First Ever Batch yesterday (PM) - No action in my airlock

Worked up my first batch yesterday during the game, it was an ACME IPA Clone (North Coast Brewing), Partial Mash. Never home brewed before, so this was square one for me basically. My question - it's been 16 hours and there is no activity in my airlock.... Is this a problem or am I being impatient?

I'm sure this is a common problem, so sorry for repeating the question, but I wanted to give some specifics.

Here's some of my details:
Recipe Volume: 5 gal
Yeast Used: White Labs American Ale Yeast Blend - WLP060

My Wort produced about 3 gallons, then I topped it off in the fermentor with two gallons of tap water.

Sealed the lid and rocked back and forth (Aerated) for about 5 min, THEN pitched my yeast. Temp was about 80deg.
*NOTE* I noticed a big frothy head (krausen??) after I aerated, but before I pitched.
Pitched the yeast on top of it and sealed lid again and inserted airlock.
(Did NOT stir in yeast...should I have?)

Hydrometer Reader: Took this reading PRIOR to adding yeast
74 deg
Reading - 1.060, on the line

Anyway, its just hanging at about 70-72 deg right now, room temp. couple little condensation bubbles in the airlock...but really no other activity. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance for reading!

Good news is, I at least got to drink Pliny while I brewed and watched football.

Be patient. Yeast can take a while to get started.

My first batch took 32 hours before I got some airlock action and that was at 72 degrees and i did not stir in the yeast...it will come don't worry

Thanks a lot fellas, much appreciated.

The big frothy head when you shook it was just gas coming out of solution. Krausen develops when the yeast goes to work, and you were no where near that.

Anyway if you got some Oxygen in there and threw in some live yeast, it will all come together, don't worry.

I might just be paranoid but, when the lid for my bucket was new it had a lot of leftover plastic from manufacturing around where the gasket would fit. The leftover plastic was stringy and would go between the bucket and the gasket. I always wondered if this would make my bucket not seal correctly causing the airlock to not bubble. I had to take a razor and cut them off. I've never had stuck airlock since though. That being said, I wouldn't worry about it at this point. I would let is sit rather than risk an infection.

I'm jealous about the pliny. Been after that for a while.

Good luck w/ the brew!

Even if you never see the airlock bubble don't worry. I did three batches and only one bubbled (and man was it active) the other two only showed signs in the airlock by the water levels becoming imbalanced. I use the same two fermenters so I'm thinking it's just the airlock seal or something. The batch that bubbled I put the airlock in wet and the o ring was wet so maybe that's why it bubbled. Visible krausen is your best indicator.


Rev.

From my very limited experience, i have noticed that liquid yeast takes longer to start going nuts. All batches where I've direct pitched dry yeast start in less than 12 hours. No re-hydration, no starter. When I used the smack packs its always taken 24 or more. I pop them before i start heating my strike water so they are good and swelled up by pitching time. Not sure why or how that works, and perhaps it's oddly specific to me Just my .02 from what I have observed.

A couple things.

First, you should try to chill your wort to the temperature you want to be fermenting at. Lowering it to 80F is a lot of work, but you should really try to get it lower. It's too warm for most yeast.

Second, ther fermentation process generates heat of it's own. Typically between 3-5 degrees. So if your room is 70-72F, your wort is anywhere from 75-77F. That is too warm for your typical yeast.

Third, pitching just one vial of liquid yeast is considered underpitching for anything basically with an OG over 1.050. You should either pitch more than one vial or use a starter.

That being said, you'll still be making beer. It just won't be as good as your next batch. Lack of airlock activity doesn't mean nothing is happening. If you don't see anything after five days, take a hydrometer reading to see if anything is happening. If it is still at 1.060, consider repitching more yeast.

could also be a delay in fermentation activity if you did not use a starter for your yeast

also unrelated to the air lock (which doesn't mean anything as far as fermentation):

try to lower the temp for the fermenter if possible

if your ambient room temp is 70-72 the wort temp will probably be higher than than (people say 5-10deg on here)

72deg is the upper recommended limit from White Labs

Also about the smack packs, Ive had hefty fermentation within just a few hours after pitching.

Set it and forget it for a month.

Thanks a lot dudes, some great info for sure.

And an UPDATE:
House temp is at 69, Temp on Primary (per sticker thermometer) is 70/72, both numbers are highlighted, so I'm assuming it's close. The "bell" of the airlock is now being pushed up by one little bubble...about once every four or five seconds, and releasing a beautiful aroma....the smell of sweet sweet nectar of the gods... dammit that's good.

Two part follow-up question
1) How often should I be taking hydrometer readings
2) How exactly is this done? Just from the spigot on the primary? It's resting on the ground, so I'd like to not disrupt the bucket too much by putting it on the counter...I understand that keeping the beer still and quiet is best.

Thanks again... really really appreciate the help.
And as a token of appreciation, I offer up this photo of my favorite beer from back home



and a photo of my fridge



..looks like we'll be eating out again tonite...

Nice fridge!! Been meaning to try some stuff from Ska Brewing. Hopefully some day.

I typically will take a gravity reading at 7 days, then again at 21.

To take a gravity reading, you need to use a sanitized wine thief or turkey baster to pull a sample of your beer. Up until a few months ago, I was doing my gravity readings in the plastic tube that I got my hydrometer in.

Spigot?

Are you fermenting in a bottling bucket? If so do not use that spigot at all.

I usually just sanitize a cup and dip it in.

hmmm...yes it does have a spigot. Old boy from the beer store told me to ferment in this, and do secondary in a carboy (not pictured).

Bad idea?

You'll be fine but just remember there will be a couple inches of the yeast cake that will be right at the spigot so you really cant do much with the spigot. This also forces you to either secondary or move the beer to the carboy to clean the bucket then move it back into the bucket to bottle. You really just need an ale pale without the spigot.

I am in the *screw it* camp when it comes to hydrometer readings. I ferment in better bottles, so i can see whats going on. I generally pitch, wait for activity, then walk away for 4 weeks. This lets me make sure that everything is done and ready to bottle, beers look alot different when they are ready. The only caveat i have on that is if you are doing a big beer or one of those slower active yeasts (WLP400 im looking at you!).

Experience helps on knowing how long each yeast takes in your house under your conditions. If the ferment seems like it lasted as long as I expected it to I dont take a reading til 4 weeks in the primary. If the ferment seem to be done to quickly I take one to make sure it didnt stall.

i use my spigot to draw hydro samples. but not to bottle. i use an auto- siphon and take it from the top into another bucket w/ the priming sugar.
*shakes head* that is just me.

midfielder5 said:

i use my spigot to draw hydro samples. but not to bottle. i use an auto- siphon and take it from the top into another bucket w/ the priming sugar.
*shakes head* that is just me.

Click to expand...

Is the spigot above the yeast cake?

Welcome to HBT! Always, always, always use a hydrometer or refractometer to measure your gravity and determine if fermentation is taking place.