Stout fermentation issue

Last week I made a chocolate stout. First time with this type of beer. Given that I have never had too much trouble with fermentation starting (and that I don't typically care about calculating finally ABV), I did not take an original gravity reading.

I set my primary up in its typical spot in my basement, temp right around 70, and left it. Because I got busy, I did not check the next day to see if the airlock was "bubbling."

3 days later, I remember to go check... and I don't see any sign of fermentation. I know that bubbling out of the airlock is not always necessary per se, but I don't even see any sign of pressure expansion into the airlock (i.e., some air being pushed up into the airlock). After 3 days, I would expect something even if it's not actively bubbling. I put a "brew belt" on the primary to warm it up and see if that would help. One day later, it still looks the same.

I opened the lid and I do see some of the wort/hop residue on the side of the primary just above the wort line, which I think could indicate that there was some activity.

Does it sound like the fermentation was a bust? Any ideas on how to check? I would take a gravity reading, but since I didn't get an OG reading (my bad), I'm not certain if getting a gravity reading now would make any sense (or how I would interpret it).

This is for a friend of mine who hasn't had a beer in 8 months because she is pregnant, and she loves chocolate stout, so I wanted to make a good post-pregnancy gift for her. Any help is appreciated!

If you see a krausen ring, fermentation has occurred and it is over. In a 70 degree room, the beer could have easily been 10 degrees warmer at the peak of fermentation, and an 80 degree fermentation can finish overnight.

Take an SG reading and see if it is done, but it sounds like it is.

It's not too late.
Enter your recipe in Brewsmith or Brewers friend aling with your temps for mashing ect...
You will get an idea of what your OG and FG should have bern.

Thanks. Good ideas. Yooper, what range should I be looking forfor SG?

dkrueger84 said:

Thanks. Good ideas. Yooper, what range should I be looking forfor SG?

Click to expand...

It depends on the recipe, but if it's under 1.022 or so, it's likely done.

Some stouts have unfermentable ingredients, like lactose, and that adds points to the FG (9 points for a pound), so it could be anywhere from 1.008-1.022 or so, most likely 1.010-1.014 (again, depending on the recipe).