Help with Fermentation Issues

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Otter

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I brewed Jamil's Chocolate Hazelnut Porter last Sunday (2/15), and my OG was 1.059. About Midnight, I pitched a 2L starter of WLP001-California Ale, that I started on Saturday morning. Monday morning, about 8am, I noticed activity in the airlock and the beginnings of some krausen. My carboy has been in my freezer, set at 65F.

Tuesday night, I checked the gravity and it was 1.040. There wasn't any activity in the airlock, that I could tell. Around noon today, it was still at 1.040.

I have always just shaken my carboys to aerate. I usually get pretty vigorous fermentations, and typically hit my FGs.

How long should I wait before I take drastic action? Any ideas about what action I should take?
 
1) Airlocks do not measure fermentation, hydrometers do. Use each for its intended purpose
2) Leave it for a week. The yeast will figure it out themselves most likely.
 
1) Airlocks do not measure fermentation, hydrometers do. Use each for its intended purpose
2) Leave it for a week. The yeast will figure it out themselves most likely.

Yeah, I'm sure everything is fine...if it had some krausen is happening regardless of whether or not the airlock blurps...
 
I'm using my refractometer and hydrometer and I'm still coming out with 1.040.

I only look at my airlock to see if it's bubbling or not; I usually take the gravity to determine whether it's done or not.

I have a packet of Safale S-33 that's been in my brew stuff for a little while, does anyone know about that dry yeast. I could pitch it, and see if it gets anything going. I have some Red Star Champagne yeast, but I don't think that's the best thing to use in this situation.
 
just leave it alone, i wouldnt add any other yeast to it, this is a very heavy beer, ive brewed it several times (big fan of porters), it gets going with bubbles in the airlock and nice kraus, then BOOOOM kraus. gone, no airlock activity..... its fine dont worry, if you transfer your brew to a secondary i would wait a good 14 days in the primary before doing so..... theres alot of ingredients in this recipe so if you plan on drinking it soon youll be verry unhappy, this brew will need time to mellow out a bit after you bottle it, looking back on my notes: i let mine sit in the primary 18 days, secondary for 20 days and after 52 days in the bottle it was pretty mellow and tasted awsome... i cracked a bottle at 21 days and it was okay but still very green.... hope this helps....

ohh, add your little bottle of Hazelnut flavoring to the secondary, about a day before you bottle, ive had better results doing this....just my opinion.....
 
1) Airlocks do not measure fermentation, hydrometers do. Use each for its intended purpose

They don't "measure" fermentation but they are a very good indication that fermentation is happening since C02 is a byproduct of it. If you don't have a leak that C02 can be escaping from, your airlock is not bubbling, and your gravity is staying the same...I think it is pretty safe to say fermentation has all but stopped.
 
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