First brew, missed out on the krausen??

[toezter]

Assuming my sanitation processes are ok since I've been making hard cider/lemonade...

My first brew kit from Northern Brewers American Wheat. Followed the directions, OG was 1.050 as also claimed in the instructions.

Couple things I thought I may have botched on:
1. Pitched the safale us-05 yeast too soon, too hot
2. Did not aerate the wort enough
3. Did not have a proper fitting on the ale pail

After 2.5 days, no bubbles from the airlock. Thinking I did scorch the yeast, I re-pitched with some Red Star yeast left over from cider (this should be interesting) with some yeast nutrient/energizer. Couple days later, still no bubbles from the airlock. Temperature has been around 70-75*F.

So, today I decide to replace the lid and airlock hoping for a better fit maybe? I also check the SG and its 1.010!! Is it working?

Heres what it looks like today, and what it had been like since day 2.5

 

[homebrewdad]

Apparently, you missed the krausen. No big deal.

As we say time and time and time again, bubbles mean nothing. Rapid bubbles typically indicate fermentation, but the lack of them does not indicate no fermentation.

The airlock is a vent, nothing more.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Apparently, you missed the krausen. No big deal.

As we say time and time and time again, bubbles mean nothing. Rapid bubbles typically indicate fermentation, but the lack of them does not indicate no fermentation.

The airlock is a vent, nothing more.

+1

You definitely had fermentation. My guess is a leaky bucket, those lids are notorious for that.

 

[brewit2it]

Apparently, you missed the krausen. No big deal.

As we say time and time and time again, bubbles mean nothing. Rapid bubbles typically indicate fermentation, but the lack of them does not indicate no fermentation.

The airlock is a vent, nothing more.

If you don't have a leak it sure does, but with buckets it is common to have air leaks so you can't rely on the airlock to confirm this is happening:

C12H22O11 +H2O → 2C2H5OH + 2CO2

 

[WileECoyote]

Hello toezter,

Use a hydrometer reading to tell if its fermenting, and always sanitize before using, you have an OG of 1.050, if its fermenting it will be less than that.

looks like Krausen left overs around the edge's to me, nice colored brew by the way.

Cheers

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Hello toezter,

Use a hydrometer reading to tell if its fermenting, and always sanitize before using, you have an OG of 1.050, if its fermenting it will be less than that.

looks like Krausen left overs around the edge's to me, nice colored brew by the way.

Cheers

He did. It's at 1.01. That, plus the krausen ring guarantee it fermented.... and is probably done considering is FG.

 

[homebrewdad]

If you don't have a leak it sure does, but with buckets it is common to have air leaks so you can't rely on the airlock to confirm this is happening:

C12H22O11 +H2O → 2C2H5OH + 2CO2

Exactly. Buckets are NOTORIOUS for having leaky seals. Excess CO2 takes the path of least resistance, which is that leak.

If you get no bubbles for days AND you get no krausen, worry. Check with your hydrometer. If you get one or the other (even for a brief time), you have fermentation. If you get fermentation, resist the impression to open the bucket time and time again to look at it, draw samples, etc... leave it alone for a couple of weeks, THEN take a hydro sample.

 

[iambeer]

My first three batches, extract, partial mash, and all grain respectively, didn't have much of a krausen, and I didn't they were supposed to until seeing my 4th batch foam up but they all came out relatively fine.

 

[knotquiteawake]

I've never had much in the way of krausen, nothing that ever needed a blowoff tube at least, and more than 1/2 the batches (14 over the last 4 years) had pretty much none.

 

[toezter]

Awesome to hear. Cheers you all!

 

[WileECoyote]

He did. It's at 1.01. That, plus the krausen ring guarantee it fermented.... and is probably done considering is FG.

Sorry, missed the FG part completely, I redact my post, lol

Cheers