firt batch question

[m_f]

Hi folks!

I brewed for the first time last night...
The wort has been in the fermenter the whole night now and I don't see any bubbles...
I removed the airlock, peeked through the whole and there is foam on top. I sanitized the lock and put it back. The temp on the outside of the bucket is:74.

is this OK? shouldn't it be bubbling steadily by now?

thanks!

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

Bubbles on the top is a good sign. It should get patches of foam on the top and then after a little longer a big head of foam. Every fermentation tends to be different. You should be fine.

 

[Catfish]

I should be bubbling, but don't worry too much that it isn't.
It's 74, you have foam. It isn't a stuck fermentation. It could be that your bucket isn't sealing well. Try pushing gently on the center of the lid, the water level in your airlock should go up. If it doesn't your lid isn't sealing, if it does then you have some other issue. Regardless I'd say wait a week, rack to a secondary etc etc.

 

[m_f]

I should be bubbling, but don't worry too much that it isn't.
It's 74, you have foam. It isn't a stuck fermentation. It could be that your bucket isn't sealing well. Try pushing gently on the center of the lid, the water level in your airlock should go up. If it doesn't your lid isn't sealing, if it does then you have some other issue. Regardless I'd say wait a week, rack to a secondary etc etc.

I thought the same... I push the lid and the level goes up. Maybe I have to give it more time...

Now I have to be patient... that's the hard part!

thanks!

 

[Beer Snob]

Now that you know somehting is happening, I would not take the airlock off. When you take the airlock off, it will take it some time to regain the pressure to make the bubbles in the airlock that you are looking for.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

be patient and let nature takes it's course. it'll be bubbling away real soon and beer will be on the horizon!

 

[m_f]

thanks!
I'm back home. Still not bubbling steadly (20 hrs after brewing). But I see a bubble now and then. Besides, I can put my ear on the bucket and hear some gurgling. Hope it keeps improving.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

it will. go with a yeast starter next time, and it'll kick-off a whole lot sooner.

 

[Genghis77]

I've been starting with 2L batches of starter. Then pitch to 3 5G fermenters. A little more use for $6 of yeast.

 

[McCall St. Brewer]

I'd just relax and leave it alone for awhile. Definitely don't take the cover or the airlock off. It may be that you pitched your yeast at a little too high a temp. Or, if you didn't us a starter, be sure to either try that next time (or, better yet, use a "smack-pack" such as Wyeast makes). I think your beer will be ok, though.

 

[m_f]

an update:
I used muntons gold dry yeast. It was my first time so I followed the instructions that said, sprinkle on top, don't need a starter!

It was at high temp? maybe. Not too high, but closer to 80 that 70, for sure. The worth was cooler, but the watter in the bucket was warmer, so at the end was like 75 plus.

Now I have good news and bad news:

good: yesterday nigth started to bubble steadily, from one moment to the other it was bubbling like crazy!

bad: no bubbling at all this morning!!!!

wa'da h...?

Temps on the outside: last nigth 72, today morning 72. So I'll live it as it is, for at least 7 days, then I'll measure gravity and see what happens.

Anyways, I am learning (I think) and there will be something to drink at the end of the day LOL

thanks to you all!

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

According to my recent reading, a starter is not necessary for dry yeast if you know it is viable. Dry yeast already has an incredibly high cell count (one reason to do a starter is to increase cell count), so the only real advantage I can see would be to ascertain viability (yours was obviously viable). I have read, however, that it is better to rehydrate the yeast in warm water instead of sprinkling it dry onto the wort because the difference in osmotic pressure will cause some of the yeast cells to burst when they hit the wort dry. How many cells get damaged I have no idea.

As far as the length of your ferment, it could be fine. Sometimes a batch will ferment in a day, especially if it was relatively low gravity. I would go ahead and take a gravity reading today or tomorrow, and then another in three days to see where you're at.

Looking good so far!

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

i agree w/ BeeGee. it's probably done fermenting,or about 90% attenuated. i'd let it sit a day or two also, and then rack if no more visible activity is seen. or, as BeeGee said, take a SG reading to 100% certain.