72 Hours with no fermentation

[talenos]

Hey guys, sorry to post another, first brew problem story, but well you seemed like the guys to turn to. I have at least read a few of the other threads and am hopeful I can save my first batch of brown ale.

So I thought things went fine, but my beer just never started bubbling. I initially stored it downstairs where it was at 55 degress or so, and last night I stored it up in my room where it's closer to 65. I took a hydrometer reading just a second ago and it was at 1.02, so it appears to have done something, but isn't done. Should I just go get some more yeast to put in?

It definitely smelled like beer, and tasted like a really sweet beer. So that part was good. There was a ring around the top as well.

Are there any other suggestions out there?

 

[Bluelinebrewer]

What was your OG? I'm assuming it wasn't 1.02, so obviously there has been some fermentation taking place. What are you basing your "72 hours with no fermentation" on?? Also, how long has it been in the fermenter? At this point my suggestion would be to wait it out. (Of course, this depends on your answers to the aforementioned questions.)

 

[jmo88]

Hey guys, sorry to post another, first brew problem story, but well you seemed like the guys to turn to. I have at least read a few of the other threads and am hopeful I can save my first batch of brown ale.

So I thought things went fine, but my beer just never started bubbling. I initially stored it downstairs where it was at 55 degress or so, and last night I stored it up in my room where it's closer to 65. I took a hydrometer reading just a second ago and it was at 1.02, so it appears to have done something, but isn't done. Should I just go get some more yeast to put in?

It definitely smelled like beer, and tasted like a really sweet beer. So that part was good. There was a ring around the top as well.

Are there any other suggestions out there?

Relax. Give it a gentle swirl or stir. Keep it above 60F

When u say 1.02 u mean 1.020 right? If that's the case, you had activity.

 

[bob1852]

If you post your recipe it will help -- if you're down to 1.020 after 3 days, you're well on your way.

as our friend Papazain says -- RDWHAHB

 

[talenos]

Yeah, I did not take an intitial reading. I thought I would skip it this round, but the recipe says the starting gravity should be 1.045, so I'm guessing even if something went wrong that some fermentation has taken place, just none that I've seen. Could it have happened over a night, or during a work day?

I pitched the yeast on Saturday night, now it's Tuesday night. And yeah it was almost exactly 1.020

Here is the recipe
http://www.brewsupply.com/HowTo/Recipes/brownderby.html

 

[Bluelinebrewer]

Ah hell, you're only 3 days in? RDWHAHB!!!! Leave the yeasties alone, they're working their a$$e$ off for YOU! Let them do their job. If you're down to 1.020, like AZ_IPA said, you're well on your way. I'd give it a MINIMUM of 7 days before worrying even crossed my mind. It would appear that maybe you're impatient.... aren't we all, but I leave my beer in the primary for 2-3 weeks. Again, just let it be, it'll all work out. I'd guess you're wanting your FG to be around 1.012..... but a more experienced brewer may have some better advice

 

[talenos]

Thanks for the encouragement, it sounds like there may be nothing to worry about. I was just a little worried that I had not witnessed any bubbling. This was my first beer so, it's hard to not be impatient or worry.

 

[Bob]

Bubbling indicates nothing. There are any number of reasons why you haven't seen any bubbles, none of which have anything to do with your yeast.

Just leave the little buggers alone. They know what they're doing!

Prince Charles says, "Here, me old china! 'ave one urv these!"



Bob

 

[Revvy]

Read this in regards to airlock bubbling....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/1183857-post199.html

 

[kevmoron]

Most likely you did not have a good seal on your fermenter. In the future, if you're at a point where there should be a lot of activity (like the first two days after pitching), odds are your seal is the problem.

Did you have it in a plastic bucket? If you had it in a clear carboy and in addition to no airlock bubbles you had no krausen or foaming, no visible churning of yeast inside, that would be a bit odd. In that case I'd be a bit concerned about whether the fermentation is healthy. But if you didn't look inside and are going JUST on the airlock, the first thing you should do is check the seal.

 

[Righlander]

had the exact thing happen using one of those "ale pales". 72 hours and no activity. opened it up and there was a healthy krausen. those lids suck

 

[Mozart]

had the exact thing happen using one of those "ale pales". 72 hours and no activity. opened it up and there was a healthy krausen. those lids suck

+1 Had this on my first batch, got worried, and opened 'er up to discover a krausen had formed, and when I re-sealed the lid, the airlock started bubbling almost immediately.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Ahhhhhh, ZOMBIES!!

 

[plumber_bob]

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I use a 1/2bbl keg to ferment in. A few ferments ago a batch I'd pitched the night before started with a small steady bubble. By the next day it had stopped completely. No problem, I new this meant little.

Well when I went to push the beer over to a corny, I got a face full of beer from a highly pressurized fermenter! After a quick WTF moment it dawned on me,... I'd forgot to remove the gas check valve from the coupler before attaching the blow off to it.

I found out by accident that you can in fact ferment and carb at the same time!

Beer turned out fine, but I've went back to the multi step method to say the least.

May check into this type of fermenting/carbing at a later date. It won't be by choice tho.

pb