Carbonation within 12 hours?

[aTeam]

After a long day yesterday with my first brew I packed it off into the fermenter and went to bed. 12 hours later I could not see any signs of bubbling in my airlock, but im pretty sure it wasn't airtight so I rubbed everything with rubbing alcohol and redid the lid, stopper and airlock. While I was at it I rubbed down a ladle and took an OG reading (only one I've done so far). Read 1.053 which is a hair under the 1.058 expected, I had a bit more wort than expected so that probably explains it.

Anyway, I drank the sample and it tasted lightly carbonated. I was confused how 12 hours later it could have any carbonation so I passed it to my brother and he thought it tasted carbonated too.

So I guess I'll see where this goes, I didn't think I aerated the wort enough last night so I stirred it pretty vigorously. My concern, as I'm sure all noobies are, is that the yeast isn't going yet. But once I tasted carbonation I thought it must be. Anyone have any input on that? Could my OG have changed at all in 12 hours?

 

[brewprint]

Please help me understand what you are saying here.

You brewed yesterday. 12 hours later you checked the gravity. The gravity dropped from 1.058 to 1.053. You tasted carbonation in your sample.

Is this correct?

 

[jlinz]

Step away from the fermenter! There no need to know what's going on after 12 hours. Maybe there's some co2 your tasting, but nothing to worry about. Leave that beer alone to do its magic, and go plan your next one!

 

[Aristotelian]

Yes, if it went down to 1.053, that means it is fermenting. When yeast ferments wort, it gives off C02. Even if it is not under pressure in bottles or keg, you will taste some bubbles. And yes, do not take samples or otherwise disturb the fermentation until you have reason to believe it is done. Any sample you take is an opportunity to introduce infection, especially when there isn't much alcohol yet to kill bad bacteria.

 

[aTeam]

Please help me understand what you are saying here.

You brewed yesterday. 12 hours later you checked the gravity. The gravity dropped from 1.058 to 1.053. You tasted carbonation in your sample.

Is this correct?

Sorry, trying to rush a post before I step out the door for work.

The recipe estimates 1.058. I didn't take a measurement yesterday. I took a measurement today (12 hours later) and got 1.053, that should be pretty close to OG right? What my OG would have been yesterday I mean. I figure I'll use that number as OG. After my first gravity measurement this morning I decided to drink it, and tasted carbonation, which I thought was pretty neat. I was wondering if it normally has carbonation that fast

I didn't think my airlock was in right so I took it off and messed about. Sorry kinda rushing this so I didn't have time to organize my thoughts.

Step away from the fermenter! There no need to know what's going on after 12 hours. Maybe there's some co2 your tasting, but nothing to worry about. Leave that beer alone to do its magic, and go plan your next one!

I had to take a gravity reading and of course, taste it though!

 

[jlinz]

Sorry, trying to rush a post before I step out the door for work.

The recipe estimates 1.058. I didn't take a measurement yesterday. I took a measurement today (12 hours later) and got 1.053, that should be pretty close to OG right? What my OG would have been yesterday I mean. I figure I'll use that number as OG. After my first gravity measurement this morning I decided to drink it, and tasted carbonation, which I thought was pretty neat. I was wondering if it normally has carbonation that fast

I didn't think my airlock was in right so I took it off and messed about. Sorry kinda rushing this so I didn't have time to organize my thoughts.



I had to take a gravity reading and of course, taste it though!

Right, but try to get that OG reading before you add the yeast and then keep er closed up for 3 weeks. AND chill while it does its work, drink some other beer, find some recipes or create some, etc.

 

[brewprint]

No bubbling on the airlock after 12 hours doesn't mean anything.

Your OG may have went down in 12 hours without airlock activity.

I couldn't tell you if a fermenting beer tastes like co2 because I've never checked. I always just leave it alone.

Just so you know; when your beer is done fermenting it's not going to be carbonated. I'm not sure that you realize this by your post.

 

[JMM1980]

My first brew, a coffee stout, never bubbled once. Left it in the fermenter for 3 weeks, bottled for 3 more. Turned out fantastic.

 

[mattdee1]

More often than not when I take a hydro sample, I detect a very faint "tingle" of carbonation.

IMO, if you forget to take an OG sample on brew day, then you're better off cutting your losses and going without a measured OG, than you are digging around in the fermentor at 12 hours in and trying to draw conclusions from that reading.

 

[DoctorMemory]

The only thing I'd be worried about is your aeration after fermentation started. Once the yeast get started you do *not* want to aerate your wort. It gets worse the further along fermentation gets, so you probably didn't do anything too tragic, but try not to do this in the future.

 

[Happydad1689]

Welcome to the hobby!

 

[aTeam]

The only thing I'd be worried about is your aeration after fermentation started. Once the yeast get started you do *not* want to aerate your wort. It gets worse the further along fermentation gets, so you probably didn't do anything too tragic, but try not to do this in the future.

Will do. I poured my kettle wort into the fermenter pretty hard and swished the fermenter around then sealed it up. Then this morning I was reading you should vigorously shake it for 45 seconds. I figured I probably didn't aerate it enough so I stirred and sloshed it around with a spoon for a minute then sealed it back up better. My fermenter will be lonely for the next two weeks until I get it out for bottling

 

[sky4meplease]

You keep drinking that stuff you won't have anything left to bottle [emoji6]

 

[aTeam]

Found out what was bothering me. The wort was fermenting nicely when I checked it out this morning but the bubbler wasn't doing anything. I took off the stopper and got hit in the face with a pressure wave from the fermenter. Upon inspecting the stopper I noticed it stepped down and made the whole thing air tight. I was brewing a bomb in the basement! So I popped in a sanitized stopper and bubbler and she's bubbling away nicely. Now I can rest easy.

Also someone mentioned fermenting for 3 weeks. Any pros and cons for doing 3 weeks vs 2? I only planned on fermenting for 2 weeks, then bottling for 2 weeks.

 

[jlinz]

From what I understand, three weeks is a good amount of time for the yeast to clean up any undesirable byproducts produced, such as acetaldehyde. 3-3 is probably a better plan for most brews. 2 weeks in the bottle may not be enough time to carbonate and condition.