Airlock activity Q..

Hello,

So, I finished up my first brew on Saturday (Brewers Best Dunkelweizen) and all went well.
Sunday morning the airlock was bubbling every few seconds
*perfect*
This morning, the same, every few seconds..
Came home from work and no activity..

The tank temp was 71* late Sat/Sun and when I checked it tonight it is reading 68-67* which is not outside of what I have read for acceptable fermentation temps.

any suggestions? pitch a new round of yeast if activity continues to show nada?!

TIA!

Brian

BrianAngers said:

Hello,

So, I finished up my first brew on Saturday (Brewers Best Dunkelweizen) and all went well.
Sunday morning the airlock was bubbling every few seconds
*perfect*
This morning, the same, every few seconds..
Came home from work and no activity..

The tank temp was 71* late Sat/Sun and when I checked it tonight it is reading 68-67* which is not outside of what I have read for acceptable fermentation temps.

any suggestions? pitch a new round of yeast if activity continues to show nada?!

TIA!

Brian

Click to expand...

That sounds about right! Active fermentation can go pretty quickly, and I've had beers ferment out completely in 24 hours!

I'd leave it sit for at least another week or two and then check the specific gravity to make sure it's done. It should be ready to bottle in two-three weeks.

I'm no expert, but the vigorous stage of fermentation may already be over. The only way to really tell is to take a gravity reading.

its fine. don't mess with it. RDWHAHB and all that. this really surprised me the first time it happend, but it does happen alot. just let it sit in there and clean up for a while.

Fermentation is determined by the drop in specific gravity...

Before you decide to pitch yeast and what not, take a gravity reading and see if it's dropping over time... chances are the beer is fermenting... it just slowed down due to the decrease in temperature...

Watch this video... Airlock Stopped Bubbling...

...ok so thats a little relief! I thought I messed something up for sure.

I wanted to transfer it to a carboy for the second week. Should I give it a week then and take a SG reading?

B

BrianAngers said:

...ok so thats a little relief! I thought I messed something up for sure.

I wanted to transfer it to a carboy for the second week. Should I give it a week then and take a SG reading?

B

Click to expand...

Yes, if you're transferring in a week that's a good plan!

I don't mess too much with my beer, even though sometimes that's hard.

I only take a reading if I have somethng I'm going to do with that information. If I'm going to bottle or keg, or dryhop, or transfer, etc, then I'll take a reading. Taking a reading just for the sake of taking one won't harm the beer, but it may unnecessarily expose it to contamination and oxidation risks. If it's sitting there quietly after a nice period of fermentation, it's probably not stuck. And it's probably not quite finished. So a reading today really won't be helpful. But next week, before you transfer it- sure!

I wouldn't touch it. I recommend leaving it in the primary vessel for a minimum of 2 weeks. The worst thing you can do with home brew is rush the process. It's is certainly a lesson in patience. If this were my batch I would just plan on leaving it in the primary for at least a month. I know with this being your first batch it is very hard to do. I promise you that you will notice a difference in the taste. It will be richer and much more worth the wait.

yes, a month seems so long! even though I have plenty to do outside of this I'm obviously excited to see the outcome.

cool, I'll let it be for a week and see what take a reading... *talk* to you guys this weekend.

After you brew some more batches, you'll come to realize that a month is actually a good starting point for a good many brews.

I wish I had let my first two brews go longer on the yeast cake. That was before I knew any better. Now, I go a minimum of 3 weeks on the yeast, with most being in the 4-6 week range (so far)... Beautifully clear, great tasting brews every time.

I would suggest that before you move the brew to another vessel, that you taste it. If it has any off flavors (or those that are not part of the style) then leave it on the yeast cake a while longer.

Giving a brew the time it needs to become great is one of the simplest, and sometimes most difficult, things we can do. Simple because you just leave it alone. Difficult because you WANT that first brew in your glass already.

I would suggest getting another fermenter, or three, so that you can establish a solid pipeline. Space the brews about two weeks apart, and after a while you'll be either brewing, bottling (until you get kegs) or both almost every weekend.

*update*
ok so I've been consumed with so much else lately I haven't even had a chance to transfer my brew.
It's been a day over 4 weeks now, a few temp fluctuations that have me worried.. It has been sitting in the primary and for most of the time at ~65-68* or so. Just last weekend I was out of town and we had a big warmup which brought me up to appx 75* .. Now I'm back to 68*.
Do you think it's fubar'd?
Should I check my FG and transfer it to the carboy for a week or so, or proceed to bottling? Help!

Temperature control after primary fermentation completes is less critical.

You should be fine.

IMHO, you should take your FG and bottle.

I would simply pull a sample, test the SG, and then taste the sample. As long as there are no off flavors, and it seems good, bottle it up. Let it stay in bottles 3+ weeks at 70F (or in that area) and then chill one for 4+ days before trying it.

IMO, racking to another vessel, for one week, won't gain you anything.