empty airlock after pitching yeast

[sweendogg82]

So, last night I made a batch of Graf wih Bavarian wheat DME and LME. After I got done wih my 5 gallon batch I pitched my yeast ,Munich, and went to bed. When I went to check on it this morning, it looks like my airlock emptied out to where air could get back in. I had an O **** moment and filled the airlock back up but now it looks like it is done fermenting. I dont believe thats possible in 8 hours. Im wondering if my batch is screwed, or if fermentation could pick back up. Its been an hour and my airlock hasnt budged.

 

[pointcity-homebrew]

Give it more time. Mine usually starts happily bubbling within 24 hours , give or take a few.

I have never experienced an airlock going dry. I have found some with the seams cracked, which caused them to leak. Also, you can create back pressure if the wort is warm and them stored in a relatively cooler place.

I wouldn't worry too much if I were you.

 

[sweendogg82]

It looks like its starting to bubble but looks like fermenting is done. No krausen on top.

 

[kombat]

Fermentation is almost certainly just getting started, but you're clearly concerned about it, so to alleviate your fears, take a gravity sample. I'll bet you'll find it still has a long ways to go.

 

[sweendogg82]

My main concern is that my yeast has worn out from too much air being introduced with the airlock empty. Idk, is that possible??

 

[sweendogg82]

My OG last night was 1.054 and now its 1.064!!?? Idk!!!!

 

[JINKS]

My main concern is that my yeast has worn out from too much air being introduced with the airlock empty. Idk, is that possible??

Yeast need o2 to reproduce at the start. There are many threads showing how people use an airstone and pure oxygen to aerate the wort. Your gonna be fine and have a delicious brew in a few weeks.

 

[sweendogg82]

Ok i will hold tight and hope its still good!!!!

 

[titansvol]

I would guess the difference in OG is from the temperature of the wort. This early in the process oxygen will not hurt at all. Give it a some time and you should see signs of fermentation soon.

 

[serum]

You'll be fine. People use open fermenters and don't ruin their beer so it won't be an issue.

 

[carrboy2002]

Depending on the quality of your yeast, fermentation should start off strong and maybe begin bubbling in only a few hours. The first 24 -36 hours should be pretty busy but I've got a batch of ESB still passing the occasional bubble after 4 days. It should be done in another day.
Did you pitch dry yeast from the packet or what. I don't think that letting air back in the fermenter should hurt. I've had times when I didn't seal my conical tight enough and never saw any activity thru the airlock. The beer still fermented and was great. I was just lucky I guess.

 

[sweendogg82]

Ya, still no fermentation going on. Im pretty sure this batch is screwed. I goi g to dump it and start a new one. Idk what happened. Nothing is rolling around in my carboy like it should be. There is no fermenting whatsoever. Could i re pitch yeast into it?

 

[TallahasseeBrew]

I wouldn't dump it just yet. I brewed a brown ale a few months ago that took 3 days to start actively fermenting, and the end result was one of the best brown ales i've ever had. Sometimes the yeast just like to take their time.

 

[JINKS]

Ya, still no fermentation going on. Im pretty sure this batch is screwed. I goi g to dump it and start a new one. Idk what happened. Nothing is rolling around in my carboy like it should be. There is no fermenting whatsoever. Could i re pitch yeast into it?

Don't dump yet, take another gravity before wasting the wort. It may have come down now. I had a Co-brewer who didnt see any sign of fermentation until he dumped his kolsch only to discover a couple of inches of yeast cake.
It had fermented fine just not through the airlock as it had leaked around the lid.

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Don't worry. Get some dry yeast just in case. I have had slow or no starts especially with liquid. I had one that hadn't started on 5 days once. I learned to always make starter with liquid yeast.

 

[sweendogg82]

I decided to repitch yeast and it is fermenting just extremely slow, like 1 bubble every 30 seconds. O well, im gonna let it go and see what happens. Im wondering if the apple cider has anything to do with it.

 

[bigdaddybrew]

If the room temp was lower than the wort temp then the fermenter may have sucked in the air and the fluid in the air lock as it cooled. No big deal.

 

[brewprint]

Be calm and have a homebrew!

I bet it'll turn out fine. Don't look at it for a week and then take a reading.

I have two different primarys. One of them is a True Brew brand and it has a rubber gasket that goes around the lid. The other bucket is from Midwest and has no gasket around the lid.

There is a clear difference in what happens with airlock activity for each bucket. The bucket from Midwest does not make a perfect seal. The other bucket does. Low gravity beers just using a liquid yeast pack and no starter will cause airlock activity for almost a week. The same gravity in the unsealed bucket I may see activity for a day.

The same goes if I pitch starters in high gravity beers. I may have airlock activity in the unsealed bucket for 2 or 3 days max. Then I have krausen on the inside of the lid.

As far as I'm concerned airlock activity is almost meaningless.

 

[kh54s10]

Step away from that brew!!! After just one day it is likely that your fermentation might not have even started.

Give it at least 4 days before doing anything else. Maybe you have a leak and the co2 is finding an easier way out of your fermenter than through the airlock.

Slow bubbling in an airlock really means only that... Give the yeast some time (5-10 days) to do their work then take a gravity reading to determine the progress.

 

[JINKS]

I decided to repitch yeast and it is fermenting just extremely slow, like 1 bubble every 30 seconds. O well, im gonna let it go and see what happens. Im wondering if the apple cider has anything to do with it.

If the cider had any preservatives like potassium sorbate that is exactly what the problem is. Sorbate and the like keep yeast from multiplying, kinda sterilizes them.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/potassium-sorbate-fermentation-503213/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f25/fermenting-problem-after-potassium-sorbate-423578/
Lots of threads on this phenomenon.

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

BINGO! Cider with sorbate can make it real slow.

 

[sweendogg82]

I did notice that it is fermenting, just very slowly. I did add another packet of Munich dry yeast to the top. Im guessing it had potassium sorbate in it, but I will let it ferment out and see what happens. I believe that my OG was high because for some reason the apple cider and my wort were seperated. I shook it up before repitching. I hope it turns out as good as I think it will be!!!

 

[sweendogg82]

Will it still ferment right though?

 

[rowan57]

Yes, Sorbate will slow it down or even prevent fermentation but if you can get it going there is no reason it shouldn't ferment fine.

 

[sweendogg82]

After almost 2 weeks, checked my gravity with no change. Had to dump it.

 

[JINKS]

After almost 2 weeks, checked my gravity with no change. Had to dump it.

Bummer I hate expensive lessons too and I feel your pain.