Fermentation can take 24 to 72 hrs to show visible signs.

[Ogri]

I'm wondering why it looks like such a thick layer of sediment in the bottom of the carboy.

Fermentables are basically the malts and sugars, that will be consumed by the yeast and turned into alcohol and CO2. Honey, maple syrup, pumpkin and various other fermentables are also possibilities for addition.

 

[Vuarra]

I let it hydrate for about 10 to 20 minutes. So cold water is better for the yeast? What do you mean by fermentables?

Fermentables would be a sugar source, whether malt, dextrose, or sucrose. I use a few tablespoons of table sugar in my hydration cup, but there are many here who suggest malts like dry malt extract, liquid malt extract, or a bit of a previous grain mash before the hops are added. This allows the yeast to wake up and start feeding, as well as a tiny bit of multiplying.

The best temperature should be between 70* and 90*. In theory. Depending on the yeast. Again, I'm not a purist, and seeing where you are from, it's a lot harder to ferment (and what I do is start a fermentation in the hydration cup) at 60* to 65* where ale yeasts are producing "off" flavors. Higher than 90*, you'll start killing yeast cells. I use colder water only because I'm a little paranoid about it. Also, if the water is too cold, it can warm up, and the yeast will not rouse until a certain temperature is reached.

Using the setup I have, I've seen action within a few minutes of hydration -- that is, when I pour the yeast on top of a sugar solution at whatever the base temperature is of my water pipes. I've never measured that temperature, so I would estimate between 50* and 70*, depending on the season here in Ontario. Sometimes I only let it go for 30 minutes, the last time I "hydrated" for about 3 hours. For each, it still took me a day to see signs of fermentation.

Given that in your picture, I see no signs of krausen at all, and I see no signs of haze at all, I would assume that there is no fermentation. Granted, assume is a dangerous word, which is why I suggested wait another day. I would still get another yeast packet, and should 72 hours pass from first addition of yeast without any change, then I would use the other package of yeast. This time, *I* would just pour it into the carboy, without any hydration. No issue of temperatures over what the yeast can stand, and you'll have to open the carboy anyway to get the yeast in.

 

[Vuarra]

I'm wondering why it looks like such a thick layer of sediment in the bottom of the carboy.

That is something I thought was a little odd, but I have had that much sediment from a BIAB setup a few times. It does happen.

 

[bcwray]

I'm wondering why it looks like such a thick layer of sediment in the bottom of the carboy.

Fermentables are basically the malts and sugars, that will be consumed by the yeast and turned into alcohol and CO2. Honey, maple syrup, pumpkin and various other fermentables are also possibilities for addition.

I didn't strain the hops. I read in several topics on this board that it didn't matter if you strain before fermenting. Correct me if I'm wrong, I have no idea about any of this.

 

[knotquiteawake]

I have just brewed my first batch. I am concerned that the brew looks the same now (48 hours in) as it did when I shortly after I poured it into the carboy. I am concerned that maybe the yeast didnt work properly. I used dry yeast and was told to put it in a cup of 90 degree water before adding it to the carboy. A website I read said the yeast should foam up but it didnt. Is my batch ruined? should I throw some more yeast in? I have attached a photo. Please advise, very concerned.

The yeast should only have "foamed up" if there was any sugar in the water you rehydrated it in, that would be "proofing" the yeast. That sediment at the bottom of your carboy looks a LOT like a layer of yeast on the bottom. I would not be too worried about it, give it another day and then do a gravity reading see if its dropped.

 

[speedymerlin]

OK so I'm new to this, I have an amber rye bottled which went pretty smooth. I'm currently doing a spiced porter from austin homebrew. It's a liquid malt with the 1% abv boost. The first 24 hours showed no activity but today, approx 36 hours later, I can't keep water in the airlock of the carboy. The foam forces the water out and within 20 minutes or so there's a big trail of foam down the side of the carboy. I've lowered the ambient temperature to 65 in hopes to slow this process but I had to ask, this happened to anyone before? Is there anything I can do or just ride it out? Is this batch ruined since I can't keep the airlock sealed? You're help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[edmanster]

OK so I'm new to this, I have an amber rye bottled which went pretty smooth. I'm currently doing a spiced porter from austin homebrew. It's a liquid malt with the 1% abv boost. The first 24 hours showed no activity but today, approx 36 hours later, I can't keep water in the airlock of the carboy. The foam forces the water out and within 20 minutes or so there's a big trail of foam down the side of the carboy. I've lowered the ambient temperature to 65 in hopes to slow this process but I had to ask, this happened to anyone before? Is there anything I can do or just ride it out? Is this batch ruined since I can't keep the airlock sealed? You're help would be greatly appreciated!

Use a blowoff tube... And it happens all the time...

 

[bernie16wb]

I haven't had time to take a gravity reading (damn classes getting in the way of making beer) but I'm a bit concerned that the yeast didn't take in the most recent batch I did. It's been roughly 80 hrs and I haven't seen any activity in the airlock. Assuming when I get home that the gravity isn't where it should be how do I go about pitching more yeast?

Also, would it be problematic if I pitched a different yeast than I did before?

 

[XXguy]

Go back up to the top of this forum, read the stickies.

An airlock is not a measure of fermentation.

Repitching before you've taken a hydrometer reading is probably a waste of yeast.

 

[bernie16wb]

Go back up to the top of this forum, read the stickies.

An airlock is not a measure of fermentation.

Repitching before you've taken a hydrometer reading is probably a waste of yeast.

That's why I said "Assuming when I get home that the gravity isn't where it should be". The stickies are interesting and an immense help though, I've been reading a lot of them lately.

Anyway, I took a reading and it has moved a bit since the starting gravity (1.053) now it's (1.030). It looked active when I removed the lid to take the reading so I assume I should just wait and take another reading to see if it's going down?

Probably the common sense thing to do but my common sense is sometimes horrifically wrong.

 

[Hyperion5]

I just wanted to post my thanks to all the help this thread gives in encouraging patience! Last week I brewed the Honey Brown Ale from Northern Brewer and pitched Wyeast 1056. Got no bubbles in the airlock and started reading. I'm pretty sure it was under pitched since I did not create a starter (lessons learned!). But I waited a full week with no airlock activity. Tonight I cracked it open and checked the gravity and I'm sitting right at 1.014 so it fermented after all and I guess it had a leak somewhere. Thanks again for all the help!

 

[vitordt]

Hi Guys

I would like to thank you for this thread.

I brew a weissbier last sunday and the airlock hasn't started bubbling until today, about 65 hours later.

I you are a new home brewer as I am, please accept all the recommendation from these guys.

Greetings from Brazil.

Cheers!

 

[PassTheBeer]

So I brewed last Tuesday evening, and after all was said and done I had a few bubbles the Wednesday morning. When I got home from work that night, it was bubbling like crazy. But since then....I havent seen any progress.

 

[frazier]

Take a hydrometer reading. It may be done.

 

[PassTheBeer]

As long as I clean and sterilized the wine thief I should be able to just pop the top on my primary and get a sample w/o messing up my batch?

 

[frazier]

Yes, that would be the way to do it. Go ahead and check, then prepare to leave it alone for another couple weeks.

 

[Rivenin]

Depending on what yeast you use. Some fermentations are very vigorous. Aka 24 to 48 hours. Then completely slows... I've had the same thing tons of times. Even though it looks done it very much is not. Take a sample. But let it mellow for at least 2 to 3 more weeks

 

[PassTheBeer]

Thanks guys your input def makes me feel less nervous

 

[JeepBrew]

I have a Kolsch in primary right now - pitched it with White Labs WLP029 48 hours ago. It has been at about 62 degrees F judging by the sticker thingy on the side of my pail. No airlock activity, no krauzen, no change from OG, and it still tastes like sweet tea. I moved it to another closet (a little warmer - mid to upper 60s) where my last batch (an English Brown) did great.

I didn't do a starter, lesson learned - I will next time. I did aerate the beer while bringing it down from boil to pitch temp - I pitched at 68 degrees F. Beersmith says to primary 3 days at 60 degrees.

I fully understand this yeast is a low and slow, but if it hasn't started by tomorrow evening I think I should re-pitch it. Any ideas?

 

[NWMushroom]

I have a Kolsch in primary right now - pitched it with White Labs WLP029 48 hours ago. It has been at about 62 degrees F judging by the sticker thingy on the side of my pail. No airlock activity, no krauzen, no change from OG, and it still tastes like sweet tea. I moved it to another closet (a little warmer - mid to upper 60s) where my last batch (an English Brown) did great.

I didn't do a starter, lesson learned - I will next time. I did aerate the beer while bringing it down from boil to pitch temp - I pitched at 68 degrees F. Beersmith says to primary 3 days at 60 degrees.

I fully understand this yeast is a low and slow, but if it hasn't started by tomorrow evening I think I should re-pitch it. Any ideas?

I'd take a hydro reading first, before deciding anything. I've regularly had batches fully ferment without one bubble coming out of the airlock.

EDIT: Just saw you took a hydro reading and there was no change. I'd give it another 24 hours in the warmer environment, since WLP029 doesn't do well at low temperatures. Giving the fermenter a swirl may help, too.

 

[JeepBrew]

Thanks it's bubbling along fine now. I moved it back to the cooler closet to finish primary but I'll shoot for a temp around 66F.

 

[JeffoC6]

Hi guys- so I'm a full 6 days into my primary fermentation. Day 1 and 2 really went strong, day 3 was a bit of a decline, and day 4, 5, and today, were pretty much nothing but very very tiny bubbles moving up to the surface (hardly any). The krauzen is basically gone and the yeast cake is very visible at the bottom. For the first 6 days, my ambient temp was between 60-62 (Brown Ale). I got some feedback on here that after the vigorous fermentation was finished, it would be wise to bump the ambient temp up a little higher, say 68-70, so that the yeast can clean up after itself for a week or 2.

I just did this, and hope someone can confirm that this is the right move. I moved the primary from my walk in closet where the ambient was 60, to the middle room closet where the ambient is 65. I wrapped a towel around it and I expect the temp to rise just a bit.

Sound good? (I want to ferment a complete 3 weeks, so it's OK to leave in the warmer (68-70) range for the next 2 weeks, right?

Thank you!

PS- I don't have a hydrometer...Getting one for my next brew though.

 

[RodHack]

Can it last a few days? I read somewhere that fermentation usually takes place in 12 hours and can continue over the next few days.

 

[Rivenin]

@jeff. That sounds normal. And awesome! You have beer! give it a few.weeks now @rod. Yes, it can be as quick as 12-24 horrs. But can last as long as a week... if you were a wine/mead brewer, that would go to over a month. So be patient! even though it may be done fermenting. Give it a few weeks and sample it

 

[Najeeb]

Working on my first ever batch of home brew. It is the seventh day of primary. The airlock didn't start bubbling till day 4. It started to bubble every 10 seconds. Now It bubbles every 6 seconds. How do I know when to bottle? Do I check the SG? Do I wait till the bubbles stop? And also is it ok to release air lock to take samples- doesn't that expose beer to air? This batch was made from a kit- using malt concentrate and dry yeast (non-pitched). Thanks.

 

[Najeeb]

The primary is in a glass carboy. Any tips for extracting a sample for a gravity reading? And when should I taste beer. Apologies for all these questions in this thread.

 

[BierMuncher]

The primary is in a glass carboy. Any tips for extracting a sample for a gravity reading? And when should I taste beer. Apologies for all these questions in this thread.

Three things you need. Your racking cane, a hydrometer flask and a small sauce pan. Flask goes into the sauce pan and onto a surface that is lower than the primary (you're going to do a mini syphon here). Fill your racking cane with water (to prime it). Holding a finger over the tip of the hose, drop the racking cane rod into your fermenter and then remove your finger from the hose over the sauce pan. Once the water flushes and beer begins flowing, fill the flask...then stop the flow with your finger again. Remove the racking cane and spill the contents into a glass for additional tasting.

 

[3PegBrew]

Three things you need. Your racking cane, a hydrometer flask and a small sauce pan. Flask goes into the sauce pan and onto a surface that is lower than the primary (you're going to do a mini syphon here). Fill your racking cane with water (to prime it). Holding a finger over the tip of the hose, drop the racking cane rod into your fermenter and then remove your finger from the hose over the sauce pan. Once the water flushes and beer begins flowing, fill the flask...then stop the flow with your finger again. Remove the racking cane and spill the contents into a glass for additional tasting.

Biermuncher...you are a very wise man

 

[NBrasseur]

What about timing the burps from the airlock?

It has been a long time since I've brewed up (like a decade), but from what I can remember I would just wait until the burps slowed down to less than one a minute.

Not very scientific, but I remember that it was simple and effective. I think.

 

[Walzenbrew]

I pitched the full 11grams of yeast even though I'm only making a 2.5 gal batch. The fermentation is going nicely so far and it's been 24 hours. Are there any side effects from over pitching the yeast?