First AG, BIAB, no airlock activity yet, did I miss something?

[EricScott]

Hi all,
I tried my hand at my first AG batch yesterday. Pitched around 7pm. Is now 1:40pm. No activity yet. I know this isnt a sign of doom but usually I have airlock by now, and am wondering if you all would double check my process to see if I missed a step:

1. Heat 3.75 gallons of water to 170.
2. Put strainer in pot so back doesnt touch bottem.
3. Put bag in put.
4. Put 12lbs of Rauchmalt in bag. EDIT: Rauch malt was precrushed by store. Also put in 0.5 pounds of roasted barley that I food-processored myself.
5. Check temp. Was 145.
6. Turned on heat and mixed.
7. At 150 turned off heat, mixed some more.
8. Checked temp. Down a bit, turned on heat, covered.
9. Wait 1 hour. Periodically check temp.
10. Placed pot on floor. Lift out bag. Let it drip dry into pot. Wife squeeze bag with two spoons.
11. Pot back on the stove, full heat.
12. Dunk bag in 1.5 gallons of 170 deg water for about 5 minutes.
13. Dump sparge water into mash water.
14. Repeat 12 & 13.
15. Boil, hops as usual.

From there out I did all my normal steps.
Did I miss something? My gravity reading was 1.063. The wort tasted nice and sweet. The water I used to rehydrate the yeast was a bit cool (like 50 deg) but I didnt think that was a serious problem. It rehydrated just fine.

If you all think my mash and sparge seems proper, Ill just wait a day or two before repitching.

Thanks!

PS. I know everyone says airlock means nothing and you need to take a gravity reading. How much should I expect gravity to drop in 24 hours? Any at all? Thanks.

 

[Teromous]

Generally you can do an iodine test to check for starch conversion but if it tastes like sweet wort then you're probably fine. It could just be going slow because you have a higher gravity without a starter. RDWHAHB

 

[o4_srt]

Brewed a cream ale this weekend, and underpitched. It took 30 hours for signs of fermentation to appear.

Relax and give it time, the yeast know what they are doing.

 

[Revvy]

Yeah, you missed the part about, regardless of it being AG or Extract, Biab or mash tunned, that Airlock activity is irrevelent. Just gravity points on a hydrometer.

Yeast is yeast, and besides, https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/, and by visible signs we don't necessarily mean a bubbling airlock. it means gravity reading

It IS a sticky at the top of the beginners forum for a reason, afterall.

The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....

Fast fermentations/slow fermentations/big krausens/small krausens/bubbles starting and stopping, in the long run is really irrevelent....just that you have fermentation. Yeast don't normal normally die/stop fermenting/get tired, that's a premise new brewers believe, but it's not the truth. Yeast have been doing this for 4,000 years, and know how to ferment the beer, they WANT to ferment the beer, it's their entire purpose in life is to eat sugar, peer alcohol and fart co2 (along with some major screwing during the reproductive phase) especially modern 21st century yeast.

All those other things are really just superficial to the purpose at hand, if your yeast took off, unless you let the temp go down near 50, your yeast is still working happily away, despite what the supreficial signs like airlock may indicate.


edit There's no "expected" or correct gravity drop in the first 24 hours, or any time thereafter, since every fermentation is different, ANY drop in gravity means you have fermentation, and that's all that matters.
Relax and take a gravity reading after 72 hours...

 

[Golddiggie]

50F is mighty cold to rehydrate yeast in... Normally the packages say somewhere between 90-109F, depending on the yeast and such...

What was the wort temp when you pitched the yeast in? If there's too much of a difference, you could have shocked the yeast.

I typically get full active fermentation sign within 12 hours of when I pitch the yeast. Especially when using a starter (often less). I've had brews that took more than 24 hours before I had active signs of fermentation (or showed post-lag)...

If you're brewing in a bucket, let it ride. If you don't see ANY sign within 72 hours, check to make sure the bucket lid is on TIGHT. even one lose area can be all the gas needs to escape there instead of through the airlock. If you're using a carboy, just watch the wort. You'll know it when it's actually fermenting.

I've gotten to the point where I just watch to make sure fermentation has started (easy in a carboy, can't see the wort in the corny, but there's no leaks so the airlock goes active soon enough) and then let it ride 2-4 weeks. Longer for big brews...

As pointed out, you'll really only know if anything is going on via a hydrometer reading. Although, if you are in a carboy, a glance at the side makes it pretty clear when it's fermenting. :rockin:

As aways, RDWHAHB, and listen to Revvy...

 

[EricScott]

edit There's no "expected" or correct gravity drop in the first 24 hours, or any time thereafter, since every fermentation is different, ANY drop in gravity means you have fermentation, and that's all that matters.
Relax and take a gravity reading after 72 hours...

72 hours, got it, thx.

BTW, I used US-05 so I was under the impression a starter isnt necessary or desired. Correct?

 

[EricScott]

What was the wort temp when you pitched the yeast in? If there's too much of a difference, you could have shocked the yeast.

70 degrees. I was kind of worried about this. If no drop in G in another two days ill rehydrate some more and repitch.

I typically get full active fermentation sign within 12 hours of when I pitch the yeast. Especially when using a starter (often less). I've had brews that took more than 24 hours before I had active signs of fermentation (or showed post-lag)...

If you're brewing in a bucket, let it ride. If you don't see ANY sign within 72 hours, check to make sure the bucket lid is on TIGHT. even one lose area can be all the gas needs to escape there instead of through the airlock. If you're using a carboy, just watch the wort. You'll know it when it's actually fermenting.

Bucket. I put a tiny amount of pressure on the lid this morning and got a bubble so I figured its on tight. No?


Thanks all. Im glad no one has pointed out any obvious flaws in my mash and sparge.

 

[Golddiggie]

20F shouldn't be enough to shock the yeast... Or at least not shock them too much. I typically rehydrate my yeast (for musts) and pitch them in after about 20-30 minutes. By then, they've cooled to within about 10F of the must. I'm using liquid yeast for my brews. Either Wyeast Activator packs, starters from the activator packs, or starters from washed liquid yeast.

Push, hard, along the entire edge of the bucket to make sure it's fully on. Give it until it's been at least 72 hours from first yeast pitching before you go and check the SG... If you have any activity, at all, in the airlock, I'd just leave it alone. It just might not be producing enough gas to actually need to vent out from the airlock. Of your lid isn't sealing tighly enough, so it's getting enough to escape that it doesn't need to go through the airlock.

I do so hate buckets... At least with carboy's, you KNOW when the bung is fully in... No other place for gas to get out from... Plus, you can actually see what's going on inside (if no movements of the airlock)... I've not had a batch yet, in a carboy or corny, that's not had airlock movements going on. Usually within 12 hours, often less. Visible activity (in the wort, not the airlock) too.

 

[EricScott]

Good news, everybody!
Got home, still no airlock activity. Popped the lid. Beer is visibly fermenting. Lots of bubbling. Gravity dropped 13 points to 1.050.

Sooooo... whats this mean? Leak in my bucket? I put a bit of water right ontop of the grommet... nothing. Maybe my lid doesnt seal so well anymore? How long do they usually last?

Thanks again!

 

[o4_srt]

Probably bad lid seal