airlock not bubbling

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epistrummer

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I started my brew on Sunday and it started bubbling within 24 hours, at a rate of about 3-4 bubbles per minute. But last night it was no longer bubbling. I put a different airlock on it but still nothing. Is this normal?

FYI, ambient temp is 63-65 F, the bucket feels cool to the touch, everything appears to have sealed properly. I haven't been tampering with it at all except to try a new airlock. Any thoughts?
 
The lack of airlock activity should not concern you. It is more likely than not that your beer is happily fermenting away without creating enough CO2 to cause airlock activity.

What size batch did you brew? What is the capacity of your fermenter/carboy? Which yeast did you pitch? Did you make a starter?
 
Don't sweat it!
Airlocks are not a good way to monitor fermentation. give it another 5 or so days and then check the gravity. Assuming you get a reading close to your target FG then check it for 2 or 3 subsequent days. If the reading stays consistent then you are good to go.
BTW, what did you brew?
 
I brewed a 5 gal batch of Thomas Cooper's IPA extract kit. I used the yeast that came with it. My equipment is a Brewer's Best startup kit. I pitched yeast at 74 degrees F...and it is sitting in my spare room at 63-65 right now. Just wondering why it started to bubble then quit.
 
You got all the action from the start because of the temperature that you pitched at. Some yeasts love 70-75 temps if the yeast they provided is in this category then you have it working just a little slower and as said in previous just not creating enough Co2, but still working none the same. Be patient and let it work. Do not pull the airlock any more unless you are taking a gravity reading.
 
cxchef said:
You got all the action from the start because of the temperature that you pitched at. Some yeasts love 70-75 temps if the yeast they provided is in this category then you have it working just a little slower and as said in previous just not creating enough Co2, but still working none the same. Be patient and let it work. Do not pull the airlock any more unless you are taking a gravity reading.
Click to expand...

that makes sense. should I bring the beer back into the kitchen so the yeast will be more active or should I leave it where it is at 63-65 degrees?
 
I put a different airlock on it but still nothing.
Click to expand...

:drunk:

Did you check the batteries on the original airlock? You can get a little more juice out of the factory batteries by licking them.

I would also check the flux capasitor on the original airlock to make sure it is set to detect CO2 production down to the microloompfa level. It may be on the macroloompfa setting where it only knows to bubble at higher levels of CO2 production, and can't detect the lower pressure levels.

You may also need to hook it up to your computer and run the diagnostic check. You may need to completely recalibrate it. If you have a newer one (post 2011, check the born-on date), they'll only run off USB 3.0, so you may need a new computer.

If none of that works, you probably have a Chinese model, and should start saving up to invest in one that is made in Michigan. That model will run you about two-fiddy.

Kidding of course! They are all made in China :ban:
 
TopherM said:
:drunk:

Did you check the batteries on the original airlock? You can get a little more juice out of the factory batteries by licking them.

I would also check the flux capasitor on the original airlock to make sure it is set to detect CO2 production down to the microloompfa level. It may be on the macroloompfa setting where it only knows to bubble at higher levels of CO2 production, and can't detect the lower pressure levels.

You may also need to hook it up to your computer and run the diagnostic check. You may need to completely recalibrate it. If you have a newer one (post 2011, check the born-on date), they'll only run off USB 3.0, so you may need a new computer.

If none of that works, you probably have a Chinese model, and should start saving up to invest in one that is made in Michigan. That model will run you about two-fiddy.

Kidding of course! They are all made in China :ban:
Click to expand...

My airlock doesn't have a flux capacitor, but I licked it anyway.
 
After being on this forum for about a month now, I'm starting to relax, not worry so much, and letting brews sit longer in primary, secondary, and the bottle, as I wait, and drink my homebrew;)
 
scurry64 said:
My airlock doesn't have a flux capacitor, but I licked it anyway.
Click to expand...

LMAO! But seriously, I dropped a grand on a solar powered one and haven't had any problems since :drunk:
 

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