Question: True Brew Beer Ingredient Kit

Hello -

This is my third batch. On Sunday 2/1/09 I brewed a True Brew Beer Ingredient Kit (Bock). I guess this would be considered "partial mash" perhaps due to the crushed grains?

Anyway - I pitched the yeast (dry yeast packet) that came with the kit. It is now 5 days later and i haven't witnessed any bubbling out of the airlock like my other two batches.

It is about 68 degrees in our house. I put a small space heater in the room where the fermenter is located to increase the temp to 72 - still no bubbles. If i depress the lid - it will bubble. I have done this a few time and now the internal piece of the 3 piece airlock show no sign of "rising back to the top"

Question: Should I be worried? Can I do something about it? What should I do?

Thanks for all the help.

JPowell

Yeast could be old, what yeast is it?

Did you take an OG reading before you pitched?

Is there Krausen?

The airlock may or may not indicate activity.

This isn't partial mash. You are steeping those grains, not mashing, so it's Extract + Specialty Grains.

This Bock uses ale yeast, right? If it's lager yeast, then you're way too warm. 0202's advice about checking the hydro sounds good.

jpowelle5 said:

Hello -

This is my third batch. On Sunday 2/1/09 I brewed a True Brew Beer Ingredient Kit (Bock). I guess this would be considered "partial mash" perhaps due to the crushed grains?

Anyway - I pitched the yeast (dry yeast packet) that came with the kit. It is now 5 days later and i haven't witnessed any bubbling out of the airlock like my other two batches.

It is about 68 degrees in our house. I put a small space heater in the room where the fermenter is located to increase the temp to 72 - still no bubbles. If i depress the lid - it will bubble. I have done this a few time and now the internal piece of the 3 piece airlock show no sign of "rising back to the top"

Question: Should I be worried? Can I do something about it? What should I do?

Thanks for all the help.

JPowell

Click to expand...

Did you rehydrate your dry yeast in some warm water before pitching? Also, did you properly aerate the wort? How hot was your wort when you pitched the yeast? I am not familiar with the kit you are using, but if you didn't rehydrate, pitched too hot, or didn't aerate, (or use expired yeast) then there may be a problem. If I were you, I would pick up your carboy and give it a good shaking for aminute or two to get some 02 in there.. Somtimes that start fermentation..

Thanks for all the responses and correction.

Note to self - Extract w/ specialty grains... (-:

OG Reading was 1.050. The range was supposed to be 1.054 – 1.059 or something like that. All I know for sure is that I fell short of the range it stated on the paperwork.

There is krausen or at least what I think is (foamy top, kind of nasty looking stuff) Note: smells like beer (I opened the top to sneak a peek)(hope that didn’t cause any problems)

Nottingham Ale Yeast was the brand. No I didn't hydrate the yeast in warm water (forgive my ignorance) I didn't know that was supposed to be done.

Wort was aerated – I ran it through a strainer when pouring it from the kettle to the fermenting bucket – plus I stirred vigorously before pitching the yeast. Oh I pitched at 75 degrees.

I use a plastic bucket for primary and a carboy for secondary – should I leave it alone or transfer to the carboy?

There is krausen or at least what I think is (foamy top, kind of nasty looking stuff)

Click to expand...

Therefor, it is fermenting. 95% chance the lid isn't tight enough.

I'd take a gravity & leave it alone for a few more days.

Nottingham and most other dried yeast work better re-hydrated, but this isn't absolutely necessary. You lose about 50% of the yeast cells pitching directly.

Most likely a loose lid. I have two plastic bucket type primary fermenters and they have different lids. I will check when I get home. If I used the wrong lid do you recommend when I take the gravity reading switching out the lids (sanitize first) of course?

david_42 said:

Therefor, it is fermenting. 95% chance the lid isn't tight enough.

I'd take a gravity & leave it alone for a few more days.

Nottingham and most other dried yeast work better re-hydrated, but this isn't absolutely necessary. You lose about 50% of the yeast cells pitching directly.

Click to expand...

Is that true?

Well here is the update:

Arrived at home, removed the lid, took the gravity reading. OG was actuall 1.060, new reading was 1.022 so I guess something wonderful happened. I sanitized the correct lid, placed it on w/ a new sanatized airlock and YES it is bubbling.

Thanks to all for the advice, suggestions, and info.

Jp:rockin:

Something tells me Revvy is having a little chuckle. Glad to hear all is well.