1st batch ever - fermentation stuck!!!?

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jasolhe

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2012
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Location
cedar rapids
Brewers Best India pale ale
24 hours after adding yeast no bubbles in Airlock thingy.
Temperature reading on pale 64 degrees
Stirred heavily and moved to slightly warmer area i think

Anything else i can do?

I bought the kit and left contents in room temp for 3 months - delayed project. Yeast packet shouldn't be compromised? Realize i should have refigerated the hops. Yeast?

Wart was 70 degrees when added yeast. Just sprinkled on like instructions said and stirred a lot - didn't liquid prep the yeast beforehand as it seemed unneccesary in this kit...

Ideas? Is my batch junk? Help please for a newbie in first time effort.
 
Your yeast is not nearly as viable as it was when you bought the kit, but I would say it will still make beer. The reason for the long lag time is that the yeast need to propagate by consuming the oxygen in the wort then when the oxygen is gone it will start working on the fermentable sugars. The less viable the yeast the longer this process will take. Your batch isn't ruined and you definitely don't have a stuck sparge. It can't be stuck if it hasn't started right? Bubbles in the airlock aren't an indication of fermentation, but if you don't see bubbles within the next two days it may be an indication of yeast that was degraded to the point it couldn't ferment the wort. In that case, I would recommend simply repitching with fresh yeast.
 
thanks for quick response

I'll wait to the 72 hour mark, and check beforehand for bubbles - if no bubbles in airlock, i'll open the cap and check for foam and maybe even get another hydrometer reading. If that reading hasn't changed i'll re-pitch like you said.

Does that just mean buy another yeast packet (fresh) and pour it in?

wasn't expecting this reaction on the first go-round! good things don't come easy eh?

-should have mentioned that i broke my hydrometer while sanitizing - stupid I'm so cautious i can't believe i did that, anyway bought one next day and got my initial reading after 12 hours in fermenter - hopefully i didn't add too much water - did like the kit said (without guidance of the initial reading while adding water of course).
 
thanks for quick response

I'll wait to the 72 hour mark, and check beforehand for bubbles - if no bubbles in airlock, i'll open the cap and check for foam and maybe even get another hydrometer reading. If that reading hasn't changed i'll re-pitch like you said.

Does that just mean buy another yeast packet (fresh) and pour it in?

wasn't expecting this reaction on the first go-round! good things don't come easy eh?

-should have mentioned that i broke my hydrometer while sanitizing - stupid I'm so cautious i can't believe i did that, anyway bought one next day and got my initial reading after 12 hours in fermenter - hopefully i didn't add too much water - did like the kit said (without guidance of the initial reading while adding water of course).

Yeah, to repitch just means to add more yeast. I'm sure your beer will be fine if not exactly what you were expecting.
 
I brewed a few weeks ago with a bb ipa kit. Took about 2 days for an active fermentation to get going. I wouldn't worry too much, it should get kicking soon.
 
This site rocks - all beer drinkers are up late - happy to help - tomorrow night we shall see!

My goal is to become self dependent on all things.
Step 1 = beer. Never having to buy beer again, making my own, no taking cans to the redemption center, freedom!

Step 99 = Solar power and Geothermal Heating and Cooling lol
 
This site rocks - all beer drinkers are up late - happy to help - tomorrow night we shall see!

My goal is to become self dependent on all things.
Step 1 = beer. Never having to buy beer again, making my own, no taking cans to the redemption center, freedom!

Step 99 = Solar power and Geothermal Heating and Cooling lol

At the time of your posting it was 12:18 am where you are and that is simply not that late. Two nights ago I was up til 430 just drinking beer and hanging out on HBT.
 
Stirring after 24 hours and Moving Fermenter upstairs (temp went from 64 to 67) helped. Awoke to airlock bubble every 15 seconds.
What I question is whether or not any action was really needed. Next kit I get I guess will answer that.

_____________

**Do I have the differences between single and dual stage down? 2 stage basically adds 2 weeks to the process right?

**Also seems to be debate on 2 stage fermentation, many experts say its pointless (more work & more potential for the yeast to not have enough CO2 to finish its final cleanup stages in the secondary thus reducing quality of beer) unless you are doing an actual secondary fermentation or dry hopping/etc, but then again some still recommend it to get better beer taste as it filters out sediment better


Single Fermenter (ignoring this instructions maybe)
Within 4 - 6 days the bubbling will slow down until you see no more CO2 being released. When fermentation is complete (no bubbles for 48 hours), then prime mixture/bottle and leave 2 weeks to carbonate before drinking

2 Fermenters (following this maybe)
When the fermentation slows in Primary (5-7 days), but BEFORE it completes, simply transfer the beer into the carboy (add dry hops here is wanted) and allow fermentation to finish in the ‘secondary’. Leave the beer for about two weeks, then proceed to Bottling Day. Prime mixture, bottle, let sit another 2 weeks to let carbonation occur
 
I use a single fermenter. I use another only if I am dry hopping (IPA Rye PA's etc)
When you bottle prime you are basically completing a secondary ferment anyways.

After a while you are going to want to keg :)

Good job on Brew#1. I remember my first brew (Coopers DIY) I sat infront of the fermenter watching the action for about 2-3 hrs... lol
 
I am currently fermenting a Brewers Best IPA. I am using a primary fermenter and bottling after 3 weeks. You may be able to bottle after about 2 weeks, you'll just need to check that your final gravity falls between the ranges on the brewers beat instructions.
 
For a high gravity IPA I would wait 4 weeks at least. But thats just me. Bottling a high gravity IPA after 2 weeks just doesn't seem right to me, but thats just my preference. If the gravity is stable you can rack....
 
I won't transfer to secondary normally. From much reading on this forum I understand it is not typically needed.

Several people say that you need to leave it in Primary to 'clean up' off flavors from the yeast. From my readings, I understand that this could be due to several factors. I beleive it boils down to this: if you pitch the proper amount of yeast and control fermentation temps, there shouldn't be anything for the yeast to 'clean up'. Once you get a steady Hydrometer reading for 3 consecutive days , Fermentation is done and you can bottle. Please don't use bubbles as an indicator of when fermentation temps are done, keep Revvy happy:).

Clarification can be helped with Irish Moss or another additive of your choice while brewing, you can cold crash your beer before bottling, and your beer will clear as it's kept in the fridge.

3 weeks is the minimum ammount of time it may take for a normal gravity beer to become properly carb'd. Bigger beers need more time.

Several people will tell me where I am wrong and I appreciate it. That's how I learn. All this being said, I let my beers sit in primary for a long time because I am lazy, temps are tightly controlled, I end up cold crashing for a week or 2 before I keg or bottle, and I recently moved to a 10 gallon set up so my pipeline is full much faster than my wife and I can drink it.
 
Bubble every 2 seconds now at the 40 hour mark - upstairs in 70 degrees bathroom
I really wanted this to work in the basement which will bring it down to 64 degrees, not sure if I should move it now or just do this batch upstairs

couple other things to figure out:
disinfect bottling bottles?
next time - irish moss & water hardener?
dry hop figure out what kind to use, maybe do in primary (drop secondary altogether)
need refridgerate brew? leave in 64 degrees basement ok for a month max b4 consumed? - like to have 2 batches in constant rotation but fridge is only so big...
 
Dude....woosah. I don't know why but I read everything you posted as though you were freaking out. Read How to Brew and peruse the stickies on here. It will make you much more comfortable with the whole process. Also, go on YouTube and watch some videos.

disinfect bottling bottles?

Buy some Star-San or other sanitizer and make sure you sanitize your bottles. All the work and waiting of making the beer would be all for naught if you put it in dirty bottles.

irish moss?
depends on preference. I find that my beer is plenty clear without it

water hardener
not sure what you mean
dry hop figure out what kind to use, maybe do in primary (drop secondary altogether)
secondary is really your preference. I use one mainly to free up my primary.
need refridgerate brew? leave in 64 degrees basement ok for a month max b4 consumed? I would refrigerate bottles for at least a day before drinking after they have carbed up. If you are referring to fermentation, 64 is a pretty good temp for ales so you should be fine.
 
Bubble every 2 seconds now at the 40 hour mark - upstairs in 70 degrees bathroom
I really wanted this to work in the basement which will bring it down to 64 degrees, not sure if I should move it now or just do this batch upstairs

couple other things to figure out:
disinfect bottling bottles?
next time - irish moss & water hardener?
dry hop figure out what kind to use, maybe do in primary (drop secondary altogether)
need refridgerate brew? leave in 64 degrees basement ok for a month max b4 consumed? - like to have 2 batches in constant rotation but fridge is only so big...

A 70 degree room is really too warm, but not much you can do about it now as it's really too late to fix that. The flavor profile is set in the first 24-48 hours of fermentation, often before you see active signs of fermentation. Next time, keep it in the basement for fermentation.

For now, let it sit for two weeks and then check the specific gravity. Three days later, check it again. If it's the same, bottle it. No need to rack to a clearing vessel ("secondary").

don't add anything to your water, unless you have a complete water profile handy to know where you start. Just adding something to "harden the water" is like adding salt to a dish you haven't tasted to see if it's already salted. So don't do that, unless you know that you need to.

Once you bottle the beer, you want to keep it at 70 degrees or so for about 3 weeks. Once it's carbed up, you can store it in the basement. Put one or two (or five) in the fridge the day before you drink them, or a bit longer if you want.

Irish moss is fine in the boil. I use whirlfloc tablets- really the same thing but in a tablet form.
 
Bubble every 2 seconds now at the 40 hour mark - upstairs in 70 degrees bathroom
I really wanted this to work in the basement which will bring it down to 64 degrees, not sure if I should move it now or just do this batch upstairs

couple other things to figure out:
disinfect bottling bottles?
next time - irish moss & water hardener?
dry hop figure out what kind to use, maybe do in primary (drop secondary altogether)
need refridgerate brew? leave in 64 degrees basement ok for a month max b4 consumed? - like to have 2 batches in constant rotation but fridge is only so big...

- Star San or bleach work well for bottles.
- Irish moss will help the beer clear, but it is not essential.
- Why do you think you need "water hardener" AND what do you think "water hardener" is? Basically, if you are working on your first couple of brews I would leave the water alone minus a campden tablet to remove chlorine.
- I dry hop in my primary. Do some research (i.e. search function on HBT) regarding dry hop length.
- Once you bottle you will want to condition at room temp (64 will work) in order to carbonate. After that, start throwing one in the fridge to chill and test. Then it just depends on how fast you drink it :tank:
 
Yeah - fuk the secondary. I'm a man of efficiency. The glass courboy I bought can sit and collect dust.

Made a rookie mistake at the 24 hour mark - jumped gun on fermentation worries and stirred wort (didn't sanitize stir stick - it was brand new). Hopefully that didn't infect my batch - is it really that sensitive?

Instructions on kit:
In 4-6 days Co2 release slows down. Then take Hydrometer readings until 48 hours of no changes.
Then bottle for 2 weeks (may need another week or so depending on Temp/Style of Beer)

I'm not going to dry hop this batch. If I follow the kit instructions I'm looking at 6 to 8+ days in primary, then 2 to 4 weeks in the bottle.
 
jasolhe said:
This site rocks - all beer drinkers are up late - happy to help - tomorrow night we shall see!

My goal is to become self dependent on all things.
Step 1 = beer. Never having to buy beer again, making my own, no taking cans to the redemption center, freedom!

Step 99 = Solar power and Geothermal Heating and Cooling lol

Here here
 
well after 3 full days the fermentation has already peaked and is on the way back down...sometime in day 2 it was bubbling every 1 second, now its up to every 3 seconds... very nice aroma coming through the stopper if i put my nose up to it
 
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