Chili beer not fermenting

[Gutpunch]

I'm making a hatch chili ale from an extract recipe. I brewed six days ago, and still no activity that I can see in the airlock. I used about a liter starter that was clearly active, so I'd say the yeast was healthy. I've never had a fermentation do this before. Maybe this is a dumb question, but I'm wondering if the problem could be the hatch chilis themselves? I opted to roast mine first and toss them in with 10 min boil remaining. Is it possible yeast and capsaicin don't get along?

Otherwise, I'm not even sure how to start troubleshooting this thing. Thanks.

 

[bottlebomber]

The peppers aren't the problem. Have you taken a gravity reading?

 

[jonny_crash]

The peppers aren't the problem. Have you taken a gravity reading?

+1

Do not use airlock activity as an indication of active fermentation. How long ago did you pitch the yeast? What was your starting gravity, and what is it now?

 

[Leadgolem]

I've got a peach wine in primary. It started at 1.115, it is now 1.058 and still falling. I put it together 11 days ago. In that time I have not seen my airlock bubble. Not even once.

 

[Dan]

A couple of my fermenters might have airlock activity for a few hours and then none to be seen. Learned airlock activity is not a sign of fermentation rule early on. S-E-C-I-F-I-C G-R-A-V-I-T-Y is the determining factor.

(Revvy's endless preaching might have helped me grasp that a little more quickly)

 

[bottlebomber]

S-E-C-I-F-I-C G-R-A-V-I-T-Y

*snicker*

 

[Dan]

Ooops!

 

[bob1852]

*snicker*

Maybe the "P" bubbled out of the airlock.

 

[Gutpunch]

Wow, you're right. With an OG of 1.084, I took a sample today (day 7) and measured 1.022. It's moving right along schedule.

But now this leads me to ask... What's different about this fermentation that's producing no noticeable gas? This is maybe my fifth wash and use of this strain (US-08), but it's always performed before, including in the starter. For some reason, negligible CO2 is being produced, I'm assuming? But why?

 

[Guerrilla]

What type of fermentation vessel are you using... always use the buckets for my primary and sometimes the airlock bubbles, sometimes no. More or less depends on the seal of the top. If the yeast are metabolizing sugar then they are making CO2 independent on everything else going on with the yeast. Also could have been bubbling a $*** ton while you were asleep or gone and was done with the vigorous fermentation by the time you saw it again. Seems like yeast always try and ferment behind your back, except when they blow the top completely!

 

[Leadgolem]

What type of fermentation vessel are you using... always use the buckets for my primary and sometimes the airlock bubbles, sometimes no. More or less depends on the seal of the top. If the yeast are metabolizing sugar then they are making CO2 independent on everything else going on with the yeast. Also could have been bubbling a $*** ton while you were asleep or gone and was done with the vigorous fermentation by the time you saw it again. Seems like yeast always try and ferment behind your back, except when they blow the top completely!

x2 The cap on my primary doesn't always seat air tight. So I don't always get visible bubbling.