Ceased Airlock Activity, but NO HYDROMETER AVAILABLE

[shlongstar]

So yesterday I had some great airlock activity 10 hours after pitching yeast (see video here), but it 100% stopped several hours later (got a lot more vigorous than the video I posted, before stopping). The batch is a brown ale (liquid extract + specialty grain) with an 11gram Windsor dry yeast packet, expected SG 1.045. I also see krausen lacing inside the fermenter.

I know, I know, you can't gauge fermentation based on airlock activity... and you should use a hydrometer. I've searched and read all the posts about no airlock activity, and read Revvy's blog.

My problem is that I never got an OG reading because my hydrometer was broken when shipped to me, and the replacement won't get here in at least a week!

My question is, would it be worth going to the LHBS ASAP to buy a hydrometer to check the reading now? That way if the SG is a lot higher than expected (but again, I don't have an OG reading), then maybe something went wrong? Perhaps I didn't aerate enough, or maybe the temp got too high yesterday (up to 72-73 degrees during daytime, but mainly around 68-70).

I'm guessing that it was just a fast fermentation secondary to the relatively high temp, and now I should just wait for my hydrometer to be shipped and assume all went well (cause yeast kick ass like that).

What do you guys think? Thanks in advance!

 

[Revvy]

Then laeve it alone for 2 weeks....if you don't have a hydrometer, that is the only real way to make sure fermentation has ceased...

That way you will have plenty of time to get a new hydrometer.

Many of us leave our beers in fermenters for a month so waiting will only do your beer good things.

You can roughly calculate your OG based on your ingredients...then you will know when you reach terminal gravity.

 

[jds]

Neither of the scenarios you describe (poor aeration, high temps) can be corrected by anything except more time in the fermenter. Take your time, go get a hydrometer, and wait at least a week before doing anything to the beer. Furthermore, I don;t think your temps were THAT high.

Equal readings three days in a row is an indication that the yeast has stopped actively fermenting. However, there may be benefits to more time on the yeast, especially if your temperatures got too high.

Beat by Revvy again! Man, you're fast.

 

[ifishsum]

Just wait for the hydrometer to be shipped, even if you could verify that it was finished now you wouldn't want to do anything with the beer this soon. I don't even check the FG until at least 10 days have passed so just RDWHAHB and leave it be.

 

[shlongstar]

Man, you're like HBT Ninjas! I post, grab a bite, come back and already have 3 helpful replies.

Saves me a trip to the LHBS I guess. I'll definitely take your advice and just let time do its thing.

 

[944play]

Windsor takes forever to clear anyway. Ferments wicked fast though! +1, RDWHAHB.

 

[HoppyDaze]

Panic! Run around as fast as you can; theres too much on the line; way too much to lose!

 

[sgmurdock]

Similar Issue: Brewing a coco porter with Windsor yeast.

Nothing obvious happening for 18 hours after pitching- popped the lid on primary bucket for a peek and saw some krausen forming and stirred it for good measure. Mad action in the airlock for the next 8 hours or so- then nothing- no really nothing, no bubbles, no krausen. I hit the panic button and tossed a tsp of yeast energizer thinking it couldn't possibly be done with all the maltodextrin and brown sugar in addition to the LME. I know, if it ain't broke don't fix it! Should've waited! Now it's been sitting inactive 36 hours since I panicked. Now I'm scared to do anything and hoping that time will cure all.

My Questions: Is it done? What kind of a gravity should I see? OG was 1.040. Current Sp of 1.022.
When should I transfer to secondary?

 

[Revvy]

Similar Issue: Brewing a coco porter with Windsor yeast.

Nothing obvious happening for 18 hours after pitching- popped the lid on primary bucket for a peek and saw some krausen forming and stirred it for good measure. Mad action in the airlock for the next 8 hours or so- then nothing- no really nothing, no bubbles, no krausen. I hit the panic button and tossed a tsp of yeast energizer thinking it couldn't possibly be done with all the maltodextrin and brown sugar in addition to the LME. I know, if it ain't broke don't fix it! Should've waited! Now it's been sitting inactive 36 hours since I panicked. Now I'm scared to do anything and hoping that time will cure all.

My Questions: Is it done? What kind of a gravity should I see? OG was 1.040.
When should I transfer to secondary?

Airlock activity MEANS NOTHING...and you shouldn't have stirred it...you want the krauzen to have fallen naturally...again..LEAVE IT ALONE FOR 2 WEEKS...DOn't do anything...If you leave it alone you can't hurt it, if you keep messing with it unnecessarily you could...just walk away...

Read this BEFORE you do something like stir your krausen up in another batchhttp://blogs.homebrewtalk.com/Revvy/Think_evaluation_before_action/

You recipe will tell you what you final gravity is...but if you stirred krauzen you aren't there yet...

Wait a minimum 12 days before checking gravity...

You have to remember, as opposed to in organic chemistry, or even most cooking, the minute you pitch the yeast, you introduced a LIVING MICRO ORGANISM....you didn't just mix coolaid powder, sugar and water, you gave up control of the process to another living creature...So you introduced a "wild card" to the equation....a random factor left up to the whims of the little buggies...

Think of the yeasties as a teenager or a partner, and you will understand how powerless you are...

A lot of new brewers think THEY are in charge...they decide when they think the should rack or bottle, and they don't pay attention to whether the beer is ready for the next step...

Then they start is my beer ruined threads because the beer is not living up to THEIR expectations...it's not carbonated when THEY want it to be...or the secondary it to soon, and all of a sudden it starts another krausen (which freaks them out because they didn't see it in the bucket...now in the carboy it is scary and ugly) and the panic...or it doesn't appear to be fermenting in their primary and they want to fix it by warming it up

But the truth of the matter is, WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE...the yeasties are...all we are responsible for is building a nice clean factory (a sanitized fermenter) stocked with plenty of food and materials to work with (the wort) and then we just are supposed to step away and let them do what they've been doing since time began....

That's why you will find a lot of us don't secondary...we walk away from the fermenter for 3-4 weeks...we DON'T look at the airlock bubbling or lack of it, we don't worry about it incessently, we TRUST...then we bottle or keg...we let the yeasties do their job, and also something that a lot of people who secondary don't get the benefit of.....they clean up their own messes...the get rid of a lot of the byproducts of their fermentation...Palmer talks about the yeasts cleaning up after themselves in How to Brew...

SO basically a lot of us now just leave the yeas plenty of time to do their jobs...figuring a month is enough time to ferment, clean and settle, and still way within the safety window of the "dreaded boogeyman autolysis," then we just bottle or keg...

THis is a game of patience and trust. {b]Your job was done for awhile when you pitched your yeast.[/b]

 

[Flattop]

Did anyone mention "LEAVE IT ALONE"

You guys are like teenagers on your first hot date... everyone wants a home run...
I know when i was a noob i thing i took SG readings daily... guess what???
It didn't clear any faster.
Treat the beer like a girl, take it slow and finish strong!

 

[Revvy]

Did anyone mention "LEAVE IT ALONE"

You guys are like teenagers on your first hot date... everyone wants a home run...
I know when i was a noob i thing i took SG readings daily... guess what???
It didn't clear any faster.
Treat the beer like a girl, take it slow and finish strong!

I'm pretty sure that the gist of my writings were somewhat along those lines

Maybe I should just go with visual cues...

 

[sgmurdock]

Ok Thanks. I'm walking away now from the beer and will read more while being patient (I'm thirsty now) patient.

Cheers