Gravity down, but no bubbles?

[hilljack13]

I am currently fermenting a 1 gal test (80/20 pilsner/munich II). My OG came out at 1.054. I pitched 16 hrs ago @68F as of this post. My Tilt is reporting the SG at 1.045 and 71F. I was surprised to see this so when I checked the fv there was zero activity?? Could this still be fermenting or is this a ghost beer

 

[MaxStout]

What kind of FV are you using? Maybe an air leak?

Other possibility: fermentation hasn't started (yet) and the Tilt is giving erroneous measurements. Sometimes debris sticks to it and alters its readings.

Give it time and see what SG you have after a few more days.

 

[hilljack13]

Little BMB with two 5lb weights on it so I don't think it would be an air leak. I have had issues with the lids being pushed off.

Readings so far (local time):
3/5 1730 - 1.054
3/5 2000 - 1.053
3/5 2300 - 1.054
3/6 0100 - 1.051
3/6 0636 - 1.046 (just before 1st post)
3/6 0810 - 1.044 (just now)

 

[mac_1103]

Nobody ever thinks they have an air leak. Most of the time they have an air leak.

 

[VikeMan]

When you say "but no bubbles," do you mean no krausen or no airlock bubbles? Also, what yeast strain?

 

[hotbeer]

You might be a little early on expecting bubbles and CO2 to gas off through the airlock. The water might not have reached it's saturation level with the CO2 yet and even if it has recently reached that saturation point then pressure to pop a bubble through the airlock will take time to build up.

When I was using clear fermenters, it took quite a while for my eyes to focus properly to see the action going on within the beer itself. And the light had to be shined in it just right.

Tell us what it's doing in six to twelve hours from now.

Since you are using a Tilt, You'll see that your actual fermentation is over and done with in 2, 3 maybe 4 days at the most. Don't let that make you think that it's time to get the beer out of the FV. The yeast do other stuff besides make alcohol. A large part of what they do afterward is all geared toward making your beer taste better. And that might be another ten days or maybe six weeks.

 

[hilljack13]

When you say "but no bubbles," do you mean no krausen or no airlock bubbles? Also, what yeast strain?

No airlock. There is a small bit of krausen on the top. 34/70. I rehydrated this time, just because.

 

[hilljack13]

You might be a little early on expecting bubbles and CO2 to gas off through the airlock. The water might not have reached it's saturation level with the CO2 yet and even if it has recently reached that saturation point then pressure to pop a bubble through the airlock will take time to build up.

Thanks. That actually makes the most sense.

 

[VikeMan]

No airlock. There is a small bit of krausen on the top. 34/70. I rehydrated this time, just because.

Then it's fermenting and you have a leak. You don't get from 1.054 to 1.044 without building CO2 in the headspace. 10 points makes a lot of CO2. And the krausen is evidence that it's not a tilt issue, or at least not only a tilt issue. You may see airlock bubbling later though, if the CO2 production rate increases, depending on how big the gap is/isn't.

 

[hilljack13]

Then it's fermenting and you have a leak. You don't get from 1.054 to 1.044 without building CO2 in the headspace. 10 points makes a lot of CO2. And the krausen is evidence that it's not a tilt issue, or at least not only a tilt issue. You may see airlock bubbling later though, if the CO2 production rate increases, depending on how big the gap is/isn't.

I guess its those push on lids the LBMB comes with. I had put some weights on the last batch and the airlock went to town...previous three not so much. I'll try to give is push and see if I can get is more secure.

 

[hilljack13]

This...didn't notice before. The rest looks flush. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[mac_1103]

10 points makes a lot of CO2

Over 100 liters IIRC.

 

[redrocker652002]

I used that yeast on my last brew in the keg. If I remember correctly, it did not show me much for the first 36 hours, then took off after that. Give it a few days and see what happens

 

[hilljack13]

Well, it wasn't the lid. I looked again and figured I would push down on the bung. Guess what...she going through the airlock now.

 

[hilljack13]

So hit FG today. 1.010. Still have airlock movement. Should I leave it or cold crash?

 

[VikeMan]

So hit FG today. 1.010. Still have airlock movement. Should I leave it or cold crash?

If you were at 1.044 yesterday and 1.010 today, you don't know if you are at FG yet. And even if you are, some additional time for the yeast to clean up diacetyl, acetaldehyde, etc. is probably a good idea.

 

[hilljack13]

If you were at 1.044 yesterday and 1.010 today, you don't know if you are at FG yet. And even if you are, some additional time for the yeast to clean up diacetyl, acetaldehyde, etc. is probably a good idea.

Cool. I was going by what brewfather showed as expected FG.

 

[hotbeer]

So hit FG today. 1.010. Still have airlock movement. Should I leave it or cold crash?

Though you you may have hit your predicted FG, you do need to give it another 3 or 4 days just to confirm it's not going to go lower still. If you get no change of SG in 3 or 4 days, then you can consider for as long as you want, what your next steps are to be. There is no hurry. The beer will wait for you.

You can cold crash and use gelatin to to help clear up your beer. But if you just are willing to wait, it'll clean up and clear up all on it's own. I usually waited till I could see clear across the trub layer to the other side before I even took my first SG reading after the OG.

Of course with a Tilt or RaptPill, that's not really necessary any more. But knowing your SG seems to have you in a hurry to do something else. Resist the urge to hurry and rush your beer.