No Bubbles...NO problems!

I just thought I would share...

I have been brewing for 5 years and never had a batch NOT produce enough Co2 to make bubbles in the airlock...until my last batch. This was my second all grain BIAB using my newly made E-kettle set up. I brewed up a APA on Monday and didn't see any bubbles in the Air-lock 48 hours later. I did a thorough search on HBT and found that this can happen. I took a real close look at my brew bucket an noticed that the wort was cloudy and there were signs of a karusen... RDWHAHB.

I took a gravity reading today an sure enough I am down to 1.012 @ 68 F. My starting OG was around 1.060 and I pitched US-05.

So, no bubbles doesn't mean crap in terms of fermentation. I did get a strong hop smell when I was moving the bucket around so I may have a cracked grommet, or I may just have had a batch that didn't produce huge amounts of Co2.

In the end you have to trust the yeast and always RDWHAHB.

 

Your lid probably leaks now. That's why there's no bubbles. Still works to make beer!

 

My 2 gallon buckets from HD leak gas all the time. I make great beer and don't see any bubbles lots of times.

 

Leaks do of course mean as soon as active fermentation is complete that the CO2 headspace diffuses into atmospheric air and you beer starts to oxidize.

 

NOT! CO2 is heaver than air and will stay in place. At least mine brews have never oxidized.

 

Brace yourselves, arguments about the CO2 blanket are coming!

 

Sometimes I get bubbles, sometimes not much at all and sometimes none. Rarely do I need a blow off tube for aggressive action. I have sometimes noticed an occasional metallic taste from oxidation but it seemed to be when I peaked too much and disturbed the Co2 blanket..idk.

I figure this is from a leaky bucket lids and the fruit flies hanging out under the lip. I do make sure to spray under the lip of the lids with starsan occasionally. I make sure to spray before cold crashing due to the contracting liquid and possibly sucking in a infection.

I collect a qt of yeast when kegging and use the top half of that on the next batch. Maybe it's over attenuating that keeps my batches from aggressive bubbles...idk.

I always tell myself people have been making beer for thousands of years with primitive equipment RDWHAHB


OP, whats your pitching process?

 

My brewcraft 8 gallon buckets never seal and I have never had a bad beer or infection yet.

 

He said diffuse which is true. If you're warned about oxygen diffusing into beer through plastic buckets what makes you think that an actual break in the seal won't let O2 in. This isn't a comment regarding that ridiculous co2 blanket but actual thermodynamics. Which requires O2 to diffuse because of a concentration gradient. It's not immediately, but the week after your beer is done out gassing co2 o2 has a chance. The effects of this are moot but the physics are real.

 

Why does VERY slight pressure on the lid cause the airlock to move after fermenting is complete? I figure there is still Co2 pressure in the bucket?

 

Discussion of gas diffusion, stratification and techniques of post fermentation oxidation prevention are probably not best of the beginner board.

My point was that while airlock bubbling is not an indicator of fermentation, it is a indication of sealing. If you do notice you do not have a good seal it is another good reason not to leave the beer in the bucket fermenter for longer than necessary. If you want to know more about oxidation and gas behavior (hint there is no CO2 blanket and gases mix spontaneously very quickly) there are plenty of threads in the other forum section discussing.

 

I am loving the responses...

I think the most helpful is that O2 will effect my beer.

I will still come back to RDWHAHB and maybe fix the leak.

 

I found the leak! The lid had a crack.

 

I've seen this video posted before - a good demonstration: [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oLPBnhOCjM[/ame]