Fresh Ginger prevents Fermentation?

Hi all. Last Saturday I brewed a batch of ginger peach cream ale. It's all-grain, the OG is 1.056. This is my second batch. For the first batch I added 2oz of ginger root to the end of the boil, and by the time I got to kegging there was no ginger flavor left.
So I figured this time I'd push it to the next step and added 2oz of fresh grated ginger to the primary (in hindsight it should obviously have been secondary but I was thinking of filtering out all the ginger along with the trub), then I pitched the yeast (Safale 04) w/yeast nutrient directly to the wort. Still nothing as of this morning. As a test I drew some of the wort off and added a Munton's packet I had sitting around. I got a little lethargic bubbling but nothing that resembled krausen. I can't find anything that tells me the ginger would kill off the yeast, but I'm at a loss otherwise. I'm thinking of reboiling and repitching. Thoughts anyone?

I make ginger ale (the soda) with tons of fresh ginger and a pinch of yeast, so I'm sure that's not your problem.

I'm guessing your yeast is just slow. No need to reboil, but if it doesn't start by later today you can pitch a fresh package of yeast.

What's the current SG?

YooperBrew said:

What's the current SG?

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Yeah, that

I'm sure it's not the fresh ginger - my ginger ale used 6oz of fresh ginger in the boil and 2.5oz in the primary, and it still fermented out to 1.002.

-Joe

Huh; ok I feel like an idiot. This BSOM but the SG is at 1.016. Lid's tight and the airlock's tight, maybe a black hole under there? Either that or it all took off the first night and I missed the initial bubble gratification. I use buckets for primary so I couldn't see any action. Maybe I'll have to switch to glass. Or maybe it's still fermenting in a different dimension. I've never seen a primary complete fermentation that quickly though.

danderson42 said:

Huh; ok I feel like an idiot. This BSOM but the SG is at 1.016. Lid's tight and the airlock's tight, maybe a black hole under there? Either that or it all took off the first night and I missed the initial bubble gratification. I use buckets for primary so I couldn't see any action. Maybe I'll have to switch to glass. Or maybe it's still fermenting in a different dimension. I've never seen a primary complete fermentation that quickly though.

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Aha! Just as we suspected!

That's why it wouldn't ferment when you added the munton's yeast to a sample- it bubbled a little due to nucleation points when you added it, but fermentation is done.

It's pretty common that this happens, actually. It even happens to me, that's why I asked what the SG was.

I ferment in buckets and LOVE them- I even bought two more last week of the gigantic 7.9 version. I never, ever, have a blow out (or blow off) because I have plenty of headspace and it makes adding things to the fermenter (like dryhops) easier, and taking samples easy. So, if you like using the buckets don't stop just because of airlock activity.

I've had some fermentations ferment out completely in 24-48 hours, while some others take a full week. Usually, I see activity of some sort, but not always!

The problem is that you are giving waaayyyyy too much importance to airlock bubbling, NOT that there is anything wrong.

Get out of the habit of thinking the airlock is anything other than a vent to release excess co2 and you will be much happier. Your beer/cider/wine/mead will ferment whether or not the airlock bubbles.

If your airlock was bubbling and stopped---It doesn't mean fermentation has stopped.

If you airlock isn't bubbling, it doesn't mean your fermentation hasn't started....

If your airlock starts bubbling, it really doesn't matter.

If your airlock NEVER bubbles, it doesn't mean anything is wrong or right.

Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2. And the peak of fermentation has already wound down, so there's simply no need to vent off any excess co2.

As you confirmed when you actually used the one true "fermentation Gauge," your hydrometer.

he only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....

Thinking about "doing anything" without taking a hydrometer reading is tantamount to the doctor deciding to cut you open without running any diagnostic tests....Taking one look at you and saying, "Yeah I'm going in." You would really want the doctor to use all means to properly diagnose what's going on. It's exactly the same thing when you try to go by airlock....

You'll be much happier if you get out of that habit...you will find that fermentations rarely don't take off...In fact I've never had a beer not ferment. BUT half of my fermentations, spread out across 9 different fermenters, never blip once in the airlock.

Thanks guys - you're right on all points. Just took me by surprise because that's the first batch in 3 years that did that to me. Lulled into a false sense of airlock security. Off to discover my next bad habit!

Revvy said:

In fact I've never had a beer not ferment. BUT half of my fermentations, spread out across 9 different fermenters, never blip once in the airlock.

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Really? Are you fermenting in a bucket or carboy? How much dead space you have in there? I've never ever had an airlock not bubble. Vigorously at that.

I'm not saying that's the only thing to pay attention to, obviously, I always check gravity after several weeks, but I'm surprised you have so many fermentations never affect the airlock

moti_mo said:

Really? Are you fermenting in a bucket or carboy? How much dead space you have in there? I've never ever had an airlock not bubble. Vigorously at that.

I'm not saying that's the only thing to pay attention to, obviously, I always check gravity after several weeks, but I'm surprised you have so many fermentations never affect the airlock

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I've told this story 10,000 times, I have nine different fermenters, carboys, buckets, etc.....and statistically over the years it's about 50% either way..but I've never had a bad fermentation. That's enough proof for me about the fallacy of relying on airlocks...And I've seen waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy too many new brewers, who when they actually take a grav reading, realize that their fermentation is happening just fine. Despite what their airlock is doing.

Hence the blog, based on thousands of threads just like this one, only with that feedback from the op that their beer was indeed fermemnting.......So you're not gonna change my tune on it.....

Revvy, I think your missing the point. Yeah, measuring FG tells the real story, but we all know, watching the bubbles is WAY more fun!


Seriously, Revvy is spot on. It's all good. We get to make tasty fermented beverages and enjoy them. Those yeast are very focused and it takes a LOT of effort on our part to screw them up. Let em work, and we get glorious elixers to enjoy.

Is it odd that I get disappointed when Revvy DOESNT chime in on an airlock issue? It makes me smile every time I read one of his airlock rants! His rant was one of the first things I read when starting out here, and it has stuck with me from day one!

Revvy said:

I've told this story 10,000 times, I have nine different fermenters, carboys, buckets, etc.....and statistically over the years it's about 50% either way..but I've never had a bad fermentation. That's enough proof for me about the fallacy of relying on airlocks...And I've seen waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy too many new brewers, who when they actually take a grav reading, realize that their fermentation is happening just fine. Despite what their airlock is doing.

Hence the blog, based on thousands of threads just like this one, only with that feedback from the op that their beer was indeed fermemnting.......So you're not gonna change my tune on it.....

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Sorry dude, I'm not on here enough to follow all of your posts, I have no idea how many fermenters/carboys/buckets you have. I just (legitimately I think) find it surprising that 50% of your fermentations show zero airlock activity.

I've done a lot of ferementations too, I have 5 different carboys that are often going at once, and I've never had one fermentation that showed zero airlock activity. Of course its a fallacy to have new brewers looking ONLY to airlock activity for signs of fermentation. But I also think it may be a bit misleading to suggest to new brewers that you can routinely expect every other fermentation to show no airlock activity at all.

If I saw no airlock activity on one of my ferementations, I wouldn't freak out thinking that fermentation wasn't happening, but instead I would wonder about the possibility that my fermenter is not currently air-tight. But this is given my conditions - a fermenter that I know is well sealed when using the correct size rubber stopper and ~1 - 1.5 gallons worth of head space. That's why I asked you about your particular conditions. Anyway, not attacking anyone's process in the least, these are just my thoughts on the issue.

Bump for still being interested in this 50/50 breakdown. I'm still curious about your conditions.