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

[WoodsonNoles]

It looks fine but your 78F is too high. There will likely be some solvent flavors in there. In the future, pay attention to your yeast's optimum range and try to get it at least 5F below the maximum.

You referring to keeping the room 5 degrees below the maximum temperature or during the pitching process making sure the wort is that temperature? My apartment is a constant 76* (not 78).

Optimum temp for the yeast I'm using is 57-70*, and keeping my apartment that temperature would be freezing (smaller apartment) so I may have to look into other alternatives to keep the carboy that temp through the fermentation process, unless you are just referring to the pitching temp of the wort.

 

[stpug]

Time for me to be a noob:

So I did my first ever brew Monday night in my apartment using the NB deluxe kit (Irish Red Ale). Storing the carboy in my guest bathroom (dark, 76* in my apartment) . The brew went well, the only place I may have faltered is cooling the wort down (ran out of ice), I had it cool but not sure cool enough. Monday night and into Tuesday there was a lot going on in the carboy. Some foam lot of bubbles in the wort, etc. No bubbles up in the airlock though. Each day since has been fewer and fewer activity (bubbles in the wort smaller and less frequently). Now it looks like what is attached. Just some small gatherings of bubbles. I've never had anything going on (bubbling) in the airlock so I am starting to get nervous. I didn't get anything in the kit to take a reading so I'm looking for help (or someone to say everything looks fine give it another week and then move on to the second fermentor dude).

Your beer looks to basically be done with fermentation, but leave it for another week or so.

You definitely fermented too hot. Ambient air temperatures are generally 2-10°F lower than fermentation temperatures. If your air temp is 76F then your beer fermented anywhere from 78F-86F; and most likely it was 80+F the whole time. Yeast LOVE heat and do their job faster the hotter it gets (to a point around 105F) which would explain why your fermentation was so quick; the problem is that they create off/undesirable characteristics at higher temperatures. While the beer will certainly be drinkable, it would have been even better if fermented at a lower temperature.

Simply putting your carboy in a bucket with cold water around it would have kept it at or below ambient during fermentation (swamp cooler method). Adding a frozen water bottle twice a day would help keep the temp a few degree lower than ambient (refreezing them once thaw). You might have been able to keep the fermentation temp around 70F using a swamp cooler, but you should really find a spot in your place that maintains a slightly lower temp.

 

[bleme]

And if you put your fermentor in the tub of water, with a t-shirt over the fermentor, wicking up the water, and a fan blowing on the t-shirt, you can drop up to 15F, depending in humidity. Because water is such a better conductor than air, the temperature difference inside your fermentor is practically nothing.

There are a few other options too, like an insulated bag, for REALLY limited space.

 

[sak1134]

Probably unnecessary panic on my part but I am brewing a Vanilla Stout using liquid yeast and I pitched my yeast about 11PM on Tuesday night. There was no visable signs of fermentation at all until this morning when I have a bit. (Picture below) Am I OK or should I repitch. My wort is sitting in my laundry room with a space heater to keep the temp between 70-75. Normally I wouldn't worry but if I don't get yeast today, I won't be able to repitch till monday night at the earliest.

Steve

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

Sounds like lag. It should be fine.

 

[sak1134]

I ended up reptiching the yeast Sunday morning (after things progressed farther than the above pic but not much). And this morning I have......

Making me much happier.

 

[Mach1dmb]

Newbie here, I brewed my first batch (Caribou Slobber from NB), I can't seem to find an answer, but how do I know when I can transfer to a secondary? Is there a specific gravity # I'm looking for? My brew started fermenting like crazy within 8 hours, and its been a week, seems like nothing is going on anymore. Its in my basement which is ~68 degrees.

 

[progmac]

Newbie here, I brewed my first batch (Caribou Slobber from NB), I can't seem to find an answer, but how do I know when I can transfer to a secondary? Is there a specific gravity # I'm looking for? My brew started fermenting like crazy within 8 hours, and its been a week, seems like nothing is going on anymore. Its in my basement which is ~68 degrees.

It is fine to transfer. At 68 degrees, most of your fermentation will be over with 96 hours or less. Even if it isn't quite done (though it probably is), plenty of yeast will remain to finish things up in the secondary.

 

[AdamHasser]

I'm currently brewing Superior Strong Ale (Midwest) and seem to experiencing lag in fermentation. It's a big beer with an original OG of 1.067 (mine was 1.062) and came with 2 packets for dry yeast. I brewed it and let it sit for 3 weeks in the primary. Midwest says on the kit it's an 8 month kit but a lot of the reviews said 1.5 to 2 months for them worked just fine. After 3 weeks my gravity was just 1.032. I didn't notice any bubbling in the airlock on the bucket the whole time. I waited another week and it was still 1.032. So I transferred it to the secondary, pitched more yeast and even added some yeast nutrient. It's been about 2-3 days I've still not seen any bubbles. The temp has constantly been around 66 so I'm not sure what the problem is...

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/superior-strong-ale-kit.html

 

[chris23m]

Noob here. I brewed the Brewer's Best Red Ale on Saturday. After cooling my OG was at 1.042. I then aerated with a wisk and pitched a dry yeast pack (did not rehydrate). I then put the fermenting bucket in a tub filled with water. After 24 hrs the there was no airlock activity so I opened the bucket and it looked like iced tea (no bubbles, no froth). I resealed and replaced the external water in the tub to warm the beer. I have now waited almost 4 days and still no airlock activity and the beer looks the same. I took a hydrometer reading and it now reads 1.039 so does that mean it has started fermenting? The temp of the external water is 64 degrees so i assume the beer is close to that. Do I need to go warmer or repicth?

 

[sak1134]

Why is you bucket sitting in a tub of water? I'm guessing that it's just to cool and your yeast is asleep. I would try warming the room to about 70 and give it a couple of days. If nothing happens repitch.

During the cool months I ferment my beer in our laundry room where I keep a small oil filled radiator space heater to keep it at a nice 70 degrees.

Steve

 

[chris23m]

Why is you bucket sitting in a tub of water? I'm guessing that it's just to cool and your yeast is asleep. I would try warming the room to about 70 and give it a couple of days. If nothing happens repitch.

During the cool months I ferment my beer in our laundry room where I keep a small oil filled radiator space heater to keep it at a nice 70 degrees.

Steve

I have it sitting in water to try and reduce large fluctuations in temperature when the heater kicks on and off as the room I have it sitting in is smaller and further away from where the thermostat resides.

I will try to move it to a warmer room and hopefully soemething changes. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Rambuck]

Hi All. Figured this would be a good place to post a noob airlock question.

I brewed my first batch on Tuesday. Finished around 11 PM. Hydrometer will be procured tomorrow.
Anyhow, yesterday, after almost 24 hours, no bubbling in the airlock and I realize no big deal. Yet, it's the S type airlock, all liquid was on the outflow side and almost overflowing. Good sign. I also just gently pushed on the top of the Fermenting bucket and I could see the pressure push the water further. Assuming this is a good sign.
This am, both sides of the airlock were even, but low. Then, couple hours later, they were both even and up to the max line. No sudden temp change. It's in my basement and a constant of about 67-68 deg.
So, guess the question is why the water was low, then back to Max later?
Once I get a hydrometer tomorrow from the LHBS, should I go ahead and take a reading or wait for a full week?
Any other tips is appreciated. I brewed the NB caribou Slobber.
Oh, what should the final gravity be when it's done fermenting?

Thanks and appreciate ALL the advice I have read on this forum.

 

[bleme]

So, guess the question is why the water was low, then back to Max later?

All I can figure is you have ghosts. Or you don't remember refilling it that night you drank too much.

For future reference, the 3-piece can handle more gas than the S type do.

 

[Rambuck]

After a bit of reflection, I think I screwed the pooch when I pitched the yeast. SWMBO, yeah, I'll blame her. She was giving me grief about the smell and standing over me complaining, so I sprinkled the dry yeast in, sealed it and carried it straight to the basement. I still see no signs of fermentation after 60 hrs and shining a light on the bucket, I can see stuff caked on the sides of the bucket and the lid. Also, wort is still at the 5 gal mark with nothing on top. I will buy a hydrometer and more yeast after work. It will be 72 hours tonight. Is that to late to pitch in more yeast?

 

[bleme]

As long as your sanitation was good, it will be fine.

 

[Rambuck]

As long as your sanitation was good, it will be fine.

Thanks. Must have been a quick fermentation. Just checked and the SG is 1.02. So all is good. Sample tastes good. Beginners nerves I guess. Lol
If nothing else, found a great upstart LHBS called Buckeye Brewcraft in Westerville Oh.

 

[hokieguy95]

Just my experience with this problem and a Belgian Dubbel.

After it finished the boil it was cooled down to about 63 degrees. I know now this was way too low a temperature. (1st mistake).

Pitched the yeast on a Wednesday from a vial of WLP530. I did not make a starter. (2nd mistake)

by Friday evening....Nothing...no Krausen...noting moving in the airlock.....nada. 530 is supposed to be a vigourous yeast, so I was sweating it big time. I had to go out of town on Saturday. After speaking with the wife that evening....still nothing in the air lock. It was now going on 72 hours and I was getting very concerned.

Finally Sunday morning she sends me a text of it going crazy bubbling away.

This beer turned out just fine.

I know that you open yourself up to all sorts of issues if your fermentation does not start quickly, but I thought I'd share that it's not always the end of the world.

 

[Patrick_French]

Hi all -

I brewed my very first batch of beer ever 2 days ago, and I have the feeling I'm displaying all of the hallmarks of a newbie in terms of fermentation worry. But I thought I'd check in anyway.

It's an oatmeal stout, made using a combo of grain and extract. I used a dry yeast - Nottingham.

After about 30 hours, the beer started fermenting with a vengeance. It was bubbling up and out of the airlock. The thermometer temp displayed 71 degrees at that time, and I believe this stout should ideally be fermenting at around 68 degrees.

So at suggestion of a few if my far more experienced friends, I placed the bucket outside for a little bit to get the temp down. I also inserted a run-off tube where the airlock normally goes so the bubbles could transfer to another empty bucked (instead of all over the floor.

After about 20 minutes outside, I saw the temp decrease to 66 degrees an pulled it back inside, while leaving the run-off tube in. It's now 5 hours later, and I don't see any visible bubbling. I've replaced the tube with the airlock again, and the temp currently reads 70 degrees (and has been holding steady there for a few hours.

Before anyone asks, I did make sure to thoroughly sanitize the run-off tube and bucket before using them.

My questions are these:

1) Is it ok that I'm no longer seeing visible bubbling through the airlock?

2) Is there a good means for me to tell if fermenting has merely slowed down vs. stalling?

3) Have the temp fluctuations noted below done any harm to the process?

Thanks in advance,

Patrick (Extreme Newbie)

 

[Ibrew2little]

Patric

I'm also newer to home brewing. I've noticed nobody has commented yet so ill do what I can for ya until a pro steps in.

Your fermentation may have just slowed down. Since yeast is obviously a living thing It may not have liked the temp drop. I would give it a day and see what happens. Worst case scenario pull out a sample and measure your FG and see if its close to 1.0. If it is chances are your done. And since its a stout and not a high ABV you prob didn't have much sugar to convert to CO and Alcohol anyway....

If your gravity is still high and still no fermenting I would pitch another small batch of yeast and see what happens..... Or. This is going to sound weird. I had this happen once and old folklore from my Italian grandfather suggested adding 1 (ONE) small drop of olive oil to my batch. I tried it. Annnnd it worked. Cant explain how but it did. No bad taste in my beer as well. I have heard similar not so successful experiences.

Last thing. Relax. Have a beer. Brewing is simple yet complicated. Starting out new your going to have lots of questions on why and how. I hope I was able to help some. Best of luck!

Saluté

 

[GratefulDabHead]

I've had many pros say you don't need to see bubblin to know there's fermentation so I'm gonna say take a FG and wait 48 hours and take another FG. If there's little to know change, get a bottling

 

[mikeymjr23]

Wsh I had read this last night. Haha!

Made my first ever batch yesterday. New Zealand Honey IPA. My wife got me the kit for Christmas.

This morning, I noticed NOTHING in the air lock. I opened it up and saw NOTHING had changed. Called the store and they suggested moving the bucket to a warmer location (therm was reading 64-66). I moved it to a closet and wrapped in a blanket. Within 3 hours, the air lock is reacting!!

I really thought I had messed something up. Now I can't wait til I get to drink it when it's done!!!

 

[bottomofthebarrel]

Brewed twice this past week, first one showed signs of fermentation about 18 hours in and the next showed signs 12 hours in.

 

[jimmyjjohn]

I will say though, let's not advocate that thinking fermentation starting in more than 12 hours is a good thing. It isn't. Any longer than 12 hours and you are looking for trouble--infections, sub-par beer and quite frankly it is a bad brewing practice.

 

[tmmoore52]

I started primary fermentation 8 days ago. There's little krausen on top and I've seen no bubbling in the airlock. I've kept the brew at at constant temp of 64-65 degrees in a closet. At this point do I pitch it or keep going?


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[bleme]

I started primary fermentation 8 days ago. There's little krausen on top and I've seen no bubbling in the airlock. I've kept the brew at at constant temp of 64-65 degrees in a closet. At this point do I pitch it or keep going?


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

Take a gravity reading.

 

[JAXGuitar]

tmmore52

Just because there are no visible signs of fermentation does not mean fermentation has stopped. Take gravity readings once every 3 days until the gravity stops changing. If it's not where you intended it to be, you can rouse up the yeast by sanitizing a ladle and stirring the wort (this is typical with high gravity beers). If this doesn't do it, you could have a stuck fermentation on your hands.

 

[Brewmenn]

I just had one of these stealth fermentations. Brewed a session IPA Sunday and the airlock was dead still all week. Finally decided to open it up to see what was happening and it had some krausen and the SG was down about 10 points, so I put a different lid and air lock on it and it's now bubbling away.

 

[MassHophead]

Hi everyone. New brewer here. I started the fermenting process last Saturday and as of today, 7 days later, I have zero signs of bubble action in my airlock. Should I open the lid and see what's up? Thanks for any advice!



Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[MassHophead]

My SG was at 1.050 last Saturday and I just checked it and it's at 1.020. Is that a bad sign? The brew smells fine and there were no visual signs if infections.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew