beer is in the bucket

so we cooked some beer last night. dumped in the fermenter bucket. Woke up and to my dismay, the airlock is not bubbling. should i worry? ive read that sometimes it could take 24-36 hours for the fermenter to start actively bubbling. if its not bubbling by tommorow what should i do?

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First, make certain it in the correct temperature range for the yeast. If it hasn't started working in 48 hours, pitch more yeast. No problem. I keep packets of dry yeast around for just this reason.

As long as you can remember whether or not you actually pitched the yeast, I wouldn't worry. Relax and have a hair of the dog.

yeah i remember pitching the yeast. i also proofed it and it was nice and foamy when i dumped it in. i cracked the lid and took a gander at it, and there is a layer of foam on top of the fermenting (hopefully) wart. is this a sign of slow but sure success? oh by the way, it is at a relatively constant 68 degrees.

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p.s.

if i have to repitch yeast, does this extend the total primary fermentation period to make up for the first couple days of not fermenting?

Yep that layer of foam is proof it's working. You're making beer.

Sounds like you're in business. If the fermentation gets going and you still don't have much / any airlock activity, they your lid isn't creating enough of a seal, and the CO2 is leaking out.

sweet. no hair of the dog for this guy. had a few last night with some friends who came over to watch me burn my house down as they said. i must say i had a great time cookin the wort though. there was an awesome aroma throughout the house.

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Last time I had foam on my warts, I visited the Doctor!

subwyking said:

there was an awesome aroma throughout the house.

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Last time I brewed I was thinking to myself that only poetry could begin to describe the wonderful smells (I was drunk or course). Today I made a starter and an hour after everythings cleaned up SWMBO is complaining about the smell. I think I'll send mine up to OK to visit relatives too.

i went and checked the lid, pushed down on the edges all the way around and the air lock started bubbling!!! i guess the lid wasnt sealed all the way. hope my beer didnt catch HIV

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Your beer is fine...as long as the CO2 is escaping out, nothing is getting in.

by the way all the bottles we emptied last night, i soaked them in bleach water for about an hour then peeled the labels off and scrubbed them vigourously. will i have to go through this same procedure again when its bottling time, or can i just give them a quick rinse and bottle away?

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You'll get varying opinions on that. Some would say a quick rinse (in hot water), some would say dunk em again in a no-rinse sanitizer. Personally, after soaking in bleach I rinsed the hell out of mine, then dipped em in Iodaphor...but I may be a little anal.

El Pistolero said:

You'll get varying opinions on that. Some would say a quick rinse (in hot water), some would say dunk em again in a no-rinse sanitizer. Personally, after soaking in bleach I rinsed the hell out of mine, then dipped em in Iodaphor...but I may be a little anal.

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I think you can leave A LITTLE hell in them. When I last bottled, I filled my bottling bucket to the top with bleach water and let it sit. Then I used that water to fill my bottles while I brushed them out. When all were filled, I dumped out my bucket and refilled with water and Star San. I dumped the bottles, then filled with the Star San water and dumped right back into the bucket (to conserve).

I'm on my 4th premature Kolsch, and they all have tasted fine. I think you have to be conservative in the amount of bleach used, as it's far more powerful than most people think.

thanks for the advise. my fermentor stopped bubbling...... or the bubbles are too far apart for me to notice... what should i do? get more yeast and repitch? it only it stopped bubbling sometime last night between midnight and 6 a.m. this morning. that means it was only going for about 16-20 hours.... im worried. please advise..

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anyone got any advise? i gotta go to the hbs soon if i need more yeast...
should bought a couple packs.... idiot...

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i think you'll be fine. no need to add more yeast.

I've had fermentations finish in less that 24 hours before.

Relax, don't worry....

-walker

your always here to save the day walker. i appreciate it. i just read your post on being nice to the frugal brewers. great stuff. i feel your pain being the sole provider for my wife and new born daughter. the fact that my paycheck comes from the air force too ensures that there is little if any left at the end of the month.

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i'm just always here... period. I can try to ruin your day if you want some variety?

My best to you and your family.

-walker

is there ever a circumstance where someone would have to re-aerate the fermenting wort? like just shake it up again to make sure its all mixed up?

walker - and to you and yours

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You don't want to actually aerate it at this point, but many people will "rouse" the yeast. ie; swirl the fermenter around a bit, or stir the beer with a sanitized spoon/racking-cane to get everything into suspension again.

This can sometimes remind the yeast that there is work yet to be done.

-walker

thanks alot. i might try that later. not sure if i want to risk opening the bucket though or just give it some swirlin.

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well i sanitized a spoon rinsed it, carefully took the lid off the bucket and slowly stired the beer. placed the lid back on popped the airlock back in, and in 10 seconds it was happily bubbling away. thanks walker.

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