fermenting concerns

[dawn_kiebawls]

Somebody, please help this nOOb! I cooked my first wort from an extract recipe kit (Honey Brown Ale) and everything went well until 24 hours into primary fermentation. For the first 24-36 hours of fermentation my airlock was roaring, then came to a complete stop entirely. Not even a single bubble for 3 days. I took the lid off and stirred/agitated the trub with a sanitized stir stick and replaced the lid. To my satisfaction and surprise the airlock came back to life almost instantly!

Should I now wait a few extra days before transferring to secondary? Also, what could be the reason for the pause in fermentation? I think it is because I didn't strain or filter out any of the trub from my brew kettle when transferring to primary, but I am not sure if that would have any affect or not. Any thoughts or information would be VERY much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[tgolanos]

What temperature is your beer fermenting at? A high temp may cause rapid fermentation, among other issues (off-flavors).

Also, try to limit sticking anything into your wort. Even if you sanitize, you unnecessarily raise the risk of infection this way.

 

[JordanKnudson]

Lots of good stuff to be learned here.

1. Airlock activity is not a direct measure of fermentation activity (rather, it is simply CO2 escaping the fermentor, which although a byproduct of fermentation, is not always proportionately representative of yeast activity). So, even when an airlock stops bubbling away, it doesn't necessarily mean the yeast are inactive.

2. Don't stir, agitate, or otherwise introduce oxygen into the beer once fermentation is underway. Yeast need oxygen in their growth phase (first day or so, very roughly). After that, oxygen becomes your enemy, big time.

3. Your airlock came back to life because your stirring caused CO2 from the fermentation process to come out of solution. You weren't seeing signs of renewed vigor in your yeast, but rather what happens when you shake up a soda and the open it -- it was off-gassing through the airlock.

4. Despite what you may have read in your kit instructions or elsewhere, secondary is generally regarded as unnecessary, except in cases where bulk aging is required (not your case here), and is simply one more transfer/opportunity to cause a problem.

5. Trub from your kettle is not going to prevent good fermentation. Some folks even insist that it helps by providing some nutrients that the yeast can use. Whether you buy into this or not, you can be certain that it is doing no harm in your fermentor right now, and certainly not impeding the process.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Good advice above, don't worry after a few batches, your knowledge and experience increases and you worry less about the process. One "ingredient" that isn't in any kit is patience. Have you taken any gravity readings? That is the best way to know how your fermentation is progressing. Let us know how this beer turns out.

 

[flars]

Vigorous bubbling through the air lock was because to a very active fermentation producing a lot of CO2 pressure. When the activity slowed the CO2 being produced probably just escaped the bucket fermentor around the rim rather than being forced through the air lock.

Give the beer about another 7 days then take your first specific gravity reading. Take another reading three to five days later. If the specific gravity is stable the fermentation is most likely complete. More time in the primary will allow the suspended sediment to settle then you will be ready to rack to the bottling bucket.

Do you have a thermometer strip on your bucket to track the temperature of the fermenting beer? A swamp cooler can keep a fermentation from getting too warm. Overly warm fermentations can produce off flavors with most ale yeasts.

 

[Dcpcooks]

Ok here is the deal! Airlock activity is not, I repeat not an indication of fermentation. The only way to gauge when fermentation is complete is by measuring your original gravity and after a bit of time say 5-14 days measuring again. If your reading is supported by your estimates, you can measure it a day later to see if it changed.
It's commonly accepted that three days of consecutive stable readings means your beer has completed fermentation.

But here is the rub. Every time you open your fermentor you introduce air and release that safe co2 blanket that's protecting your beer. When you open it you risk oxidation and the introduction of wild yeast and bacteria ( especially when you stick stuff in your beer to stir it up). So you don't want to open your fermentor often. ( I don't open mine except to dry hop) as a side bar don't freak your probably fine with stirring up your yeast but the risks outweigh the rewards.

Straining or filtering wort isn't that important and it won't hurt your beer either way. You'll find your process after a few batches.

If it were my beer I'd let it sit in a dark place where you won't be tempted to mess with it for 14 days. Hopefully it's in a cool space that's not subject to temp swing. Then you can pull a sample and see where your at.

Lots of folks have ideas about secondary fermentation. Personally I don't think it's a good idea unless you have a good reason to move it. It's just exposing your beer to oxidation and spoilage risk. You can make up your own mind after a few batches but let this one sit unless your adding oak, fruit or something that will take a few months to finish. The best place for yeast is under the beer and the best thing you can do for your your yeast is let it finish it's job of fermenting your beer.

Cheers! You
Made beer

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

Thank you for all the help, everyone! I have been studying "How To Brew" pretty diligently, unfortunately I'm the type who learns best by over researching, jumping in with both feet and then panicking after I have done everything right!

The OG before primary was 1.042 with an anticipated FG of 1.006ish. At what point should I take another gravity reading to avoid any further unnecessary contamination risks?

It is currently fermenting under my AC register so it should be hovering around 69-70 degrees, unfortunately I am unable to get it any cooler. On the subject of temperature, ironically I was at work (I'm a lineman) and the power went out at my apartment complex. When I got home it was a steamy 85 degrees, I'm just HOPING that doesn't have too bad of an impact on the final product.

Thanks again for all your help and quick responses

 

[tgolanos]

The OG before primary was 1.042 with an anticipated FG of 1.006ish. At what point should I take another gravity reading to avoid any further unnecessary contamination risks?

I usually wait 10 days before taking a gravity reading. That way, I'm sure fermentation is done (or nearly done) and I've given the yeast some time to begin cleaning up any unwanted tastes like sulphur.

If you're fermenting in a bucket, you'll need a turkey baster or wine thief to get your sample. To make things easier, look into getting a bucket with a tap - noting goes in, so no risk of infection.

It is currently fermenting under my AC register so it should be hovering around 69-70 degrees, unfortunately I am unable to get it any cooler. On the subject of temperature, ironically I was at work (I'm a lineman) and the power went out at my apartment complex. When I got home it was a steamy 85 degrees, I'm just HOPING that doesn't have too bad of an impact on the final product.

69-70° is your room temperature. Your beer fermented higher than this, possibly at 75° or more. The swamp cooler mentioned above would work great, especially if you can aim a fan on it or have it next to the AC. You can also use a tub of water with ice bottles to keep your beer temperature down.

Ultimately, you'll have beer. Keep good notes about your process on this brew and you'll know what to do and what not to do next time.

 

[eadavis80]

Search swamp coolers as a cheap way to keep your summertime fermentation temps in check. Fermentation increases the temp of your wort several degrees at least. I'm fairly lucky and live in a tri-level so my lower level stays pretty cool even in the current heat wave. But, what you can do (and what I did) is buy a big plastic storage bin, fill it with a few gallons of cold water and put your fermenter in that. Rotate frozen 2-liter bottles to float in that water. I put a new frozen one in at the beginning and end of each day for the first 3-4 days of fermentation to keep it in the low 60's. It's a poor man's way to prevent off flavors on a budget. Another alternative is to brew warm weather friendly type beers (like saisons) in the summer. Do what you can to keep those yeasties in a good place temp wise!

 

[SlitheryDee]

Depending on the temperature and yeast strain all the sugar in the wort may have already been fermented out. It's certainly possible that you were at or near FG and all that was really left for the yeast to do was clean up fermentation byproducts.

That doesn't mean the beer was "done" after 36 hours though. Fermentation will continue at a greatly reduced pace once the bulk of the sugars are gone. During this time the beer will probably drop the last couple of gravity points and the yeast will start scavenging up the digestible byproducts of their previous sugar orgy. The 2-3 week time frame that is usually given for fermentation also accounts for this cleanup phase. In fact, for the majority of the time that you're waiting for the beer to "finish", it will appear rather boringly inert. Stuff is still happening within it though.

 

[kh54s10]

Suggested above was the use of a bucket with a spigot as a fermenter. I don't like that idea because it is impossible to fully sanitize it while in place with beer in it. I also don't trust small plastic valves. They are easy to break if you knock into it. They might also leak. Even just a small drip would be a lot over a couple of weeks.

 

[JordanKnudson]

Suggested above was the use of a bucket with a spigot as a fermenter. I don't like that idea because it is impossible to fully sanitize it while in place with beer in it. I also don't trust small plastic valves. They are easy to break if you knock into it. They might also leak. Even just a small drip would be a lot over a couple of weeks.

To each his own, but I have used buckets with spigots for primary fermentation for years, and have never once had a problem. Admittedly, I swap them out for new ones periodically and give the used ones to my MIL for use in her gardening activities.

 

[kh54s10]

To each his own, but I have used buckets with spigots for primary fermentation for years, and have never once had a problem. Admittedly, I swap them out for new ones periodically and give the used ones to my MIL for use in her gardening activities.

I am sure it can work.

I try to eliminate possible problems. And that is an easy one to eliminate. I have read about people banging the spigot and it either leaking or even breaking off. If it is a leak you either have to transfer out, fix it, then back in. Or reach into the beer to adjust the spigot. If you break it off you have 5 gallons of wort on the floor.

 

[JordanKnudson]

I am sure it can work.

I try to eliminate possible problems. And that is an easy one to eliminate. I have read about people banging the spigot and it either leaking or even breaking off. If it is a leak you either have to transfer out, fix it, then back in. Or reach into the beer to adjust the spigot. If you break it off you have 5 gallons of wort on the floor.

Yeah, fair enough. And I don't disagree with the idea of being overly cautious -- better safe than sorry. But it seems to me that if someone is breaking off their spigot, they are just being reckless (as in, you'd have to *try* to do that). If they're that much of a walking disaster, they probably also shouldn't be using a gas burner, glass bottles, handling 5+ gallons of boiling sugar water, or many other parts of the brewing process. Realistically, the whole issue would be a non-starter if they just rotated the bucket wherever it is sitting so that the spigot wasn't pointed out where passers by could accidentally whack it.

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

Yeah, fair enough. And I don't disagree with the idea of being overly cautious -- better safe than sorry. But it seems to me that if someone is breaking off their spigot, they are just being reckless (as in, you'd have to *try* to do that). If they're that much of a walking disaster, they probably also shouldn't be using a gas burner, glass bottles, handling 5+ gallons of boiling sugar water, or many other parts of the brewing process. Realistically, the whole issue would be a non-starter if they just rotated the bucket wherever it is sitting so that the spigot wasn't pointed out where passers by could accidentally whack it.

I like to think of myself as a pretty cautious person and my fermenter is well out of the way, tucked in the corner of my apartment and barricaded by some of my belongings as my living space is already quite cramped! I think I will give the spigot a try as it will give me something new to tinker with and think about. Would the same spigot setup I have on my (and I would assume most food grade plastic, beginner setups have) bottling bucket work? Or would it be best to have the spigot up higher on the bucket for easier access to draw samples?

 

[seatazzz]

I like to think of myself as a pretty cautious person and my fermenter is well out of the way, tucked in the corner of my apartment and barricaded by some of my belongings as my living space is already quite cramped! I think I will give the spigot a try as it will give me something new to tinker with and think about. Would the same spigot setup I have on my (and I would assume most food grade plastic, beginner setups have) bottling bucket work? Or would it be best to have the spigot up higher on the bucket for easier access to draw samples?

Leave the spigot where it is. Once your beer settles down, the trub layer is almost always below where the spigot is so you can get a true sample. I keep my buckets (with spigots) in Rubbermaid tubs filled with water with a fan on them, this serves two purposes; keeps the spigot out of the way of my clumsy self and helps to keep the temperature stable. Doesn't take up much more room than the bucket itself. As an extra precaution I add some Starsan to the water in the tub to fend off any bugs that might come calling.

 

[JordanKnudson]

I like to think of myself as a pretty cautious person and my fermenter is well out of the way, tucked in the corner of my apartment and barricaded by some of my belongings as my living space is already quite cramped! I think I will give the spigot a try as it will give me something new to tinker with and think about. Would the same spigot setup I have on my (and I would assume most food grade plastic, beginner setups have) bottling bucket work? Or would it be best to have the spigot up higher on the bucket for easier access to draw samples?

Yep, in this case you would just use your bottling bucket. You want that spigot where it is, because a higher spigot would not allow you to transfer as much of your beer and a lower spigot would allow more trub to be transferred.

The one height consideration that you DO want to make is that, since we do gravity-fed transfers (not using electric pumps or other such things), you will have to have your bucket sitting physically higher than whatever vessel you are trying to transfer the beer to. Usually this just means a kitchen counter or a table. If it can't live there during the entire fermentation process, just lift the bucket (ideally with a helping pair of hands), being careful not to disturb the liquid inside, up to the higher surface when it's time to do your transfer.