first batch- looking for help

[oms1981]

hi everyone, first post here. I made my first batch of beer last night and I think I am having some trouble. It has been about 24 hours and I see no signs of fermentation. No foam at all in the blow off hose, and I put on the fermentation lock, its not bubbling at all. It looks like nothing is happening and I dont know why.

I used a 3.75 lbs can of Thomas Cooper Brewmaster Selection wheat beer extract. I soaked the can in hot water to thin it then mixed it in my pot with 1.5 gal filtered water. As it heated I added 1 pound of Muntons plain light dried malt. I kept these ingredients at a very low boil for 30 min.

I put 2 gal of cold filtered water in my carboy, then poured in the hot mixture, and filled remaining space with a little more filtered water. I capped it and agitated to mix. Initial temp was 109 degrees F. I put the carboy in the bathtub filled with cold water to speed up cooling.

I pitched the yeast at about 76 degrees F. It was White Labs Hefeweizen Ale Yeast WLP300, followed the directions carefully. It seems like nothing is happening. I was neurotic about sanitizing everything, dunno what went wrong. Please help.

 

[5 Is Not Enough]

Sometimes after 3 days I start to worry, then the airlock bubbles...

 

[Yooper]

First of all, welcome to HBT! Glad you found us.

The fermentation can take a long time to start up if you used liquid yeast. Here is a little thread about that: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=43635

So, don't worry. It'll start. If in three days, you don't see anything happening, then it'll be ok to worry a little bit. But you will see it start anytime now!

 

[Buzzy]

I had the same problem with my first brew. I didn't have the top on my bucket on tight. I never saw any activity until I looked in there about 3 days later. I made sure the top was on tight and my bubbler became active. Make sure you keep your primary at room temperature if it is an Ale yeast. I'm new at this too but I thought I would tell you what I know. Good luck and enjoy!!

 

[oms1981]

Thanks a lot for the quick responses everyone. Just been a little anxious since I've never done this before. I'm really glad I found this website

 

[Brett0424]

Yep 24 hours is no big deal at all. Watch out though, wheat beers can go a little crazy.

 

[shafferpilot]

Yep 24 hours is no big deal at all. Watch out though, wheat beers can go a little crazy.

That's exactly what I was thinking:

"Oh, no; my beer isn't fermenting"

next day:

"Oh, crap my fermenter just blew it's lid off and coated my closet with sticky foam and it's still going!!!"

 

[oms1981]

I turned up the heat just a little bit last night before bed. Woke up this morning and I was very pleased to see that I have massive fermentation. I had to laugh a little bit because I had put the fermentation lock on last night to see if it was bubbling at all, and I never put the blow off hose back on. I woke up to find an erruption of kraeusen and had to quickly sanitize my hose and get it in there. But I am very pleased, thanks for all the advice everyone.

One more quick question; the ambient temperature in the place I have my fermenter at is now 70-72 degrees F after turning up the heat last night. Is this an acceptable temperature to keep it at? I am able to control the temp pretty closly.

 

[eddie]

I'd turn the heat down to about 65F.

 

[Joker]

Yet another reason I vote for starters for the first batch. It really cuts down on the lag time to fermentation starts and save the first time brewer a lot of worrying.

 

[Buzzy]

I had a problem with temperature one time. My house was 70 but the closet was very cold. It was in the single digits outside and my closet was on the outside wall. The Ale yeast wasnt very happy. I probably could have used Lager yeast in there!!! 65 deg is good.

 

[oms1981]

Yet another reason I vote for starters for the first batch. It really cuts down on the lag time to fermentation starts and save the first time brewer a lot of worrying.

Yeah I'll definately be using a starter from now on. I just didn't really know how before. But I read the FAQ and now I just need to buy a few things and I'll be ready to roll with a starter next time. Thanks again for the advice everyone.

 

[shafferpilot]

I'd turn the heat down to about 65F.

I agree. The great thing about vigorous fermentation is that it is self heating. With an ambient temp of 67F your fermenter will actually be at 72F or a little more, which is just right for that beer. It's truly awesome that you managed to get that tube back-in, in-time. There have been many stories of exploding hefe's around here

 

[oms1981]

yeah I got lucky. I think I caught it shortly after it really started going, because it wasn't totally out of control yet. Now its foaming like crazy. Im excited