No fermentation after 4 days

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AmberChris

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I brewed the True Brew IPA kit on friday 6/12. It is now Tuesday and no action in the airlock. I understand that the airlock should not be a gauge of fermentation however this is my 3rd batch and I have not ran into this problem. I believe the problem was I did not make a yeast starter for the dry yeast. I figured it would take longer to get started but it would not be a problem. Will I have a problem pitching some new liquid yeast? If not which would you guys think would be a good choice for an IPA??? Thanks
 
Well, I didnt use it to begin with I usually use it at the end of the conditioning process before I bottle to make sure I have reached the desired reading so I would not know the difference of when I started. I can take one now, where should I be at more or less to know if fermentation is moving along?
 
No action in airlock means nothing. The yeast have probably done the majority of the reproduction/hard work already and are settleing down for the long haul. Wait another week and do a hydro test and see where it's at.
 
Ok, I feel a little relieved, I popped a little peek inside and I can see a significant amount of trub that has gathered on the rim of the bucket maybe 4 inches above the wort. I guess fermentation did get started I'll be patient with this one and see what happens. Thanks!:mug:
 
Quick!!!! someone get the tranquelizer gun and hit REVVY with at least two darts. Now son, if your gonna post questions about fermentation on here your gonna have to use a hydromeder. Otherwise REVVY will have to be put away(again). And Yooper may stab you in your sleep. Just freindly advice.
 
Yep. Without using your hydrometer, you don't know what the yeast have been up to and what they're doing now. Take a reading right before you pitch your yeast, then if you run into this situation you can take another sample and see if it's changed. That's the only way to tell. Them yeasties might just be in stealth mode, ya know.
 
If you know that "bubbling in the airlock is not a gauge of fermentation" why haven't you mastered the other part of the sentence; but your hydrometer is?";)


The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in.....

I have 9 different fermenters and have been brewing for a few years, and OVER HALF OF MY BEERS NEVER HAVE ANY BUBBLING IN THE AIRLOCK AND THEY ALL TURN OUT FINE!

Fermentation is not always "dynamic," just because you don't SEE anything happenning, doesn't mean that anything's wrong, and also doesn't mean that the yeast are still not working dilligantly away, doing what they've been doing for over 4,000 years....

You can't know if you have fermentation or not uless you take a reading....

So, get out of the idea of using "airlock bubbling" as a sign of fermentation, you have to realize that airlock activity is not an accurate indication of fermentation...an airlock is a vent for excess co2, nothing more...and half of my beers never bubble.

Read this for why arilock analysing is useless, and what is the only gauge of ferementation...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/1217925-post3.html And there is a link to my blog in there as well....

:off:I really still don't get why new brewers are so scared of their hydrometers....they'll dump their beer, they will repitch yeast, they will panic...but the WON'T grab the one and only diagnostic tool that can tell them what is going on inside their fermenter? Az_ipa, have you figured this mystery out yet???:tank:
 
Hydrometer is the most important tool for measuring fermemtation. Hydrometer is the most important tool for measuring fermemtation. Hydrometer is the most important tool for measuring fermemtation. Hydrometer is the most important tool for measuring fermemtation. Hydrometer is the most important tool for measuring fermemtation. Hydrometer is the most important tool for measuring fermemtation. Hydrometer is the most important tool for measuring fermemtation. Hydrometer is the most important tool for measuring fermemtation. Hydrometer is the most important tool for measuring fermemtation.
Lesson learned guys! I'll go ahead and retreat and lick my wounds but come back stronger.:tank:
 
Not to add more fuel to the fire but I was in the same situation recently. I bought a new fermentation bucket and lid threw a batch of pale ale together (for SWMBO) and for 3 days now no bubbling from the airlock. Weird my other bucket always does. Anyway read up here and as hard as it was I trusted that it was fermenting (not wanting to open and check just yet trusting it was doing everything it was suppose to.) So today I was pondering going to get some more yeast (which I should have) and I thought again it has to be fermenting. I turned around and figured I would check it first plus it saved me 65 mile round trip. Long story short I never checked it with my hydrometer but did find out my lid leaks somewhere. Pushed down on the lid so the airlock rises and watched it slowly lower back down. Figured no need to check now since I know there is a leak in the lid will check in a couple of days. Plus the whole time I can kind of see thru the bucket and it looked like it was fermenting.

Noob here and when you are new at something if something dosent seem like it has gone like the last time is not an indication of really something wrong. Trust what you read here there are more people with more knowledge then you will find anywhere else.

As a noob I would like to thank everyone for their info.
 
Noob here and when you are new at something if something dosent seem like it has gone like the last time is not an indication of really something wrong. Trust what you read here there are more people with more knowledge then you will find anywhere else.

This is not fuel on any fire...this is actually one of the most important lessons...That no two fermentations are ever the same.

Never assume that because something is happening differently, that there is something wrong.

Something to remember is that with yeasties, you are dealing with living creatures...every fermentation is different...you can split a batch in half put them in 2 identical carboys, and pitch equal amounts of yeast from the same starter...and have them act completely differently...for some reason on a subatomic level...think about it...yeasties are small...1 degree difference in temp to us, could be a 50 degree difference to them...one fermenter can be a couple degrees warmer because it's closer to a vent all the way across the room and the yeasties take off...

Someone, Grinder I think posted a pic once of 2 carboys touching each other, and one one of the carboys the krausen had formed only on the side that touched the other carboy...probably reacting to the heat of the first fermentation....

I've found that you should never assume anything where the yeasties are concerned except that they are in charge...not us...and they've been doing this beer making stuff for 5, 000 years...so basicially we just need to trust them, and not bug them...and give them plenty of time, and they will make us very very happy.

Relax..It's really hard for your beer not to turn out.......it surprises us and manages to survive despite what we do to it...

:mug:
 
This is not fuel on any fire...this is actually one of the most important lessons...That no two fermentations are ever the same.

Never assume that because something is happening differently, that there is something wrong.

Something to remember is that with yeasties, you are dealing with living creatures...every fermentation is different...you can split a batch in half put them in 2 identical carboys, and pitch equal amounts of yeast from the same starter...and have them act completely differently...for some reason on a subatomic level...think about it...yeasties are small...1 degree difference in temp to us, could be a 50 degree difference to them...one fermenter can be a couple degrees warmer because it's closer to a vent all the way across the room and the yeasties take off...

Someone, Grinder I think posted a pic once of 2 carboys touching each other, and one one of the carboys the krausen had formed only on the side that touched the other carboy...probably reacting to the heat of the first fermentation....

I've found that you should never assume anything where the yeasties are concerned except that they are in charge...not us...and they've been doing this beer making stuff for 5, 000 years...so basicially we just need to trust them, and not bug them...and give them plenty of time, and they will make us very very happy.

Relax..It's really hard for your beer not to turn out.......it surprises us and manages to survive despite what we do to it...

:mug:


+100

This hobby we have we like to think we are in control. The yeasties are actually the ones experimenting! Seeing how bad we can screw up and mess them up and they still make beer. We are just observers that intefere with every opportunity!
 
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