Just curious

So it took me almost 4 days before I started seeing any bubbling in my primary. I made an extract brewing using a Pale and Amber Extract with Cascade Hops (for Bittering and Flavouring) and Fugles (for Finishing). Now it's been bubbling for almost 5 days.

Anyone see any problems with this? I'm used to a 2 day bubble and completion. I guess Im just really curious as to what's going on under the lid.

Cheers

Strange. What yeast did you use?

4 days of lag time before the first bubble seems a bit longer than I would have expected (certainly much longer than any brew I've ever made.)

However, 5 days of bubbling is not out of the ordinary. I usually get active bubbling for 3 to 5 days on my batches. Occasionally, I have one that takes 24 to 48 hours, but most are closer to 4 days.

-walker

Starter for your yeast?

BTW: SWMBO = danger

BTW: SWMBO = danger

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?

I used a dry yeast and, for my starter, I took 1/2 litre of my wort from the pot after 20 minutes of boiling, added the yeast to that, cooled to 75 degrees and added it to to Primary once complete. This is how I have been doing this so far, and this is the first time I've had this much bubbling action

jaymack said:

?

I used a dry yeast and, for my starter, I took 1/2 litre of my wort from the pot after 20 minutes of boiling, added the yeast to that, cooled to 75 degrees and added it to to Primary once complete. This is how I have been doing this so far, and this is the first time I've had this much bubbling action

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You might want to cool the 1/2 litre of wort to 75 degrees BEFORE you add the yeast to it.

Maybe by adding the yeast to the hot wort you killed most of them and only a few survived. So with only a few yeasties in there, that might explain the lag time in your fermentation. Just an Idea!

I'd lean towards a slightly lower fermentation temperature during the initial growth phase causing the problem. I use dry yeasts most of the time and have noticed that lowering the temperature at the beginning of the ferment by two degrees can slow the start by a day or more. I use Nottingham & Safale 04 and they both seem to like it around 75F until the bubbling starts.

Should be ok.

You might want to cool the 1/2 litre of wort to 75 degrees BEFORE you add the yeast to it.

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Sorry, I do do that now. I may not have made that clear.

What brand of yeast was it? I've used Nottingham, Coopers and Munton's and they've always taken off by the time I stumble outta bed the next morning.

The fact that I usually pitch at 78-80 might support David's theory.

Also, is there really any point in making your starter the same night you're brewing? doesn't seem like that would be enough time to make much difference at all. It'd rehydrate it, but that's it.

78-80 should actually start faster than a cooler starting ferm temp. anything below 80 is okay. i know of a couple brewpubs that pitch at are just below 80. good things to help shorten lag time = proper aeration, a healthy, large yeast starter, and proper temp range for the yeast being used. my lag time are about 4 hours. also, PROPER SANITATION.

DeRoux's Broux said:

78-80 should actually start faster than a cooler starting ferm temp. anything below 80 is okay. i know of a couple brewpubs that pitch at are just below 80. good things to help shorten lag time = proper aeration, a healthy, large yeast starter, and proper temp range for the yeast being used. my lag time are about 4 hours. also, PROPER SANITATION.

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That's my normal procedure. I pitch at between 75 and 80 and leave it there until I see activity. Then I bring it down to my firmentation temp. The first time I reported this, many folks questioned it. To my thinking, I wanted a fast reproductive stage. They start doing their work after they switch to their anaerobic stage.

White Labs recomends this procedure as well in their FAQ:

"At what temperature should I pitch Ale yeast?

The yeast should be pitched at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, 21.1 to 23.9 Centigrade. Once you see active fermentation, bring the temperature to the desired fermentation temperature. "

http://www.whitelabs.com/faq.html#home

billybrew said:

Also, is there really any point in making your starter the same night you're brewing? doesn't seem like that would be enough time to make much difference at all. It'd rehydrate it, but that's it.

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no, it doesn't make sense to make it the day you brew. the starter should be done the day before you brew, with the starter pitched at hugh kraeusen.

ScottT said:

The yeast should be pitched at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, 21.1 to 23.9 Centigrade. Once you see active fermentation, bring the temperature to the desired fermentation temperature. "

http://www.whitelabs.com/faq.html#home

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that works too, but i set my thermostat at the lower end of the yeast strains ferm temp range when i start brewing. i add it to the chest freezer set at 66-68 (depends on the yeast) and i get activity in 3-5 hours every time.