Errrg...no bubbling...

[ArkParty]

Hello All!

This is my first post to this forum and yesterday was my first solo brew.

I have a quick question.

Yesterday I brewed a Scottish Ale from a kit. The wort looks great. However 24 hours after brewing I still dont see any activity in the carboy. I guess my question is can I re-airate the wort (with old yeast) and can I reintroduce a new batch of yeast to kick-start the process. Any recommendations?

-ArkParty

 

[rod]

did you use dry or liquid yeast?
i have had beer made with liquid yeast(pitched without a starter) take 36 hours to start.
also make sure the lid is sealed tightly - c02 will find the easiest escape route - not necessarily through the air lock.
i would not recommend aerating this late .as long as it was aerated well at the start.
wait a bit longer to see if it starts

 

[brackbrew]

Welcome to the forum.

Did you make a yeast starter? If you just pitched the yeast you bought, you may not see vigorous activity for up to 36 hours after pitching. That was about the standard for me before I started making yeast starters.

Also, how cool was your wort before you pitched the yeast? It should have been at least below 80, otherwise you risk killing some or all of the cells.

Good luck and BREW ON

 

[gruntingfrog]

Even if you used dry yeast, like I did for my first batch, it took welll over 24 hours to start but when it did it kicked off with a vengeance.

Be patient and check it again tonight.

 

[chask31]

Yea man...just chill out have a brewski, it will begin shortly. I used some yeast activators from Austin Homebrew for my first 2 and only brews. They are supposed to start the fermentation process in a few hours and they take over 24 hours usually. Give it another day and see what happens. No biggie. The most stressful part in my brewing is always waiting for the fermentation to begin...but it always does

 

[pariah]

Guys, I have a batch in now. I made it in the wee hours of Sunday morning (3 a.m. I finished), and so it's now been about 60 hours. Still no bubbling, the airlock doesn't even seem to be under pressure. Although, Krausen did form. And the 36 hours, I had a blowoff tube (had to buy a new bubbler). What do you think?

 

[Shambolic]

Krausen => fermentation. You must not have had a proper seal on the fermenter.

 

[pariah]

Krausen => fermentation. You must not have had a proper seal on the fermenter.

Hmm...but when I press on the lid of my fermenter it causes the air in the bubbler to move...this would indicated a good seal wouldn't it?

 

[Somerville]

According to the Dummies guide, that should mean it is properly sealed.
As for your situation, I don't know. It has krausen, but no bubbles? Strange. Perhaps it fermented really fast while you werent watching? I doubt it though. Even after the highest point, there are still a couple bubbles here and there.

 

[chask31]

I think if you push on the lid you are applying alot more pressure than the fermentation would...therefore if the seal is not good some of the air from your pushing may release but not all...whereas the fermentation could be slower and al the air could make it through the leak

Hmm...but when I press on the lid of my fermenter it causes the air in the bubbler to move...this would indicated a good seal wouldn't it?

 

[Somerville]

I think you can kind of check for that. If you lightlylightly press on the lid, you'll see the water move a bit. If the airlock is very sensitive to your light press, you should be fine.

 

[gruntingfrog]

... the 36 hours, I had a blowoff tube ...

Did I read this correctly? If you had a blowoff tube on for 36 hours, it's possible the you had a really vigorous fermentation during that time that is now more or less complete.

 

[pariah]

Did I read this correctly? If you had a blowoff tube on for 36 hours, it's possible the you had a really vigorous fermentation during that time that is now more or less complete.

Unlikely, because the tube never really bubbled, and I just sprinkled the yeast right on top of the brew dry.

Oh well, wait and see I guess.

 

[Shambolic]

If you had krausen, then there was definitely fermentation, and a good deal of it. I can't explain the lack of bubbling in your airlock. Do you have a hydrometer to check the gravity and confirm the beer has fermented?

 

[pariah]

If you had krausen, then there was definitely fermentation, and a good deal of it. I can't explain the lack of bubbling in your airlock. Do you have a hydrometer to check the gravity and confirm the beer has fermented?

Yes, I do have a hydrometer. I didn't get a very good reading intially but it was somewhere between 5 and 6...when I put it back in there it should read close to 0 or 1 right?

 

[artfldodger]

pariah, keep posting on how this turns out please. I'm going through a similar situation, There's krausen, just no bubbling (although the inner part of the 3-piece airlock was floating rather high for a day)