Novice mistakes or impatient???

[NChomebrewer]

I am just starting out in homebrewing. I brewed my first beer last Saturday. It is an Irish Red Ale from a recipe kit.

On Sunday I checked my 6.5 gallon plastic fermenter and found the airlock bubbling away. And it continued to bubble throughout the day. On Monday I checked and it was still bubbling but very, very slowly. That was the last time I saw it bubbling.

I know that just because the airlock is not bubbling doesn't mean the beer isn't fermenting but a day and a half seemed like too short of a time. From what I read I thought the bubbling would go on for 2-4 days. I checked the lid and it was securely fitted on the fermenter. Last night anxiety finally got the better of me and I decide to partially open the lid and peer inside. I was hoping to see at least a little krausen but saw nothing. There was a little of something floating on top but it sure did not look like foam. However, the liquid inside the fermeter sure smelled like beer. Actually it smelled great!

So should I be worrying? Is anything truely wrong with the fermentation process or am I just acting like an expectant father nervously waiting for something to happen?

 

[david_42]

Sounds like it's done, but the only way to be certain is to get a hydrometer. Once the krausen has fallen, there isn't much to see.

 

[Blender]

It sounds that things are going within the normal range of fermentation. Do you have an hydrometer? If so give the brew a check and see where it is at. That is a good indication of how far things have progressed. What was the temperature of the brew when it was fermenting? Are you going to transfer to a secondary fermentor?

 

[BootYtRappeR]

where in NC are you?

 

[user 4295]

When you opened it and did not see any foam on top, did you see a crusty ring around the inside of the bucket right above the liquid level?

John

 

[Exo]

Cripes, it's going fine...give it a little more time then rack it or bottle it.

 

[Brewno]

My first brew bubbled for only a day and a half and I left it in the primary (plastic bucket) for 14 days. My brew came out fine.

When I peeked inside the bucket after it stopped bubbling I noticed that the krausen was gone (the foamy, ugly, gunky head in the fermenter) and the crusty remnants of it were still crusted on the sides of the bucket. This indicates the vigorous fermenting action that took place and that the krausen layer had fallen to the bottom....fermentation had been a success!!!

I'd say to relax if you meet these points.

Tommy

 

[SteveM]

Yeah, you are right in the glide path. Relax and have...well, you know!

 

[TheJadedDog]

Sounds almost exactly like the first fermentation I had.

 

[Truble]

... you are right in the glide path. ...

Love the analogy! I was as nervous with my first brew as I was with my first landing too!

Sounds like you are doing fine. Rack on the 7th day. Are you planning on using a secondary?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Love the analogy! I was as nervous with my first brew as I was with my first landing too!

I think I was more nervous with my first brew...including my first landing in a single seater.

 

[NChomebrewer]

I used the powdered yeast which evidently will finish faster than the liquid yeast.

I've taken a few hydrometer readings and all is well. I am bottling it tomorrow.

Never brewing before I wanted to make sure everything was okay. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[NChomebrewer]

where in NC are you?

I live outside of Charlotte in Gaston County.