quick question on 1st batch -- disappearing bubbles

Hi there. I just started my first batch (of many, I hope) this week, and just found this forum today. I have a lot to learn and a lot of posts to read, of course, but I figured I'd start learning by doing, so I followed the kit instructions for a batch of pale ale.

One concern is that the bubbles in the airlock didn't last as long as the instructions said they would. They appeared after only a few hours (to my astonishment!), but stopped after about a day and a half, not the 48 to 72 hours I was expecting. Is this a problem? One concern is that wort may have been too hot when I added the yeast. I didn't know to be concerned about that: The instructions just said to make sure it was less than 90 degrees, which it was...but just barely. Then again, the fact that fermentation apparently happened seems like a good sign.

I plan to bottle on Friday. What can I look for to reassure myself? The hydrometer that came with my kit arrived broken, so I don't have one of those. Should I get one before bottling?

Thanks so much,
Ken

Fermentation can still be going on even if you see no action in the airlock. It's an inexact way to gauge fermentation. Most would recommend that you check if fermentation is done by using a hydrometer. Yes, I would wait to bottle until you get a hydrometer. You want to make sure you get close to your target gravity before you bottle or you could end up with bottle bombs.

I am a relative noob myself but I have learned that you may just be better off waiting 2 weeks before transferring to bottle keg. You want to give the yeast an opportunity to clean up after themselves. If you bottle and consume to early you will end up with off flavors. I only gave my first brew two weeks before i kegged and then another week for aging and I was flagging down a troop of monkeys with the off flavor/aroma that had been produced by my impatience.

Your beer is fine. My recommendation is that you leave it in the primary for at least two weeks. If you have a secondary/carboy I would rack the brew to it after two weeks and let it sit there for at least another two weeks. Your best bet if you don't have a secondary would be to leave it in the primary for 3 or 4 weeks and then bottle. Let it age/carbonate in the bottle for 3 weeks at 70 degrees.

Again, I am a noob but I have spent probably 3 to 5 hours a day on this forum for the past 2 and a half months. This seems to be a safe way of doing things from what I have gleaned. It's what I do now in most situations and it's working good for me.

My advise to you would be to move to a secondary or let clear for 1-2 weeks before bottling. And YES get a hydrometer before bottling. Make sure the readings are the same several days in a row before considering bottling to be sure your brew is done fermenting...otherwise a Kaboom could happen. Also remember that the air lock will lie to you. Alot of time a wort will continue to ferment even if the air lock has stopped bubbling. Most of the time this is caused by the Co2 escaping via other small leaks in the lid. Trust your hydrometer...not the Air lock. Happy brewing!

I'd absolutely get a hydrometer before bottling. Go ahead and order a new one and leave that beer in the primary until it arrives. Once you get a new hydrometer, check your SG for at least three consecutive days. If the reading doesn't change then it's safe to bottle.

Also, I meant to say that your fermentation is done when you hydrometer reads the same thing two or three times. For instance, you check it on Friday, Sunday, and maybe Tuesday and the reading is the same or within 1 or 2 points (and near TG). Then your fermentation is done.