First Time Brewing Forgot to Aerate

[kgrant01]

When reading some of the material, I read to pour vigorously into Fermentation bucket, so I did. I poured it in the as fast as I could. Then later I read somewhere it needs to be whisked for 3 to 5 minutes. I didn't do that. I got activity in my airlock almost immediately for about 2 days. It was popping every 1 to 3 seconds. Now its moving VERY slow. Maybe once a minute or two. Its been 3.5 days. I'm brewing a Hefeweizen. Should I pitch more yeast? Wait longer? When will it be ready to bottle?

 

[msppilot]

Most of your active fermentation takes place in the first few days. Fermentation will slow down after that. It sounds like everything is working. I would leave it for another week and a half or so and take a gravity reading. Hope this helps.

 

[MuchoGusto]

You're probably fine on aerating the wort. Did you take a specific gravity reading before pitching the yeast? Have you checked the SG after 3.5 days? A SG reading is the easiest way to determine alcohol content and if fermentation is occuring. If you pitched a Hefeweizen ale yeast primary fermentation is generally a short period of time. You could be complete at 3.5 days. You need an OG and a current SP reading.

 

[bluemoose]

Stop, take a breath. Don't touch it. It is fermenting fine. Back away from the ledge. Leave it in the primary for 3 weeks, then bottle or keg. Enjoy the beer, and relax.

 

[beergolf]

Your beer will be fine. I did the same thing on my first brew and it worked out well.

Relax, learn the art of patience and just let you brew sit for 3 weeks.

Get another fermenter and brew another batch while you are waiting. It will help build up your pipeline so waiting becomes much easier if you have some homebrew to drink.

 

[bourgeoisbee]

This is a prime example of DWRHAHB. Hef's tend to be be lower/moderate gravity anyway, so not aerating beyond what you did shouldn't be a problem.

 

[kgrant01]

Thanks guys. I didn't take an OG reading, but I did go to the Beer Calculus site and figure out what my OG should have been and what my FG is supposed to be. I will take a reading here probably this weekend. I hear Hefe's are fast. I love wheat beers and thats why I picked it. I wanted to be able to drink it fast.

 

[bluemoose]

Thanks guys. I didn't take an OG reading, but I did go to the Beer Calculus site and figure out what my OG should have been and what my FG is supposed to be. I will take a reading here probably this weekend. I hear Hefe's are fast. I love wheat beers and thats why I picked it. I wanted to be able to drink it fast.

You might be better off to go out and buy a good hefe and give yours some extra time in the fermenter. You will find this out eventually, but the extra time does a beer good. It is tough waiting for that first beer, but don't sell it short if you can give it the time. Yeast may do the initial fermentation quickly, but give them time to clean up their mess.

 

[kgrant01]

Alright alright. I will let it sit, my initial plan was to let it sit in primary for 2 then in bottles for 1. I guess I will wait longer. :shake head:

 

[Yooper]

Alright alright. I will let it sit, my initial plan was to let it sit in primary for 2 then in bottles for 1. I guess I will wait longer. :shake head:

Letting it sit in the fermenter for two weeks before bottling is fine!

It'll take longer than a week in the bottles to fully carb up though. You could try one after a week, and then try one after two weeks, and then try one after three weeks. By week 3 in the bottle, they should be pretty well carbed up.