First Batch Fermentation - No Activity

[djschererjr]

First time brewer and I kicked off my first batch last weekend. I had to go out of town this past week, so I had my wife checking for airlock activity daily. She saw nothing. I am now at a loss as to what to do. Need some advice, and I am certain now, in retrospect, that I made a few rookie mistakes.

- Sanitized well I believe.
- Performed a full boil with the kit whose instructions on in the link at the bottom.
- Used a wort chiller to bring the temperature down to pitching temp.
- Rehydrated the yeast according to normal instructions but I don't think I got the temperature of the rehydrating water quite high enough. (80 degF IIRC)
- Did not proof the yeast
- Pitched on top of the wort and did not stir in
- May not have aerated the wort enough, i.e. did not pour back and forth between fermenting bucket and boil pot.
- Batch is in a chest freezer with an external controller. Temp has been good I believe.
- Did NOT take an OG reading.
- Did not see any airlock activity prior to leaving town and my wife did not either.
- Sweet yeasty smell though starting about Day 5
- Bucket lid was on tight until I
- There is a film on top of the wort/beer but no real thick foam or anything. There is some foam/solids floating on top.
- It's been a little over 8 days
- Took a refractometer reading today and got a 8.5 BRIX which appears to be 1.034 sg
- Instructions mention a Starting Gravity of 1.054 and a Finishing Gravity of 1.014.

At this point, I am not sure whether to leave it alone and continue to monitor the sg daily, pitch new yeast or to start over.

Any advice is much appreciated.

http://www.homebrewing.org/assets/images/PDF/AIHrecipes/JonsWickedBrownAle.pdf

 

[Yooper]

The refractometer reading is meaningless, as alcohol skews the refraction of light and without an OG reading, you can't convert it.

Run and take a hydrometer reading quickly, and when we know of the exact hydrometer reading we can give you good advice.

 

[hunter_le five]

For the record, a lack of airlock activity does not necessarily mean you had no fermentation. There may have been a small leak in the bucket lid seal.

As Yooper said, a hydrometer reading would help determine what the situation is.


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[flars]

Everything you did is just about right. Especially not proofing the yeast. Only bread making yeast is proofed. Palmers online book is outdated on some points.

 

[djschererjr]

Assuming I am looking at the hydrometer correctly, it looks like a 1.016 sg.

 

[pat1268]

I am brewing a session IPA at the moment and had no activity either do you have krausen? That is the foaming on top of the wort . If you had that at anytime that means you had fermentation going . How much time do you have left on your fermentation? I would not open it too many times . Just remember that we all started with the first batch and it will not always come out right. Just keep at it and have fun!!


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[flars]

Assuming I am looking at the hydrometer correctly, it looks like a 1.016 sg.

Your fermentation is close to being done. Take another SG reading in 5 days.

 

[djschererjr]

Thanks everyone. I feel better about things now after posting here.