I’m three days into brewing a 2 1/2 gallon batch of pale ale and pitched a full packet Omega CL-50 ale yeast. It’s fermenting and there is krausen, but absolute zero activity in the airlock. the lid is on properly and airlock is inserted properly. CL-50 is a low flocculating yeast, but shouldn’t there be some activity in the airlock?
No activity in airlock, but there is Krausen
- Thread starter Gee Tee
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Science/chemistry says yes, there should be bubbles. So the absence of bubbles doesn't mean you have a fermenting beer that defies science, it means you haven't found the leak yet...
There should be, but there is probably a small air leak somewhere. If you see krausen, things are going well and CO2 is being produced.
What kind of fermenter and air lock are you using?
Try just smelling the air around the fermenter, do you smell anything?
My only real concern would be if the fermenter was somehow not venting and building pressure. But that is pretty hard to pull off/screw up.
What kind of fermenter and air lock are you using?
Try just smelling the air around the fermenter, do you smell anything?
My only real concern would be if the fermenter was somehow not venting and building pressure. But that is pretty hard to pull off/screw up.
Thank you for your reply. My whole bathroom smells like a brewery so there is no way of telling. I'm using a 3 1/2 galln fermentor with a lid. I also sprayed water around the airlock - a plastic one with a "bobbing cap" and I saw no bubbling. I sprayed under the lid, but I wouldn't be able to see the bubbles anyway, so I'm assuming if there was a leak, it would be there. My main concern is oxydation after the fermenting has finished. Should I be concerned? Would I have to bottle it the moment it finishes?
Thank you for your reply. My main concern is oxydation after the fermenting has finished. Should I be concerned? Would I have to bottle it the moment it finishes? How concerned should I be?
Can you be a bit more specific? Glass, plastic, bucket, carboy, how does the lid attach, etc?
I'm also of the opinion you haven't found the leak, or somehow the airlock is plugged.
If you have a plastic fermenter, give it a little push and see if you get airlock movement just to be sure everything's free to move. Any others maybe pop off the airlock and be totally sure it's free. Or add some CO2 somewhere, etc. You can always re-sanitize a lid or airlock if needed, and at this point in time it's fairly OK to have the top off and air come in.
If you're 100% everything is fine, then just give it more time, it'll begin to take off and produce more CO2.
If you have a plastic fermenter, give it a little push and see if you get airlock movement just to be sure everything's free to move. Any others maybe pop off the airlock and be totally sure it's free. Or add some CO2 somewhere, etc. You can always re-sanitize a lid or airlock if needed, and at this point in time it's fairly OK to have the top off and air come in.
If you're 100% everything is fine, then just give it more time, it'll begin to take off and produce more CO2.
I just had a similar situation - no bubbles, but things seemed to be happening. Then I noticed there wasn't that much water in the airlock, which meant the C02 was likely releasing without showing any bubbles. I filled the airlock to the proper level and alas, there were bubbles! Not sure if your issue is that simple, but just thought I'd chime in on that. (the beer turned out just fine by the way)
I tried that but, alas, there was plenty of liquid in the airlock.
Thank you tracer bullet. I tried that, so the airlock is not plugged. It seems to be fermenting OK, but I'm worried about oxygen once it stops fermenting..
I'm using a 3 1/2 galln fermentor with a lid and spigot. I also sprayed water around the airlock - a plastic one with a "bobbing cap" and I saw no bubbling. I sprayed under the lid, but I wouldn't be able to see the bubbles anyway, so I'm assuming if there was a leak, it would be there. My main concern is oxydation after the fermenting has finished. Should I be concerned? Would I have to bottle it the moment it finishes?
Hmm. Well, if there is no obvious leaks, you're probably fine. I have had this situation before as well when I just couldn't figure out why there were no bubbles, but the beers turned out fine. Sometimes fermentation just has a mind of its own! LOL
So, plastic? Like a Fermonster or something? Did you give it a push on the side to force a little air out?
I doubt you'll have a problem unless you leave it for several weeks after you reach fg. Just be sure not to open it and to keep liquid in the air lock. Good luck!
Do you mean a bucket? If so then the problem is almost certainly that the lid isn't sealed. Especially if pushing down on the lid doesn't make the airlock bubble. And yes, air will get in once CO2 stops coming out.
OTOH, if it's a bucket how are you seeing the krausen? If you're opening the lid to check then you should stop doing that. If it's a Fermonster as tracer bullet asked then the problem is probably the lid o-ring. They can be tricky to seat properly.
It is a bucket and I pushed a little to get the air out and see if the airlock was working, then I lifted the lid to check the krausen (I don;'t need to do that again). I probably can't do anything about it now except bottle it as soon as it's done to avoid oxidation. Probably about 10 days from now..
The record's skipping. Someone bump the needle. 
After you are done with the fermenter and have packaged your beer, pour a couple inches of soapy water into the bucket, tape over the airlock hole and install the lid. Turn the bucket upside down and give the sides a squeeze. See if there are bubbles coming out from under the lid.
A lot of plastic bucket lids have o-rings pressed into the groove where the rim of the buckets fits into. See if that might be missing.
After you are done with the fermenter and have packaged your beer, pour a couple inches of soapy water into the bucket, tape over the airlock hole and install the lid. Turn the bucket upside down and give the sides a squeeze. See if there are bubbles coming out from under the lid.
A lot of plastic bucket lids have o-rings pressed into the groove where the rim of the buckets fits into. See if that might be missing.
That's a great idea. The bucket doesn't have an O ring so it is probably that. I've put tape around the lid and the airlock and there is still no action in the air-lock. It's a low flocculating yeast and it's 5 gallons worth in a 2 1/2 gallon bucket. Maybe low means ultra-low...The record's skipping. Someone bump the needle.
After you are done with the fermenter and have packaged your beer, pour a couple inches of soapy water into the bucket, tape over the airlock hole and install the lid. Turn the bucket upside down and give the sides a squeeze. See if there are bubbles coming out from under the lid.
A lot of plastic bucket lids have o-rings pressed into the groove where the rim of the buckets fits into. See if that might be missing.
The fact that it’s a low flocculating yeast has nothing to do with what you may or may not see happening in your airlock. It just means how well it clumps together and drops out of suspension when it’s done eating all the sugars available.
Yeah. Just leave the lid on, don't worry about the air lock bubbles, and don't worry too much about oxidation. A small leak somewhere around the lid is probably not going to result in any greater amount of perceivable oxidation.
Watching the air lock bubbles is fun and is an imprecise way to monitor fermentation progress, but the air lock's primary purpose is allowing CO2 a safe way out that doesn't allow potential contaminants in. -If the whole room smells like a brewery, then CO2 is getting out (and congrats, you're making beer). And trying to address the likely leak around the lid while the beer is fermenting probably only increases the chances of infection.
So....do less. Just leave the lid on and wait. You will have beer soon.
Watching the air lock bubbles is fun and is an imprecise way to monitor fermentation progress, but the air lock's primary purpose is allowing CO2 a safe way out that doesn't allow potential contaminants in. -If the whole room smells like a brewery, then CO2 is getting out (and congrats, you're making beer). And trying to address the likely leak around the lid while the beer is fermenting probably only increases the chances of infection.
So....do less. Just leave the lid on and wait. You will have beer soon.
Not to muddy the water here but it sounds like you need to order a new lid for the bucket before your next brew. If the bucket is designed for fermentation, there is an O-ring under the lid. Also, yes you should be concerned if you are going to cold crash in that same bucket if the lids not sealed properly. It's going to draw in O2
I have a bucket that dates from the early 1990s that has no o-ring in the lid and seals just fine. I also sometimes ferment in a Brewer's Best bottling bucket. Also no o-ring; also seals air tight.
my 1994 bucket...the last couple years I used it I used no airlock and one of those "easy lids" from Lowes. Sealed very well without any o-ring and the lid would pop open from CO2 pressure. I would just slightly crack the lid and leave it alone. Had no issues with oxidation.
You don't need it to be air tight. Just a good cover and let it be. The airlock is just fun to watch and helps tell you when it's close to done. either give it a couple weeks and call it good or do a couple gravity checks. then bottle/keg.
You don't need it to be air tight. Just a good cover and let it be. The airlock is just fun to watch and helps tell you when it's close to done. either give it a couple weeks and call it good or do a couple gravity checks. then bottle/keg.
Ahh the ones I've used are Letica brand. Definitely have an O-ring. Apologies for the fake news. Carry on.
I've got some of those too. They came filled with grape juice.
Your typical bucket lid has an o-ring. They pretty much ALL do. you don't want the paint or whatever leaking out.
They make "easy lids" without the o-ring and super tight lips. But those are sold on the side. Any 5 gal bucket that is used to sell a "product" is gonna have an o-ring on the lid.
Yeah... I'll be thirsty pretty soon. I've put tape around the lid and the airlock and there is still no action in the air-lock. It's a low flocculating yeast and it's 5 gallons worth in a 2 1/2 gallon bucket. Maybe low means ultra-low...I won't worry too much but will give the bucket a thorough check when it's done..
I’ll say it again… how a yeast flocculates has nothing to do with CO2 production or what you may see in an airlock.
O-ring on the bucket lid or not, your inclination is probably correct. There's a leak somewhere. I would transfer to a different container before cold crashing but that's just me.
Cold crashing will always draw in air unless the container is internally pressurized. You can attach a CO2 filled container so that it draws in CO2, but when the liquid cools, it will decrease pressure inside the container. If the overall pressure is negative (less that surrounding air), it will pull in air, and I don't know of a bucket that will not pull in air under those circumstances.
Well if he had a means to do so prior it would not work if the bucket isn't sealed completely.
UPDATE: I took a gravity reading yesterday after 10 days and it went from 1.040 to 1.042. I added another batch of yeast but nothing has happened. It's been 24hrs, so it definitely isn't an air leak. Is there anything I can do?
How are you measuring the gravity? Refractometer or hydrometer? What was the OG?
I used a hydrometer 3 days ago (it had been 10 days) and the reading was 1.042. the OG was 1.40.
I put another load of CL-50 3 days ago but still no action. Is there anything I can do or has it been lost? Below is the grain bill:
4oz Caramel Malt
4oz Cara Pils
1.5oz golden light dry malt
1.65oz golden light malt extract
4.5oz flaked oats
4.5oz wheat
Alan Reginato
Well-Known Member
Buy enzymes, because, if this grain bill was correct, I don't see how the yeast is going to ferment anything besides the dry malt and the malt extract.
Or make another batch with diastatic malt and throw all in the mash. If you understand what I mean.
1.65 ounces of LME, or 1.65 pounds? If there's only 1.65 ounces of malt extract and everything else is steeping grains then the problem is that there isn't anything for the yeast to ferment.
I assume you mean the OG was 1.040. After 10 days of fermentation, there’s no way you can be getting a reading of 1.042. You stated there was a krausen and your “whole bathroom smells like a brewery”. There has to be a measurement error somewhere.
Good catch and you're right;
1.5ibs golden light dry malt
1.65ibs golden light malt extract
