A little concerned

[Rascal]

I brewed a kit this past Saturday called Caribou Slobber Brown. I was pushed for time at the end of the day and didn't take a hydrometer reading. Anyway the airlock started going crazy the next day. It went on all day. I've checked on it a couple of times today and no airlock activity at all. I have a Fat Tire clone fermenting next to it. There is still airlock activity after 8 days with that one. Is there anything I need to check on or be concerned about or just let it go for a week or so? Thanks

 

[TheBaconator]

I'd just give it more time. Airlock activity is not a good indicator of fermentation. It is possible that the airlock isn't on all the way or that there isn't a perfect seal on the bucket(if you're using a bucket). I'd give it at least a week or two and then take a gravity reading. You won't be able to figure out abv or anything but should be able to at least see if you've got a stuck fermentation. If you need to at that point you can just pitch more yeast.

 

[Rascal]

OK. Thanks for the help.

 

[TopherM]

A good rule of thumb is to give each brew THREE weeks in primary fermentation for average gravity brews (OG 0f about 1.06 or less).

Of those three weeks, active fermentation only takes about 4-6 days. However, after active fermentation, yeast will eat their own byproducts, resulting in better beer. Even after that process, bulk conditioning starts, so no harm in leaving the beer sitting.

I personally just "sit it and forget it" for three weeks on all of my brews unless I expect them to take longer due to high ABV.

 

[Rascal]

Good info. Thanks for the replies.

 

[unionrdr]

We pitched on another batch of my wife's Summer Shandy a week ago today. Initial fermentation only lasted about 24 hours. It can go that way sometimes,so not to worry. Ours still has the airlock center piece pegged against the cap,& bubbles now & then. It's still fermenting slowly down to FG,which will be checked next Monday at the 2 week mark.
Hope that gives you some idea of the time involved.

 

[D_Nyholm]

I too would leave it alone. If you are really curious, just check the gravity in a couple of days. To see if it is getting toward f.g.

I made that same beer a month or so ago and am drinking it from the keg now. Very good beer, though a lot less 'flavor' than I was anticipating. It is almost like a darker, slightly more flavorful Newcastle. I was hoping for a cross between Newcastle and dogfish head brown (major flavor) but it seems to have settled closer to Newcastle. I let my ferment for 3 weeks and then sit in the keg for 4 weeks to condition further (force carbed it the last week). It came out very clear and very drinkable.

 

[Rascal]

I read several reviews on it before I ordered it. The majority of the reviews seemed to indicate that it gets much better after several months of conditioning. I'm going to try to be patient with it.

 

[user 103238]

Great selection of beers - Caribou Slobber was my first, and I've got a Phat Tyre in primary now. I had a hydrometer for my first brew but didn't have a beer or wine thief to be able to use it. Just be patient. I did 2 weeks in primary, 2 weeks in secondary, and 3 weeks in the bottle. When in doubt just give it more time.

 

[unionrdr]

I just use the tube the hydrometer comes in for testing. works fine & uses less beer than those mostrosities I see at the LHBS.

 

[user 103238]

We don't have a wide selection here in Fairbanks, mine has a clamshell case design that won't hold enough to float my hydrometer.

I just use the tube the hydrometer comes in for testing. works fine & uses less beer than those mostrosities I see at the LHBS.

 

[unionrdr]

Huh. That's anew one. Never saw those. In that case,i'd get the smallest tube I could find.

 

[Rascal]

The OG for this brew was supposed to be 1.052. I mentioned earlier I forgot to check mine. I took a hydrometer reading last night. It was 1.020. Do I just need to sit on it and check it again in a week or so. Also I'm not sure what SG I'm looking for. I couldn't find anything in the kit instructions.

 

[RM-MN]

Yes you should just wait on that beer. Most beers will ferment out to lower than that and if yours is one that doesn't the extra time will still be good for it as the yeast will clean up and flocculate out more.

 

[D_Nyholm]

Yeah, I would give it a little longer as well. I do not remember what mine fermented.down to, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was 1.012 or so.

 

[Rascal]

A little update. I took a hydrometer reading on 2-27. It was 1.020. I took another one today (3-3). The reading today was 1.018. Do I need to do anything else or does it seem to be making enough progess so I can just leave it alone. It was brewed on 2-25. I was thinking about leaving it in the primary for 4 weeks. Thanks if anyone can reply to this.

 

[unionrdr]

You could swirl up a little more yeast. Then let it sit a while longer,since it's only been about 1 week since 2/25.

 

[Rascal]

OK. I just did that. Can you tell me approximately what FG I should be looking for? I know from reading other threads it should be stable for 3 days apart before I bottle but I don't have any idea what it should be. I didn't see anything in the kit instructions.

 

[unionrdr]

I've gotten 1.05x's down to 1.010-1.012 several times. That's about what you're looking at under normal conditions.

 

[D_Nyholm]

Yeah, I would say depending on the beer, 1.008-1.015. Of course you could get slightly lower or higher but that should be about the range.

 

[PIGMAN]

If you used the dry Windsor yeast, don't expect great attenuation, in fact you may be there already at 1.018. NB selects this yeast for that reason, because they want a little sweetness in the finished product. Mine is in primary for a week now, and it had the same rapid fermentation that you described. Last time I brewed it, the batch got better and better with age, so be patient after you bottle or keg.

 

[Rascal]

Thanks for all the replies. That makes me feel better about.