Fermentation

[boydak]

Pitched dry yeast at 70 degrees Sunday at 4:30 PM. No bubbles in air lock. Opened up bucket 7 PM Monday to add another packet of yeast and saw what appeared to be an active fermentation.

Seems to be a good seal on bucket but still no bubbles.

What gives?

 

[cuinrearview]

Gotta ask. Did you put some liquid in the air-lock?

 

[boydak]

Yes there is water in it.

 

[flyangler18]

Seems to be a good seal on bucket but still no bubbles.

I suspect the seal is not as good as you think - but that's no reason to worry. If you have a krausen, you have fermentation happening. I've had some fermentations that didn't produce much movement in the airlock at all.

You'll hear it mentioned here that the airlock isn't a reliable gauge of fermentation, and this is very much the case. It's just a vent - allows excess CO2 out without letting outside air in.

Now leave that bucket alone for at least another week - then use the hydrometer to see where to go from there.

 

[Pharmguy]

Why did you want to repitch after 1 day? I have read that you can go through an entire fermentation and not see a bubble. Not sure about the science behind it as CO2 is surely escaping somewhere.

 

[Thumper]

Why did you want to repitch after 1 day? I have read that you can go through an entire fermentation and not see a bubble. Not sure about the science behind it as CO2 is surely escaping somewhere.

Yes the CO2 is escaping somewhere. It will taking the path of least resistance, where ever that may be. Lid seal, grommet between airlock stem and lid. It doesent matter where, but it is escaping. All you need to do is take flyangler 18's adivce and leave it alone for at least a week. 3-4 weeks is even better if you can stand to leave alone for that long. Don't worry the yeasties are working.

 

[ifishsum]

The primary buckets I made have a rubber o-ring in the lid and they always seal great - so great in fact that I have to be careful of suckback if the beer cools a little before fermentation starts. Last month I purchased a 6 gallon Romak primary bucket from the LHBS, the lid snaps on nice and tight but it has no o-ring, and the airlock won't bubble even at high krausen. Just shows a little positive pressure, but most of the CO2 escapes around the lid. It's no big deal, I can smell that it's working.

Wait at least 10 days and then check the gravity, I'm sure it's fine.

 

[boydak]

UPDATE:

Bottled it at a gravirty of 1.018 which is what it used to be when I made it years ago. Pale Ale.

Smelled and tasted like beer.

Never saw a bubble in the air lock. Must have been a grommet issue.

Boy am I happy to be brewing again and to have found this forum.