First brew

[abmangus1]

I finished my first brew Sunday and everything went pretty well. It's been in the primary fermenter for about 3 days now and for the first two days it seemed to be going well. I woke up this morning to see no bubbles coming out of the airlock. Is this normal or should there be bubbles coming out the entire time. I figured it would stop once the yeast did its job but didn't think it would be this soon. Should I be worried or am I just being over cautious since this is my first brew?

 

[akimbo78]

you are fine. its still fermenting. its hard but leave it alone for a another 2 weeks, check the gravity, then check again in a couple days. if its stable proceed to bottling.

 

[bschoenb]

The Homebrewers Mantra; "Relax, Don't worry! Have a Homebrew" you have newbie brewers anxiety. The Wort wants to become beer. The yeast can ferment out the beer in three days if it's pretty warm and the og is low.

If concerned: Give your carboy a gentil shake/swirl to stir up the yeast into suspension; warm it up to about 68/70 degrees if it in the low/mid 60s now?..... and let it sit for three weeks in the carboy, Bottle, then let it sit for three weeks at 70 to carb up

 

[abmangus1]

It's been at a pretty constant 66 to 68 since its been in the fermenter. I'm sure it'll be fine. Just anxious to try it. I did open it up today to have a little look and it smelled like beer so that's gotta be a good thing

 

[ChrisJPassarelli]

Have no fear, it sounds like the yeast is happy enough, if you can smell it! One option, too, is to take a hydrometer reading to see where it's at. I had this same situation with a stout, where it slowed down a bunch after just 2 or 3 days... thinking there had to be more sugar in there, I started to get worried, but I took a gravity reading and it was very nearly down to where the FG was supposed to be. In short, it didn't get cut off early like I had feared.

Take a reading, compare to what the FG is supposed to be (based on the recipe or style), and then take stock on whether you should be worried or not.

 

[TwiggyTwig]

Don't use the airlock as a gauge for fermentation. It's only there to let out excess CO2, nothing more.

You'll have delicious beer in no time.

 

[homebrewdad]

Relax. Bubbles mean nothing. If you are measuring fermentation in days, you haven't given it nearly enough time.

Wait at least two weeks - you'll be happier with three - before you think about checking gravity, or (heaven forbid) bottling.

This is an awesome hobby, but it requires tons of patience.

 

[unionrdr]

Bubbling isn't entirely worthless. It always makes like a spastic rooster on speeders & acid during initial fermentation. Then slows down or stops when initial fermentation is finished. That's what they're all freaking out over. Anyway,from that point on,it'll slowlly,very uneventfully ferment down to FG. Don't mess with it. Don't Rack it. Don't hug it babbling incoherently & sobbing uncontrollably at it's early demise.
It's fine. Nothing's wrong,IT'S JUST NOT DONE YET!!! And for the love of God,don't forget to use your hydrometer. Know it. Test it. Learn to read it. Trust it...BUT USE IT!

 

[abmangus1]

Fair enough. I new it wasn't done. Was just expecting to see something else. I just need to magically gain patience over the next couple of weeks

 

[unionrdr]

Actually,I thought perveying the facts in a humorous fashion would lighten thngs up a bit. Makes the mind absorb things easier sometimes.