1st Ever Brew Not Working???

[its02003]

I just bought my first brewing kit from a local HomeBrew shop. It is 2 plastic 6.5 gallon buckets and everything else needed. I am brewing an Oktoberfest style beer (Brewer's Best Kit) and it was placed in the fermenter on Sunday afternoon. For the first 24 hours, the air lock was filled too much with water and the fermentation was unable to vent gases. When i got home from work, i removed some of the water so that the bucket could breathe. Now, about 18 hours later, the darn thing isn't even bubbling. The directions say to keep it between 68 and 72 degrees and i think its closer to 73 (this i'm not really all the worried about.) I read a bunch of people's posts about giving the wort a good shake to restart the fermentation process and i have done that with what looks like no results. I guess I am pretty sure that there is no way the fermentation has completed by now so I was looking for some reassuring words from someone a little more experienced on this matter.

I also have a few questions...
1) My fermentation bucket has no spout on it, so when i want to test the brew for SG after the week of fermentation, what is the best way to do it?
2) If, in my bottling bucket (with the spout) i place a piece of cheesecloth over the opening of the spout to make sure no crap ends up in my bottled beer, will that affect it at all.
3) Why am i supposed to not serve my homebrew in a frosted glass.
4) To reference the original purpose of this post, what do i do to get that yeast working again?

 

[Alamo_Beer]

RDWHA---Beer

thats the best thing to lean in homebrewing... Relax Don't Worry Have A (home brew) but any beer will do...

What yeast did you use for your Ofest? Was it liquid? If so it might take a bit longer to take off if you didn't make a starter.

Also, 73 is fine...no big deal

lets see:

1) Give your beer a week or 2 after fermentation begins. Then you can take a sanitized turkey baster to take a hydrometor reading.

2) Don't do this...might cause oxydation...Just rack carefully from primary into your bottling bucket. I'm guessing your not doing a secondary (which is fine) so leave the beer in primary for 3 weeks probubly...(rule of thumb is 1wk primary 2wks secondary 3wks in bottle. Since your not using a secondary give it 3wks in primary 1+2)

3) Beer is supposed to be served at a certain temp per style...focus on keeping the finished product at that temp...not the glasses

4) above

Anyway, welcome to the club. Lots of good folks/info here. Don't be scared to ask any questions!

 

[mr x]

You may just have an air leak, I've done it myself half a dozen times with buckets.

 

[WOP31]

Also you may not get any action in the air lock if the lid of the bucket isn't making tight enough seal. I am sure that everything is fine, just wait and follow what greenhornet said.

Cheers and welcome to the hobby and the forum!

 

[its02003]

Thanks for the quick reply!

For the record i used a dry yeast straight from the packet sprinkled over the top of the wort before i sealed the lid on top.

I guess my only concern was that it HAD started bubbling (like the directions had indicated) and now it has ceased. I figured it was nothing to really worry about, but i thought myself a bit unqualified to be making that assumption.

As far as the fermentation you suggested, the directions that came with the kit (which i am trusting less and less as the seconds drain off the clock) say that the brew should sit in primary for 3-7 days (or until the yeast is done fermenting/bubbling in the airlock) and then to bottle it and leave it bottled for 2 weeks for carbonation. Then wait an additional 3 weeks for the flavor to mature.

All in all, 1 week in primary 5 in bottle (i don't like this and i dont want my bottles littering my tiny apt with glass shrapnel)

I am always willing to tweak a factory recommended setting and any suggestions are more than appreciated. I would, in a perfect world, like to be enjoying one of these SOB's by halloween, but i understand (now) that this takes a LOT of time and im more concerned with a tasty brew than a quick one.

Again, thanks for the help and im sure i will be littering this place with questions over the next few weeks.

 

[Alamo_Beer]

You can totaly drink it on halloween!

Just bottle it in 3wks from now...give it a few weeks and bottle and your good to go.

I missed the part about it already bubbling and stopped...thats a good thing. Odds are it is fermenting and you have an air leak like the others said. Check your lid and make sure the airlock is filled to the line.

Another tip on the airlock...fill it with vodka. That way if the liquid gets sucked back into the fermenter you don't have to worry about contamination

Good luck!

 

[malkore]

you can also just sanitize your hydrometer, and put it in the bucket to take a reading.

just be sanitary.

 

[Radarbrew]

For me the one, two, three rule seems to work well. That's 1 week in the primary, two to clear in the second racking, some call it the secondary, and 3 in the bottle before I test the mix. Not to say I don't taste along the way, but the majority sits patiently waiting for me.

 

[its02003]

I checked the whole contraption for any noticeable leaks and have found none. I covered the entire top part in plastic wrap so the only possible hole is the one in the air lock and it STILL isn't bubbling. I guess I will just wait the 3 weeks, bottle it, and then see what it tastes like on Halloween!

 

[mr x]

Leaks of this nature aren't very noticeable. I don't think you could possibly stop a leak using plastic wrap. My leaks were always from the lid not sealing well. Sometimes it would take 3 or 4 times popping and reseating the lid before I could maintain pressure.

 

[Yooper]

I checked the whole contraption for any noticeable leaks and have found none. I covered the entire top part in plastic wrap so the only possible hole is the one in the air lock and it STILL isn't bubbling. I guess I will just wait the 3 weeks, bottle it, and then see what it tastes like on Halloween!

You can take a peak inside and see if there is a ring of crud around the top of the beer, and take a sg reading. The only way to know if fermentation has happened or is happening is to take an sg reading, but the ring around the beer is another very good sign.

 

[its02003]

any harm in just letting the leak be?

at this point, it has been sitting in my living room for 3 days and has been "leaking" for 2 of them. I am all for removing the top and reseating it, but is it really going to screw things up?

 

[Yooper]

No, it's fine. I was just telling you how to check if you're worried about it!

 

[its02003]

OK, I guess my main concern was that a lot of the documentation i have been reading references opening the top like it is some sort of class A felony. As long as i can open the top, take a look, and re-seat the lid, I'll be fine.

Another question i guess is why is all the information I am getting from this forum different than the directions included with the kit i bought with the starter kit?

The kit says to brew the crystal in the bag at 160-170 for 20 minutes, bring to a boil after the bag has been removed, add the malt, bring back to a boil, add hops, boil total for 55 minutes then add more hops, then boil for 5 more minutes, then cool the wort to 70 as fast as possible, then pour into the primary fermenter then add 3 gallons of fresh water and keep the whole thing at 70 degrees. Then let it sit in the fermenter for 3-7 days and when the SG is constant, bottle it. Never mentions a THING about secondary fermentation (which, may i mention, would have saved me from needing 2 plastic buckets.)

From what i am seeing here, I am looking at letting it sit in the primary for 3 weeks, and then bottle it with the priming sugar for 2 weeks, then it should be drinkable.... I have no idea which to do (and i dont have a carboy so secondary fermentation is not an option for this brew.)

I'm sure that maybe after this brew, or the next, i will have the hang of this, but right now, this darn 2 sided piece of paper is leaving WAY too many questions unanswered for such a complicated process.

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Haha honestly it's not that difficult...you can do it.

The reason there's so much difference is because everyone has a their own way of doing it. Do you have The Complete Joy of Homebrewing or How to Brew? Both are good books that can teach a lot.

Check out howtobrew.com

Ok, for right now though...I'd say go with Yooper and take a peek. If there is crud every where then thats a good sign. Take a hydrometer sample and report back here.

Odds are your still ok, Beer is pretty resilient stuff. I'm betting your drinking by halloween.

Hey you've probubly said it but what temp is it at?

 

[Yooper]

Well, there is no need for secondary, really. Alot of us use the clearing tank (including me!) but it sure isn't necessary. When I first started, I bought a Brewer's Best kit and followed the directions in the package. It made fine beer. The only thing that we definitely tell you to do a bit differently is to be more patient!

You CAN bottle after only 7 days. But that's really not a great idea. You still drop a ton of sediment and the beer will be better if you wait. Not to mention if you bottle before the beer is totally done, you might have bottle bombs. 2 weeks in the primary is good, if you know that fermentation is done.

The only "must dos" that come with making beer are sanitation (most important!) and don't bottle before fermentation is done (bottle bombs). I think a hydrometer is crucial, so that you know when fermentation is actually done. Everything else we mention are just techniques to improve your beer.

The reason the kit's instructions differ a bit is to keep it as simple as possible for a new brewer. No one wants to open a kit and be overwhelmed by the instructions! So, they give you the bare minimum of information to get you started. You can read a great basic intro here: http://howtobrew.com/section1/chapter1-1.html.

I think this is kind of like learning to fish- you can stick a worm on a hook and maybe catch a fish. Or you can get a boat, rapalas, and troll for the big ones. And still only maybe catch a fish! But the odds are better you'll catch a few more if you're better prepared. You'll make better beer if you soak up more knowledge, but definitely don't worry. This hobby is supposed to be fun!

 

[wzup97]

I'm also a newbee and just bottled my first batch week and half ago. I'm posting here because I had the same concerns and simular equipment as you.

Brewed Brewer's Best Pale Ale with dried yeast and the same equipment as you. No airlock activity the first day. Some airlock activity the second day. By third day, no airlock activity at all. I let it sit for 13 days in fermenting bucket with no airlock activity. 14th day opened it up. Smelled fantastic. Hydrometer reading of 1.011 with a 1.012 target. Done. Bottled it straight from primary. Tried it a week later. Tasted great. Letting it sit now for a couple more weeks before mass consumption.

Hope this helps. I was also conserned about low airlock activity but everything turn out fine. Good luck.

 

[Philip1993]

For the first 24 hours, the air lock was filled too much with water and the fermentation was unable to vent gases.

Unless you ferment in steel, there is no such thing as unable to vent gases. The gas WILL find a way to vent itself. Either by finding a leak (or making one), blowing the water out of the airlock, blowing out the whole airlock, or blowing the lid off the bucket. My guess is it found a leak.

the documentation i have been reading references opening the top like it is some sort of class A felony. <...> why is all the information I am getting from this forum different than the directions included with the kit i bought with the starter kit?

A: Because the directions often contain goofy stuff that would lead you to believe that opening the top is some sort of class A felony.

this darn 2 sided piece of paper is leaving WAY too many questions unanswered for such a complicated process.

Then I suggest you throw it away for two reasons: 1 - It's making a really fun, easy hobby not fun for you. 2 - You have like 3,000 years combined brewing experience at your fingertips here on HBT.

First rule of beer making: RDWHAHB. If you have the water and extract in the bucket with live yeast, beer will result. Everything else is just tinkering to make it taste better.

About your dilemma. Shining a flashlight through the top/side of a white plastic bucket will tell you if you have krausen or not. Or, open the lid, peek, and put it back. If you have krausen, all is well. For future use, drill a 1" hole in that lid and insert a drilled stopper for your airlock. Now, you can peek or insert a wine thief as needed to test the SG.

 

[its02003]

Temp is between 71 and 73

 

[TexLaw]

Then I suggest you throw it away for two reasons: 1 - It's making a really fun, easy hobby not fun for you. 2 - You have like 3,000 years combined brewing experience at your fingertips here on HBT.

First rule of beer making: RDWHAHB. If you have the water and extract in the bucket with live yeast, beer will result. Everything else is just tinkering to make it taste better.

Bravo!

By the way, OP, what you describe sounds like something that has happened about a million times with fine results. Welcome to the first batch jitters!

Take an SG reading, and see where you are at. Go from there.


TL