SO this is like my 10th batch, first partial mash. It was a Belgian Wit with Wyeast 3944. Bag swelled and used AHS yeast nutrient per directions. Didn't have enough time to do a starter so I just pitched one bag with yeast nutrient. Today I checked the airlock and no activity at the 18hr. mark. shined a light on the out side of the bucket and it looks like there was some krausen that rised and fell. My question is what happened? Did I... 1. Have a leak and that's why there's no airlock activity? 2. Get an infection even though I'm super meticulous? 3. Just have a super fast fermentation?? Thoughts and advice what to do?
Airlock activity??
- Thread starter Tilldeath
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Wait for a couple more days and your beer will be fermenting just fine.
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Tilldeath
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patience is a virtue, that's what I figure, but I would think with the nutrient and healthy yeast it should have started quicker, although I'm used to under 12hr. start times and it's possible that the lag is due to a lower OG than I'm used to. thanks for the advice
Frank99
Well-Known Member
Do you use an anti-foaming agent such as Fermcap? I ALWAYS use this and get very little visible activity but always full attenuation. The only way to tell is to wait and take a gravity sample. I've had brews that actually showed NO activity and they came out great. This is one benefit of using a starter as you can be sure you're yeast is healthy and ready for the big dance.
iron_city_ap
Well-Known Member
Push down a little on the lid. Did it cause the airlock to bubble? If so, no leak. If you have a little cheap vodka in the airlock, having a little suck back into the beer won't be an issue.
I would just be patient with it. I've had a couple that took a little longer to start up, but they turned out fine.
I would just be patient with it. I've had a couple that took a little longer to start up, but they turned out fine.
ChshreCat
Well-Known Member
Could just have a long lag time due to underpitching, or you could have had a very fast ferment (especially if the temp was a little warm). Do you have a hydrometer? If you do and really want to know what's going on, take a sample and check the gravity. If it's still high, you're in lag time. If it's low, then you've had fermentation. Either way, no need to sweat it.
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wholesalehops
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I had the same issue once with the smack pack in a wheat beer as well. I just pitched after the bag filled up. It sat for a week no bubbling, I thought maybe the airlock was bad but it was not by the end of it, I thought it smelled so bad I threw it out. If you want to pull the lid off and see if there is foam inside then it's working. The bucket lids are notorious for improper sealing. I have also had problems getting it fermenting if it's to cold or fluctuation in temperature. If you didn't properly aerate it that could be an issue as well.
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Tilldeath
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K so a little update, I think it was the lid not sealing, cause even though I got it to bubble when I pressed on it, I had zero airlock activity. Being impatient at the 48 hr. mark I decided to sanitize my sample tube for my refractometer and pop open the bucket. As I slowly pealed open the lid I saw a hefty Krausen and sealed it back up with out taking the reading. Now it's just a waiting game, but here's where I have one last question. First time brewing a belgian wit and I know they are typically meant to be drank young, I also know that people who bottle are going to have that beer sit in bottles 2+ more weeks than if I kegged at the same time. My question is will my beer be any better giving it that extra 2 weeks in the primary? Or should I just give it the 3 weeks I planned on and then transfer to the keg and set it and forget it to carb? Thanks again for easing my concerns. 
jeffmeh
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K so a little update, I think it was the lid not sealing, cause even though I got it to bubble when I pressed on it, I had zero airlock activity. Being impatient at the 48 hr. mark I decided to sanitize my sample tube for my refractometer and pop open the bucket. As I slowly pealed open the lid I saw a hefty Krausen and sealed it back up with out taking the reading. Now it's just a waiting game, but here's where I have one last question. First time brewing a belgian wit and I know they are typically meant to be drank young, I also know that people who bottle are going to have that beer sit in bottles 2+ more weeks than if I kegged at the same time. My question is will my beer be any better giving it that extra 2 weeks in the primary? Or should I just give it the 3 weeks I planned on and then transfer to the keg and set it and forget it to carb? Thanks again for easing my concerns.
You could keg it as soon as it hits final gravity, but 3 weeks to keg, set and forget, will work fine, even for the wit. That tends to be how I do things as well, so it must be right.
First, a bucket can have a leak small enough to prevent the airlock from bubbling, and yet it will bubble when you push on it.
I had the same problem with one of my buckets. I thought no activity, so I popped the lid and looked inside, and it looked like there had been Krausen, so I took a whiff and burned my nose on the CO2.
I'm sure it's fine. I replaced the lid with a new one, because even though I know the airlock is not supposed to be used to determine fermentation activity, I still like to see it bubble.
I had the same problem with one of my buckets. I thought no activity, so I popped the lid and looked inside, and it looked like there had been Krausen, so I took a whiff and burned my nose on the CO2.
I'm sure it's fine. I replaced the lid with a new one, because even though I know the airlock is not supposed to be used to determine fermentation activity, I still like to see it bubble.
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Tilldeath
Well-Known Member
You could keg it as soon as it hits final gravity, but 3 weeks to keg, set and forget, will work fine, even for the wit. That tends to be how I do things as well, so it must be right.
Yeah I just typically give my beer at least a total of 6 weeks in primary or in conjunction with a secondary to help clear and let the yeast clean some of the less desirable flavors and another 2 in the bottles. So 3 weeks seems rushed but I'm new to kegging and as long as my beer doesn't suffer any ill effects at 3 weeks, I guess it just means more time for brewing!
