First Batch Questions

[jessefive]

It seems like the "first batch questions" post is a obligatory thing, so here goes mine:

This was my first extract brew (i've done 3 canned kits). Everything went smoothly as far as I can tell. I was brewing a MoreBeer Porter kit. I followed the instructions, except that at 30 minutes, I added a can of pumpkin, 1 tsp cinnamon, and a couple chunks of butternut squash. I pitched the yeast at 72 degrees.

So here is 2 questions:

1.) I took the OG reading, and it came out at 1.071 (expected was 1.055+/-). There was alot of pumpkin and gunk floating in there (I didn't strain when adding to the fermenter, I suppose I should do that next time?) Is that an accurate reading, or did all that stuff make the reading too high?

2.) I went to check on the brew the morning after and there was no bubbling in the airlock. When I looked closer, the water level in the airlock was way low. I added a bit more water and I heard a tiny drip-drop go into the bucket. When I came back an hour later, the water level was back down. Somehow the airlock was drawing the water from the outer section up into the inner section to the point where it was getting into the bucket. (I don't know if I've described this to make any sense). Has anyone ever heard of this?? I lifted the inner piece out and placed it back in, and the water level has been constant. But there is still no bubbling. When I press on the lid, air escapes the airlock, so it seems to be working. Any insight into this??

 

[Blender]

Here is my 2 cents. You did not state what type of yeast and how much you used but don't be worried just yet as I have had to wait upwards to 24 hours before visible activity. I remember when I first filled an airlock and I filled it to high and water was sucked down into the bucket. You will likely be fine. I don't believe the pumpkin, cinnamon and squash will add fermentable sugar so my thought is that the density of these added ingredients made the hydrometer float higher than anticipated. Be real careful when racking to your secondary container to aid in finished clarity. I sometimes use a hop bag on the end of the autosiphon for additional filtering. With extract brews the OG is usually right on if the water added does not exceed the recipe.

 

[jessefive]

Thanks! Thats mostly what I thought.

I used White Labs English Ale liquid yeast. But the thing is, the morning after was yesterday. It still wasn't bubbling this morning. So I've naturally got the first batch fear.

 

[Blender]

Is there any foam forming of the surface? You should be able to see it through the plastic without opening it. Do you know the temperature of the wort when you pitched your yeast? If your aeration wasn't good enough then that could account for the delayed fermentation. White Labs WLP 002 is pretty clumpy so twisting the fermentor a few times to get more yeast into suspension might help.