Fermintation....slow??

I am brewing a Coopers IPA....on 5 days and no bubbles....the temp is about 20 degrees Celsius with a brew belt on. The lower temp I would think it should be a slower fermentation process...but does anyone have any sense if something might be wrong??

20 C is actually plenty warm. I wouldn't do very many (if any) ales over that temperature. I'm sure it's fine, but if you really want to know you can always check a SG sample and use your hydrometer to make sure. That's the only way to know if there is any fermenting going on, unless you see visual evidence like krausen.

Thanks. Just not used to it being this slow. This is the 4th batch I have done, different types....did a wheat beer that fermentation was ferocious.

rich1852 said:

Thanks. Just not used to it being this slow. This is the 4th batch I have done, different types....did a wheat beer that fermentation was ferocious.

Click to expand...

Ah, but because of the protein content of the wheat, wheat beers are kind of reknown for explosive fermentations. Just keep it under 20C or so, and wait it out! At lower temperatures, I've had some very nice "clean" tasting beers, and I usually ferment my ales at less than 17C.

5 days is a long time with no activity,
What kind of yeast did you use,
Are you in a bucket or carboy
What temp did you pitch in at?

In a the Coopers kit container (plastic 6 gal bucket).

I used the yeast that was included with the Coopers IPA kit, small packet that you empty in after everything is mixed.

I believe it was pitched at about 22 degrees C.

rich1852 said:

I am brewing a Coopers IPA....on 5 days and no bubbles....the temp is about 20 degrees Celsius with a brew belt on. The lower temp I would think it should be a slower fermentation process...but does anyone have any sense if something might be wrong??

Click to expand...

Dark_Ale said:

5 days is a long time with no activity,
What kind of yeast did you use,
Are you in a bucket or carboy
What temp did you pitch in at?

Click to expand...

You should never rely on the bubbling or lack of on a cheap chinese plastic airlock as a "fermentation Gauge," it's not...It's an airlock, nothing more, a VALVE to release excess CO2, to keep from blowing the lid off the fermentor...If it's not bubbling that just means that there's not enough CO2 to climb out of the airlock, or the CO2 is just forming a nice cushion on top of the beer like it's supposed to, or the airlock is askew, or it is leaking out the cheap rubber grommet, or you have a leak in the bucket seal...all those are fine...if CO2 is getting out then nothing's getting in....

Over half of my beers have had no airlock activity...

The only gauge of fermentaion is your hydrometer.

More than likely your fermentation is going nicely at it's own pace but for a dozen possible reasons your airlock isn't bubbling...simple as that. Get out of the habit of thinking it is a precision instrument and you will find you are less worried...

Read this, then take the advice in there...
http://blogs.homebrewtalk.com/Revvy/Think_evaluation_before_action/

I am glad you posted this question, I am brewing my first batch of English brown ale and the airlock is slowly bubbling, and I thought I did something wrong. I guess I was expecting tons of bubbling through the airlock. Thanks so much, I feel better now.

Check your lid seal as stated above and the seal around your airlock, and possibly if you can dont use the yeast that comes with the kits, use another dry yeast.

I have not used canned extract in a while, but last I remember the yeast was in the lid, in a packet, not refrigerated. And could be old...But thats just my opinion....Good luck