Bottling Bucket Primary No Bubbles

[LJvermonster]

Hi all,

I don't know if I'm being paranoid or not but here it goes. I am using my bottling bucket as primary fermenter and its been 4 days since I brewed. It's also been 60 degrees in my house (I'm cheap, it's spring time, I don't want to give in to the cold). However, last night I cranked the heat up to 66 and wrapped my fermenter in a big blanket and swirled it up to try to reactivate the yeast. I still haven't seen any bubbles. The yeast, from Midwest Supplies, expiration date was around 8/14/14 so it is plenty good.

Is the CO2 leaking out of the bucketing nozzle? Should I just let it be and take a hydrometer reading on Sunday (1 week after brewing)? Or should I do something else? Thanks in advance for some advice, I hope I'm just being paranoid.

Thanks all!

 

[Hello]

There are a lot of variables that must be looked at prior to just giving an answer. I have 5 off the top of my head but they probably don't totally apply. What I have learned is that you want to give as much information as possible when you have questions about brewing. This site taught me that.

Being said...

What yeast did you use?
How many vials/packs did you use?
What temperature was your wort when you pitched the yeast? If it was a dry yeast, did you pitch it dry? Did you have a starter?
Did you aerate your wort before pitching?
What was your original (specific) gravity of your beer?

You said your house is 60, you turned up the heat to 66, that is still quite low but not bad. I too keep it cool in here, because I am cool, but usually during active fermentation I am steadily sitting at about 70-72 on the temperature strip I use and that means it is warmer inside.

Could you have a leak? Yes. But do you? Don't know. Let's discuss the above first then worry about using a bottling bucket for primary. Although I know people do it, I never would. Literally one slight over tighten of the spigot or under tighten results in a leak on bottling day for me. I don't want to risk that during fermentation. I can handle a slight drip, I don't want to ruin my beer.

 

[Braufessor]

I agree with everything "Hello" said above - those are all important places to start, and could be likely culprits.

I am one of those that uses bottling buckets all the time for fermenting - that said, I have a very methodical and cautious system for using bottling buckets as fermenters. They work great - but, there is more attention to detail in keeping it all sanitary and clean.

I would say that at least 50% of the time I get no bubbles in the airlock during fermentation - most buckets do leak CO2. Which is no big deal if you are confident in all the other fermentation steps (starters, healthy yeast, temps, etc.) I have never had a beer not ferment out properly in a bucket- even when there were no signs like bubbles, etc. But, I am pretty good about focusing on the details "Hello" outlined in his post.

 

[Hoppity]

Pull the top and look at it, you're probably fine.

 

[Trox]

Personally I would just let it ride for 10-14 days and then you can start taking your FG readings to see where you are at. As long as you did everything right then you will have nothing to worry about.

 

[LJvermonster]

Hi guys- answers to above:
Safale us 05 - 11.5 grams one package - dry no starter. SG was 1.082. Pitch temperature was 75 degrees. No leaks in the bucket (new, only used once).

I'm really hoping I'm just being paranoid.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Braufessor]

That is fairly high gravity - but with dry yeast, you should be ok. The biggest thing I would be concerned about is pitching at 75 degrees - that is warm. My guess is that your fermentation is already done......

In my experience - ALL buckets leak CO2 from the lid.

You could pop the lid a bit and take a look to see if you have remnants of fermentation/crust/foam, etc. Take the airlock out first if you do this. If so - you are good to go and I would leave it go for 10-14 days total to finish up. If it does not look like there is anything there, you could take a gravity sample to confirm and try reptiching if necessary.

 

[Spartan1979]

Why wouldn't you open the lid and look at it?

 

[LJvermonster]

Why wouldn't you open the lid and look at it?

I will open it but I want it to be a last resort. I don't like opening the top unless I have to (before transferring anyways).

I'll check the gravity on Sunday. In case it is not getting down to the 1.01-ish that it needs to be, because it was so hi gravity to start, should I invest in some more yeast just in case?

 

[LJvermonster]

Why wouldn't you open the lid and look at it?

I will open it but I want it to be a last resort. I don't like opening the top unless I have to (before transferring anyways).

I'll check the gravity on Sunday. In case it is not getting down to the 1.01-ish that it needs to be, because it was so hi gravity to start, should I invest in some more yeast just in case?

 

[Hello]

Always have a pack of US 05 on hand if you ask me.

Anyway, you pitched kind of warm but not bad. It can handle that temp I think. Are you fermenting that warm too? Hope not. I think you're fine. Open it up real quick and see if you have or had a layer of krausen.

 

[Larzean]

If you have a flash light or a smart phone with the flash light led light you should be able to shine it against the bucket and see the krausen line - if you're hesitant to open it

 

[LJvermonster]

Good news all, it turned out everything is perfect. Beer went from SG 1.082 to FG 1.016! No bad!