 a cup of beer. Fill your hydrometer tube and test it in there. Then drink the sample
 
Ok things appear to be fermenting well, krausen is funky and airlock is bubbling and ill take another hydrometer reading to make sure things are going well.

Now I have to decide what's next.

I've read several opinions about using a secondary and I can't decide if it is the best thing to do or not.mi was hoping for some more opinions.

So should I put it in a secondary and age it cooler ( remember is a black lager) or just keep it as is, any insight would be appreciated! Thanks!
 
Ok new problem.


I took a hydrometer reading and Initially it was 1.048

And now it's 1.2

Shouldn't it be dropping? What gives?
 
Ok new problem.


I took a hydrometer reading and Initially it was 1.048

And now it's 1.2

Shouldn't it be dropping? What gives?

Yes, that's wrong. ;)

Seriously, its user error, your gravity isn't 1.2 Did you let the sample sit for a while, to get rid of any CO2 that was in it? Or perhaps you misread the hydrometer.
 
I'm guessing its a typo and the reading is 1.020 (a common place for extract brews to finish), not 1.2 (that's like 25 lbs of extract in a 5 gal batch).
 
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