exactly why to NOT always trust your airlocks

so i made a 10 gal batch of cream ale. i fermented in 2 buckets, each with 5.5 gal of wort and 1 hydrated pack of us-05. the clip is of the to carboys on the second day-no activity on the left and lots on the right. they each had identical krausens (about an inch from the top) but the airlock on the left never bubbled....could have been a leak, the airlock not working, who knows. after 14 days in the primary they were both at 1009 FG. just goes to show, if there is no activity in the airlock its not always a problem.
http://s78.photobucket.com/albums/j120/eagleface/?action=view&current=0503091505.flv[/URL

Unless you had a buttload of headspace in the pale on the left, I would think that would mean you have a leak somewhere, the co2 has to go somewhere. Not a big deal if you only do primaries but may wanna look into it if you ever use it as a secondary for anything.

pizzaman said:

Unless you had a buttload of headspace in the pale on the left, I would think that would mean you have a leak somewhere, the co2 has to go somewhere. Not a big deal if you only do primaries but may wanna look into it if you ever use it as a secondary for anything.

Click to expand...

no headroom, they both had 5.5 gal. i dont use buckets for secondaries-i have glass for that if i do it at all. i wasn't worried about it at all during fermentation, i was more posting this to show some of the more anxious beginners (i used to be) that its possible to have a leak and not to bug out when there is no airlock activity.

Maybe this thread should be a mandatory read for all newcomers.
-Me

JoeMama said:

Maybe this thread should be a mandatory read for all newcomers.
-Me

Click to expand...

my intention was kind of along those lines...RDWAHAHB or whatever it is :cross:

I almost NEVER get airlock activity of my primary bucket. I used to peak in after 4 days or so to make sure there's krausen. Now I just assume there will be a big old nasty ring when I take my first reading around day 21.

I had the exact same thing happen with two identical buckets. It turned out that the lid on one was minutely open. Just a little snap off being sealed, bt it appeared properly closed. Luckily, like you, I knew not to panic.

Laughing_Gnome_Invisible said:

I had the exact same thing happen with two identical buckets. It turned out that the lid on one was minutely open. Just a little snap off being sealed, bt it appeared properly closed. Luckily, like you, I knew not to panic.

Click to expand...

yesssir. i even kegged the batch that didnt bubble first just for the hell of it and its delicious

Off topic, Defenestrate. That's a word that I had totally forgotten about for the last 25 years or more!

I get that every time I brew. I never get a single bubble through my airlock. I've thought about just sticking an undrilled stopped in the hole instead. No worries at all.

Laughing_Gnome_Invisible said:

Off topic, Defenestrate. That's a word that I had totally forgotten about for the last 25 years or more!

Click to expand...

and to think, i'm not even 25 yrs old i learned of it from a friend of a friend who enjoyed reading dictionaries. its fun to tell people you would like to defenestrate them and see the looks you get.

defenestrate said:

and to think, i'm not even 25 yrs old i learned of it from a friend of a friend who enjoyed reading dictionaries. its fun to tell people you would like to defenestrate them and see the looks you get.

Click to expand...

I just told the girlfriend about it. Got one of those looks you speak of

On topic, using wyeast 1099 bubbling usually ends (or significantly slows) in 2-3 days but upon hydrometer readings, active fermentation occurs for another 5-7 days after that. Don't trust that little lying jerk perched on top of your bucket/carboy!

I have 3 bucket setups and one of my lids never bubbles, while the other two. I have this one marked and just use it for beers that i rack after a week or so.

Reno_eNVy_446 said:

I just told the girlfriend about it. Got one of those looks you speak of

Click to expand...

Welcome to my world.

Is it me or all the folks that say they never get the bubbles are using buckets? I would venture to say most get activity in the air lock with carboys?

HellenicHomeBrewer said:

Is it me or all the folks that say they never get the bubbles are using buckets? I would venture to say most get activity in the air lock with carboys?

Click to expand...

Probably. Those buckets really do need a good hard smack on the noggin to seal them properly.

A leaky lid does no harm, it just denies that visual confirmation that something is doing the jiggy thing.

I never got bubbles in my bucket until I did my hefeweizen, then I almost had an exploding bucket and got to learn how to make a quick blow off tube. But the first time, I was concerned, but now I know better.

HellenicHomeBrewer said:

Is it me or all the folks that say they never get the bubbles are using buckets? I would venture to say most get activity in the air lock with carboys?

Click to expand...

Laughing_Gnome_Invisible said:

Probably. Those buckets really do need a good hard smack on the noggin to seal them properly.

A leaky lid does no harm, it just denies that visual confirmation that something is doing the jiggy thing.

Click to expand...

usually you have a little more headspace in the bucket, too, ( arent they 7.5 gal?) than in a carboy.

Good job with the video...I will even after everyone else forgets refer people to the video along with everything else I cut and past or link them to!!!

you just made my day! Nice Job!!!!

Revvy said:

Good job with the video...I will even after everyone else forgets refer people to the video along with everything else I cut and past or link them to!!!

you just made my day! Nice Job!!!!

Click to expand...

well im glad i did something productive on my day off i think i may take it one step farther and put it in my sig...ohh boy i just might.

I already posted a link to your thread in one of the "my airlock is not bubbling, is my beer ruined" threads!

excellent, cheers time for another pint.

You are my hero. Thank you for posting this.