Could it really be done?

[ctufano]

I brewed a session IPA Saturday. Pitched 2 packs of Wyeast around 645pm. Bubbling about a bubble every 4 seconds Sunday morning. Yesterday as moving along pretty well. This morning -- nothing

Could it really be calmed down that much already? That would be the quickest fermentation I've had on a batch. OG was 1.055.

I am tempted to open up my bucket and grab a sample, but I hate to do that just to check. I imagine I'll give it a few more days and then maybe crack open.

No wine thief... so will be using a sanitized pyrex measuring cup to dip in and get my sample

 

[Jhu1321]

2 packs of yeast in a (assuming) 5 gallon batch w/ OG 1.055 is going to take care of business pretty quick.

 

[ctufano]

Yup 5 gallon, well, 5.5

 

[kh54s10]

The active portion of your fermentation might be done especially if your fermentation temperature is on the high side (not always good). It is probably not finished fermenting yet. I never open a fermenter in less that 10 days and usually wait 14 days or longer.

Invest in a wine thief or a food baster, it is well worth it for the convenience.

 

[TurnipGreen]

I'm with you. I try real hard not to pull samples unless I need to.... But I also get curious and I really enjoy tasting the beer though out the process. It's kind of like when you binge watching a show on Netflix and one ends at a good point. You get sucked in and end up drinking two pints when you really only need about 8 oz. and you know it would be better if you waited, but it's pretty good now. So, then you get all amped up 'cause your beer is going to be awesome and you can't wait to package it.

Be strong wait a few days.

Couriosity got the better of me this weekend. I might pull another sample tonight.

 

[Hamaki]

Could be done, I suppose, but I suspect your bucket lid seal is not completely gas tight.

 

[2trout]

I am tempted to open up my bucket and grab a sample,

5G bucket? Lids are rarely air tight so as fermentetion slows, as CO2 leakage around the lid may prevent the airlock from bubbling. I ferment in buckets as well, and wrap the lid area with bundling wrap for a fairly air tight seal.

I like the Bubbles:fro:.

 

[mongoose33]

Could be done, I suppose, but I suspect your bucket lid seal is not completely gas tight.

I'll bet this is it.

When my fermenters are really going to town, I might have a bubble every second or even faster. I have a ringtone which is my airlock bubbling; it's approaching TWO blip-bloops every second.

My fermenters typically take about 12 or 14 hours to take off, and even though I'm pitching only one packet, they really go nuts. I'd expect two packets to go even nutsier.

My money is on that there's a leak in your lid someplace but it's not enough to completely reduce pressure, so you're getting a little release through the airlock and the rest of it is going out the leak in the lid.

 

[kh54s10]

Again, airlock activity is not a true indication of how your fementation is going. It is just a valve that allows gas to escape and keep contaminates out. Bubbling may stop long before you actually reach final gravity.

Resist the urge to mess with the beer. It usually takes 7-10 days to be sure you have reached final gravity. I don't rush things and go at least 14 days, most often longer and sometimes MUCH longer. Either because it is a bigger beer which will benefit from aging, and often just because I get lazy and don't bottle or keg it early.

 

[Yooper]

In my experience, most of my under- 1.060 beers will finish up in about 3-5 days. If the proper amount of yeast is pitched at the proper temperature, active fermentation generally is done by then for me.

Then the beer will start to clear, and I generally package most beers around day 10.

 

[fun4stuff]

I brewed a session IPA Saturday. Pitched 2 packs of Wyeast around 645pm. Bubbling about a bubble every 4 seconds Sunday morning. Yesterday as moving along pretty well. This morning -- nothing

Could it really be calmed down that much already? That would be the quickest fermentation I've had on a batch. OG was 1.055.

I am tempted to open up my bucket and grab a sample, but I hate to do that just to check. I imagine I'll give it a few more days and then maybe crack open.

No wine thief... so will be using a sanitized pyrex measuring cup to dip in and get my sample

It's probably done with the primary fermentation and near FG. Pretty typical timing when you pitch a healthy starter. You still want to leave it on the yeast a bit longer for them to clean up byproducts of fermentation.

 

[N4teTheGreat]

I have a RIS in secondary that was the first beer I made a starter for. The morning after the brew I had moderate activity a some krausen in the bucket. The next morning just the occasional bubbling, I was worried I was going to have a stalled fermentation since the OG was 1.095 but then I looked closer and saw krausen debris in the blow off tube as well as the lid of the bucket so yeah, with a healthy starter things appear to go pretty quickly!

-- Nathan

 

[ctufano]

Cool, thanks everyone! Wasnt expecting much reply lol but ya'll killed it.

Its slowly trickling along... wife was watching today and says it bubbles every 10-12 seconds. Its probably on the warmer side... When I stopped brewing in 2011 I sold my mini fridge and johnson control, so now I swamp cooler method... pitch ice packs in morning, some ice in afternoon and alternate.

I should buy a wine thief... I have almost bought one a few times, but I end up taking out and buying something else I think I want/need more. Like ingredients lol

 

[fun4stuff]

Cool, thanks everyone! Wasnt expecting much reply lol but ya'll killed it.

Its slowly trickling along... wife was watching today and says it bubbles every 10-12 seconds. Its probably on the warmer side... When I stopped brewing in 2011 I sold my mini fridge and johnson control, so now I swamp cooler method... pitch ice packs in morning, some ice in afternoon and alternate.

I should buy a wine thief... I have almost bought one a few times, but I end up taking out and buying something else I think I want/need more. Like ingredients lol

Turkey batters work just fine getting samples. Refractometer require only an eye dropper.