Help, my bubbler is silent

[Hugh_Jass]

Yesterday was my first attempt to brew an all grain beer.
Here's the ingredient list.
10 lb - American Two Row Pale
1.5 lb American Crystal 40 L
.5 lb American Munich light
.5 lb Cara Pils
Hops:
Northern Brewer 1 oz(60), .5 oz(30), .5 oz(2).
Yeast: Wyeast 1272 American Ale Yeat II

Mashed fermentables in a bag 155 for 60 min in 3.5 gal water. Poured 3 gallon 150 deg. water over mash, boiled 60 min complying with hop schedule. Cooled to 70 deg, stirred solution vigorously and added yeast.

My specific gravity at 60 deg was 5.2, and my bubbler this morning is quiet. The ambient temp in the house is 63 deg at the fermenter's location.

My thoughts are that maybe the yield was too low with a specific gravity of only 5.2, or my yeast is just hangin on the couch watching football instead of doing it's intended job.

Any input would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[boo boo]

If you didn't make a starter for that yeast then it's going ot take a while for it to start.
My advise is to move it to a warmer place to get the temps up to about 68f, if your brew cooled down any during the night.

My bet is that it will be going by tomorrow. RDWHAHB

 

[Hugh_Jass]

If you didn't make a starter for that yeast then it's going ot take a while for it to start.
My advise is to move it to a warmer place to get the temps up to about 68f, if your brew cooled down any during the night.

My bet is that it will be going by tomorrow. RDWHAHB

Thanks for the suggestion. Wort is moved to warmer location.

Is beginning of 5.2 S.G. within range for American Ale?

Regards

 

[boo boo]

Thanks for the suggestion. Wort is moved to warmer location.

Is beginning of 5.2 S.G. within range for American Ale?

Regards

If you mean 1052 sg then yes. IIRC the range is from 1045 to 1060.

My recent one weighed in at 1045 and 39 IBU's. Bit light but man is it ever good.

 

[Revvy]

There's a couple things you need to realize...

You should never use a cheap chinese plastic airlock as a "fermentation Gauge," it's not...It's an airlock, nothing more, a VALVE to release excess CO2, to keep from blowing the lid off the fermentor...If it's not bubbling that just means that there's not enough CO2 to climb out of the airlock, or the CO2 is just forming a nice cushion on top of the beer like it's supposed to, or the airlock is askew, or it is leaking out the cheap rubber grommet, or you have a leak in the bucket seal...all those are fine...if CO2 is getting out then nothing's getting in....

Over half of my beers have had no airlock activity...

The only gauge of fermentaion is your hydrometer. And it's too soon to worry about it. Wait til 10 days after pitching....

Secondly...the title of this sticky should give you a clue why you shouldn't worry either....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-start-43635/

So....It doesn't matter if it's AG or Extract the same rules apply....RDWHAHB

 

[iXanadu]

Mashed fermentables in a bag 155 for 60 min in 3.5 gal water. Poured 3 gallon 150 deg. water over mash, boiled 60 min complying with hop schedule. Cooled to 70 deg, stirred solution vigorously and added yeast.

Quick question. This statement said "mash" but it sounds like "steep". I'm asking because I would like to try all-grain, but haven't wanted to enough to build any of the mashing equipment so many folks use. I could easily steep 10-15# of grain and then sparge with more water.

 

[Tech211]

I wouldn't try mashing a large amount of grain in a bag. I know it is possible to partial-mash in that manner. However, I think it would be difficult to fully wet ten or more pounds of grain.

 

[Hugh_Jass]

There's a couple things you need to realize...

You should never use a cheap chinese plastic airlock as a "fermentation Gauge," it's not...It's an airlock, nothing more, a VALVE to release excess CO2, to keep from blowing the lid off the fermentor...If it's not bubbling that just means that there's not enough CO2 to climb out of the airlock, or the CO2 is just forming a nice cushion on top of the beer like it's supposed to, or the airlock is askew, or it is leaking out the cheap rubber grommet, or you have a leak in the bucket seal...all those are fine...if CO2 is getting out then nothing's getting in....

Over half of my beers have had no airlock activity...

The only gauge of fermentaion is your hydrometer. And it's too soon to worry about it. Wait til 10 days after pitching....

Secondly...the title of this sticky should give you a clue why you shouldn't worry either....

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-start-43635/

So....It doesn't matter if it's AG or Extract the same rules apply....RDWHAHB

Many apologies for the redundant thread. I've read through the "Fermentation can take 24 to 72 hrs to start." thread. I should have started there.

It's been almost 48 hrs. with no noticeable activity. I'm resisting the temptation to mother-hen the solution.

This is my first brew in over a decade (4th total) and I'm a bit uptight about it. Taking other poster's advice and RDWHAHB.
Regards

 

[Revvy]

It's been almost 48 hrs. with no noticeable activity. I'm resisting the temptation to mother-hen the solution.

You've just become a born again virgin....It will be OKAY...

After 72 hours take a grav reading...and more than likely you will slap yourself on the head for worrying....

Take a read of this....http://blogs.homebrewtalk.com/Revvy/Think_evaluation_before_action/