Airlock IS a good gauge of fermentation activity

[LandoLincoln]

By the way, I have friends who don't own a hydrometer and go by airlock activity alone.

I highly doubt it. Most likely, they go by time and airlock activity combined. If they brewed a beer and 48 hours later they didn't see any bubbles, they wouldn't say, "Wow! I guess fermentation is done early!" and then begin to keg / bottle. Experience would tell them that they should wait longer before assuming that fermentation was complete. Noobs may not.

 

[Aschecte]

I have a pilsener that I'm fermenting at 46 degrees right now, it has a nice layer of krausen on top and I have yet to see one bubble. Before this I did a 1.105 scottish ale I fermented at 54, and although it dropped 80 points in 3 days it bubbled very little. But then when I brought it inside to 70 degrees it bubbled like mad over the next 2 days, even though the gravity stayed the same. Go figure.

This is a effect example of why a bubbling airlock means nada ! Co2 is held on a disolved suspension at lower temps at a higher rate. When said beer is moved to a warmer location the dissolved co2 cannot be held at the same rate in suspension there co2 comes out but there is no fermentation taking place. Trust a hydrometer not an airlock. Truly a airlock is no more than a trap to keep a one way street for outward exit only not a measuring tool. I will agree though that airlock activity is a good indicator but only to the extent something is happening.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

 

[Homercidal]

I loved to watch my airlock. It was a good source of information and it was reassuring to see it bubbling away the day after pitching.

One time I waited and waited for the thing to start fermentation. After about 2 days I popped the top and took a whiff as I peeked inside. Instant nose burn.

See, the lid was not airtight, and so the CO2 took the easy way out through the leak, instead of out the airlock. Since I was somewhat experienced, I knew not to judge the fermentation by the airlock activity, but even I was on the edge of panic and re-pitching.

There are too many variables in equipment, time, and temp to safely say that all airlocks are going to be a useful source of fermentation information.

However, if you understand your equipment, the fermentation process, etc. then it can be useful as a means of fermentation activity.

 

[PoppinCaps]

See.... useful thread.

 

[ayoungrad]

FWIW, I have had a brew that didn't have airlock activity and I got 80% attenuation. Probably a leak in an otherwise tight bucket. But I had no idea there was a leak at the time - it was a brand new bucket.

But also,things like allowing the carboy or bucket to increase in temperature will magically result in airlock activity. It's not fermentation. It's a result of CO2 being release because not as much CO2 can remain dissolved in higher temperature beer.

If you really know your system well and understand things like CO2 release, airlocks can be a really great indication. But in my opinion a more accurate statement is:

Airlock CAN BE a good gauge of fermentation activity

This is a effect example of why a bubbling airlock means nada ! Co2 is held on a disolved suspension at lower temps at a higher rate. When said beer is moved to a warmer location the dissolved co2 cannot be held at the same rate in suspension there co2 comes out but there is no fermentation taking place. Trust a hydrometer not an airlock. Truly a airlock is no more than a trap to keep a one way street for outward exit only not a measuring tool. I will agree though that airlock activity is a good indicator but only to the extent something is happening.

See, the lid was not airtight, and so the CO2 took the easy way out through the leak, instead of out the airlock. Since I was somewhat experienced, I knew not to judge the fermentation by the airlock activity, but even I was on the edge of panic and re-pitching.

There are too many variables in equipment, time, and temp to safely say that all airlocks are going to be a useful source of fermentation information.

However, if you understand your equipment, the fermentation process, etc. then it can be useful as a means of fermentation activity.

See.... useful thread.

Because the third time is the charm?

 

[PoppinCaps]

Kinda, yeah, just re-iterating. Bryan pushed my button.

 

[moti_mo]

There are too many variables in equipment, time, and temp to safely say that all airlocks are going to be a useful source of fermentation information.

However, if you understand your equipment, the fermentation process, etc. then it can be useful as a means of fermentation activity.

And that's why these threads are good. Definitely better than some where new brewers are emphatically told that AIRLOCK ACTIVITY MEANS NOTHING.

I once saw a thread where a very experienced brewer and frequent poster told a nervous new brewer that AT LEAST 50% of his fermentations never produced one bubble in the airlock. I asked him multiple times to please clarify to the new brewer the details of his fermentation vessels, since this observation surely indicates that he uses plastic buckets that are not that air-tight, but he abandoned the thread and didn't comment again.

Surely threads like that provide much more confusing information to the new brewer than a thread that stresses that you have to understand your equipment and the fermentation process before relying on airlock activity as an indicator of fermentation.

 

[bessieflames]

Sorry to get everyone riled up. I guess my setup is leak-free and my airlock activity tells me a lot about what is going on. Apparently not everyone has the same experience. I posted this because when I started brewing, I kept seeing this statement repeated over and over and it confused me because my airlock seemed to tell me every time EXACTLY what my yeast was doing. There was a day lag, then bubbles started slowly, day 2-4 was bubbling away, and then the next week they slowly died off. All of this advice to noobs directly contradicted what I had experienced and I wanted to see if anyone else had the same experience. It seems like most people have leaks/ temperature changes/ barometric changes more than I do. I stand corrected. I should have titled the thread "Airlock activity IS a good gauge of fermentation activity....for me).

 

[Piratwolf]

Sorry to get everyone riled up. I guess my setup is leak-free and my airlock activity tells me a lot about what is going on. Apparently not everyone has the same experience. I posted this because when I started brewing, I kept seeing this statement repeated over and over and it confused me because my airlock seemed to tell me every time EXACTLY what my yeast was doing. There was a day lag, then bubbles started slowly, day 2-4 was bubbling away, and then the next week they slowly died off. All of this advice to noobs directly contradicted what I had experienced and I wanted to see if anyone else had the same experience. It seems like most people have leaks/ temperature changes/ barometric changes more than I do. I stand corrected. I should have titled the thread "Airlock activity IS a good gauge of fermentation activity....for me).

Being lone of the offenders, I recognize I should also have been more precise (although I don't recall posting BDMA in the beginners' forum). For me it was exasperation fro the daily "Help, my beer is ruined!" threads that were invariably followed by "D'oh! Hydrometer FTW" about 48-60 hours later.

I still maintain that "airlock activity tells me EXACTLY what my yeast is doing" is equally misleading. All it really tells you is that your beer is off-gassing. But perhaps this has gotten to the point of splitting hairs,and is more trouble than help. So please, no more lectures on basic chemistry. I'll be careful in the future with my advice!

 

[android]

such a highly contentious issue... i have never experienced airlock failure, it's always been a good indicator for me. but for obvious reasons seen in this thread, i've never felt compelled to share that with anyone.

 

[helibrewer]

I much prefer a refractometer and I rouse daily until fermentation is dry...I'm just a renegade that way

 

[HItransplant]

Or how about...

Airlocks smell good. Watching airlock bubbles is fun.

Unless you're making apfelwein

 

[HItransplant]

Deleted

 

[Homebrewtruth]

This is a effect example of why a bubbling airlock means nada ! Co2 is held on a disolved suspension at lower temps at a higher rate. When said beer is moved to a warmer location the dissolved co2 cannot be held at the same rate in suspension there co2 comes out but there is no fermentation taking place. Trust a hydrometer not an airlock. Truly a airlock is no more than a trap to keep a one way street for outward exit only not a measuring tool. I will agree though that airlock activity is a good indicator but only to the extent something is happening.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

Your post could be relevant to the comment on which you quoted, but I believe the debate we're having here is regarding the gauge of a start of a ferment, or of any fermentation activity - and subsequent fermentation with a stable temperature. At the start of a ferment, we pitch the yeast at the temperature at which we'd like to ferment; even with a change in temperature of around 5 degrees centigrade, not enough CO2 would be emitted to force bubbles through the airlock. I hardly think that false positives in regards to airlocks being an indicator of fermentation exist. If they do, they certainly can't be explained by the information you've just provided. Next time you want to give advice of the same weight, copy and paste the following sentence:

Blah blah blah blah blah and more blah...

 

[Aschecte]

Your post could be relevant if we didn't pitch the yeast at the temperature we'd like to ferment at; even with a change in temperature of around 5 degrees centigrade, not enough CO2 would be emitted to force bubbles through the airlock. I hardly think that false positives in regards to airlocks being an indicator of fermentation exist. If they do, they certainly can't be explained by the information you've just provided. Next time you want to give advice of the same weight, copy and paste the following sentence:

Blah blah blah blah blah and more blah...

wow brush up on your reading skills buddy !!! this was a response to bottlebombers post not yours !! I'm glad your situation is different then his though I made no refrence to pitching temps and still that would have no relevence to what I was stating. but thanks for being a wise ass and for your pleasure .

Blah blah blah blah blah.

 

[Homebrewtruth]

wow brush up on your reading skills buddy !!! this was a response to bottlebombers post not yours !! I'm glad your situation is different then his though I made no refrence to pitching temps and still that would have no relevence to what I was stating. but thanks for being a wise ass and for your pleasure .

Blah blah blah blah blah.

The thread is entitled 'Airlock IS a good gauge of fermentation activity', and the quote you included was regarding someone moving there fermenter into a warmer climate and them experiencing airlock activity with no change in specific gravity.

The only reason I was a 'wise ass', is because you were being one first. And because you wrote airlock activity means 'nada'.

I'll make a deal with you; I'll improve my comprehension skills (which I've proven to be ok with this comment), if you learn your basic English grammar.

 

[Aschecte]

The thread is entitled 'Airlock IS a good gauge of fermentation activity', and the quote you included was regarding someone moving there fermenter into a warmer climate and them experiencing airlock activity with no change in specific gravity.

The only reason I was a 'wise ass', is because you were being one first. And because you wrote airlock activity means 'nada'.

I'll make a deal with you; I'll improve my comprehension skills (which I've proven to be ok with this comment), if you learn your basic English grammar.

I'm not going to get into a pissing match with you ( anymore than I already have ). Please go to page 4 look at the second post which is where you saw my post next look at the gray caption above what I wrote. It exactly says he moved the vessel to a warmer location and bubbling occured again with no gravity drop and I am stating this is why airlock activity is NOT a good gauge of fermentation We are still allowed to state our opinion on this forum even if it differs with the op right ? I was also refrencing that users expierence.What the hell dude ?? really ??? As far as my grammar I apologize NADA (spanish) = NOTHING which is basically what I am accomplishing by arguing with you. Good morning HBT great way to start the morning.

 

[Homebrewtruth]

I'm not going to get into a pissing match with you ( anymore than I already have ). Please go to page 4 look at the second post which is where you saw my post next look at the gray caption above what I wrote. It exactly says he moved the vessel to a warmer location and bubbling occured again with no gravity drop and I am stating this is why airlock activity is NOT a good gauge of fermentation We are still allowed to state our opinion on this forum even if it differs with the op right ? I was also refrencing that users expierence.What the hell dude ?? really ??? As far as my grammar I apologize NADA (spanish) = NOTHING which is basically what I am accomplishing by arguing with you. Good morning HBT great way to start the morning.

I better get on with the rest of my day; this isn't benefiting the thread anyway.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I think we scared all the newbies away......er..... does that mean I'm not a newbie any more?

 

[bessieflames]

I'm not going to get into a pissing match with you ( anymore than I already have ). Please go to page 4 look at the second post which is where you saw my post next look at the gray caption above what I wrote. It exactly says he moved the vessel to a warmer location and bubbling occured again with no gravity drop and I am stating this is why airlock activity is NOT a good gauge of fermentation We are still allowed to state our opinion on this forum even if it differs with the op right ? I was also refrencing that users expierence.What the hell dude ?? really ??? As far as my grammar I apologize NADA (spanish) = NOTHING which is basically what I am accomplishing by arguing with you. Good morning HBT great way to start the morning.

Of course we can all get airlock activity if we wildly swing the temperatures, but why would anyone do this to the poor yeast? With normal ale fermentations at a fairly stable temperature which is probably 90% of what I do, the airlock always does the same thing. That has just been my experience. I actually get the same thing from my lagers, but then again, I always change my temperatures slowly. If you take a finished lager and quickly bring it up to room temp, of course you will see a bubbling airlock. You would also see a bubbling airlock if you put it on a burner and boiled it. That's not what I was getting at. I never said it was a substitution for a hydrometer. I never said it would tell you as much as a hydrometer. I just said it is a good gauge of what your yeast is doing. I still stand by that. If you don't get the same, I would guess it is from wildly swinging temperatures or leaks.

 

[Darwin18]

I have to agree with the OP. I own a hydrometer but I rarely use it. I essentially let my ales sit in primary (at the appropriate temperature) for at least three weeks. I let my lagers sit for four weeks. I always pitch a health starter and aerate my wort. I might use a hydrometer if I owned a wine thief but it just doesn't seem necessary. The beers I've produced are great - last four picked up 2 1st places, 1 2nd place, and an honorable mention, so I know I'm doing something right.

 

[DMartin]

I put my hydrometer right into the fermenter; properly sanitized of course. It usually just confirms what I already assumed, but the occasional time it doesn't is when I'm glad to have it.

I'm going to repeat something I said earlier on this thread:

When we tell new brewers that airlock activity is not a good sign of fermentation, what we really mean is that LACK of airlock activity is not a good sign that fermentation has stopped.

 

[Piratwolf]

I have to agree with the OP. I own a hydrometer but I rarely use it. I essentially let my ales sit in primary (at the appropriate temperature) for at least three weeks. I let my lagers sit for four weeks. I always pitch a health starter and aerate my wort. I might use a hydrometer if I owned a wine thief but it just doesn't seem necessary. The beers I've produced are great - last four picked up 2 1st places, 1 2nd place, and an honorable mention, so I know I'm doing something right.

I think this is awesome! Congrats and keep brewing strong

Perhaps the key here is that you have clearly owned your process and equipment. Therefore you're unlikely to post "Is meh beer ruined?" and become the object of one of these "use your hydrometer!" posts.

 

[Piratwolf]

When we tell new brewers that airlock activity is not a good sign of fermentation, what we really mean is that LACK of airlock activity is not a good sign that fermentation has stopped.

That may be what you mean, but it's not and hasn't been my point. My point is merely this: if you have a hydrometer AND you are unsure whether your fermentation is doing X, then don't guess or assume or consult oracles... MEASURE with your hydrometer. Then you KNOW and there's no need for all the rest of this.

In the end, do what you like. But if you have the capability to KNOW and choose not to, well, that makes no sense to me.

 

[BigUgly]

Sorry, but I'm not going to chime in on either side of this heated discussion.

All I want to say is thank you for making my last 15 minutes I spent reading this on the toilet worthwhile! Good stuff...

 

[Cimerian]

For anyone reading this thread please read up on Boyle's law. It will completely explain the inconsistencies in this entire thread.

 

[bessieflames]

For anyone reading this thread please read up on Boyle's law. It will completely explain the inconsistencies in this entire thread.

Yes yes. PV=nRT. Volume is constant, so the only changes are from the number of moles of gas and the temperature changes. Fermentation causes CO2 to build up (an increase in n) and pressure to increase. The only other thing that can cause this is a change in temperature or a change in atmospheric pressures. You will see this as bubbles in the airlock. The bubbles will correspond to fermentation as long as you have no leaks, no major temp changes, and no major barometric changes. Compared to the amount of CO2 being produced during fermentation, barometric changes are negligible. Therefore, if you have no leaks and don't wildly swing your temps, you can gauge fermentation by the airlock. See my previous post. Have we sufficiently beat the dead horse? We should do a poll.

A- I think that I can judge what my beer is doing fairly well by looking at my airlock.

B- Airlocks tell you nothing about fermentation. Nothing at all.

I don't know how to make this into a poll like I have seen in other places in this forum.

 

[Komodo]

This whole thread is a really good gauge of something . . .