I need some input

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duskb

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I posted this in the beginners forum but didn't get an answer so I thought I'd bring it over here and see what I get.

I pitched my first Wyeast lager smack pack for a Steamer on Wed night and after a few days of watching the airlock there's no activity. The surface of the beer is clear too...it looks like nothing is happening...or ever WILL happen. I know that lager ferments at the bottom but no activity?

FYI the temp strip has been in the low 60's (per recipie). I also added some nutrient in the last 10 min to encourage growth.

What I'm trying to get at is this normal for a lager or do I need to repitch?
 
Take a gravity sample, This will tell you allot.
Once ya get that, Let us know what your Original Gravity was, And what your sample was.
 
Take a gravity sample, This will tell you allot.
Once ya get that, Let us know what your Original Gravity was, And what your sample was.

I didnt take an OG but if it helps I can at least document it today for recordkeeping purposes.

So are you suggesting that lagers ferment without any activity on top? (This is my first lager...I'm used to wheats and ales that consistently blow off my lid)
 
Take a gravity sample, This will tell you allot.
Once ya get that, Let us know what your Original Gravity was, And what your sample was.

Scratch that...I just went to check OG and between last night and this AM something has definitely started...I'm seeing alot of activity on the top...no airlock activity but something is brewing...

Late bloomer I guess.
 
First off...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/ But visible signs are NOT airlock bubbling, but krausen forming, and a decrease in gravity.

Secondly, airlock bubbling, lack of airlock bubbling, stopped airlock bubbling, fast airlock bubbling, slow airlcok bubbling, heavy metal airlcok bubbling, or disco airlock bubbling really is not an indicator of what is happening to your beer, really isn't important, and it is NOT an accurate gauge of fermentation.

If your airlock was bubbling and stopped---It doesn't mean fermentation has stopped.

If you airlock isn't bubbling, it doesn't mean your fermentation hasn't started....

If your airlock starts bubbling, it really doesn't matter.

If your airlock NEVER bubbles, it doesn't mean anything is wrong or right.

Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2.

So get out of the habit of thinking that an airlock bubble it telling you anything.

Fermentation is not always "dynamic," just because you don't SEE anything happening, doesn't mean that anything's wrong, and also doesn't mean that the yeast are still not working dilligantly away, doing what they've been doing for over 4,000 years....


The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....

When having any doubts about your beer...even before you start a thread on here, take a hydrometer reading. That will tell you what is going on.

IF it's been 72 hours take a look, and if you don't see a krauzen or signs that one was there, take a gravity reading...
 
Geeze Revvy, Chill down a bit.
We all started out being a beginner.

When you first start out, Everything is new and exciting so you want to see results now...and when you dont you get worried.



Scratch that...I just went to check OG and between last night and this AM something has definitely started...I'm seeing alot of activity on the top...no airlock activity but something is brewing...

Late bloomer I guess.

Duskb, Just give it some time, Keep it in the dark.
Before ya know it, you could be tipping a cold one in 2 weeks

If ya got any other questions, Feel free to ask... :ban:
 
First off...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/ But visible signs are NOT airlock bubbling, but krausen forming, and a decrease in gravity.

Secondly, airlock bubbling, lack of airlock bubbling, stopped airlock bubbling, fast airlock bubbling, slow airlcok bubbling, heavy metal airlcok bubbling, or disco airlock bubbling really is not an indicator of what is happening to your beer, really isn't important, and it is NOT an accurate gauge of fermentation.

If your airlock was bubbling and stopped---It doesn't mean fermentation has stopped.

If you airlock isn't bubbling, it doesn't mean your fermentation hasn't started....

If your airlock starts bubbling, it really doesn't matter.

If your airlock NEVER bubbles, it doesn't mean anything is wrong or right.

Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2.

So get out of the habit of thinking that an airlock bubble it telling you anything.

Fermentation is not always "dynamic," just because you don't SEE anything happening, doesn't mean that anything's wrong, and also doesn't mean that the yeast are still not working dilligantly away, doing what they've been doing for over 4,000 years....


The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....

When having any doubts about your beer...even before you start a thread on here, take a hydrometer reading. That will tell you what is going on.

IF it's been 72 hours take a look, and if you don't see a krauzen or signs that one was there, take a gravity reading...

Thanks Revvy I appreciate you taking the time to post that for me. Believe it or not I know all of this it's just this is my first lager and I was unsure of myself. This is out of the ordinary for me. Usually I'm picking the lid up off the floor by now. To add insult to injury my last batch got stuck at 2 weeks so I'm a little gunshy.

The good news is it's coming to life now, just differently than I'm used to.
 
FWIW,

I've found the airlock activity on my fermenter to be a valuable indicator. When the bubble rate slows to about one bubble per minute or less I can count on the fermentation to be nearly complete. This will typically happen in less than one week and sometimes much less than that. My standard practice is to leave it alone for at least several more days then I rack it to the secondary to clear. I always get a good seal on my bucket lids. I do check the gravity when racking to the secondary to see where it's at FG wise. So, the bottom line is, once again, it all depends. No need to rigidly adhere to the often repeated dogma unless you prefer to let others do all of your thinking for you. Probably the best advice is to leave it alone for about two weeks before doing anything at all, then check the gravity a few times over the course of several days. No change tells you it's done fermenting. The next steps depend on how desperate you are to get some beer in your mouth. It pays to give it more time to clear either in the primary or by racking it to a secondary fermenter. Another week or two and it should be ready to bottle or keg. Some beers finish out faster than others and lagers will have different requirements than ales, but we can delve into that later if you want. It is possible to shortcut the time if you need to meet a deadline, but the quality of the end product may suffer to a degree. One of my friends brews a mild that is ready to drink in just over two weeks and it's pretty good stuff.

Looking back I see the OP was brewing a lager. Yes, lagers ferment somewhat slower and require more time in both the fermenter and for the lagering period in the secondary, but he probably was already aware of that.
 
Geeze Revvy, Chill down a bit.
We all started out being a beginner.

When you first start out, Everything is new and exciting so you want to see results now...and when you dont you get worried.





Duskb, Just give it some time, Keep it in the dark.
Before ya know it, you could be tipping a cold one in 2 weeks

If ya got any other questions, Feel free to ask... :ban:

This is the same cut and paste answer I give about 10 times a day...So wtf is your beef with it, pal? It's the truth...and it seems to help folks...at least by the Thanks I usually get from it...like from the op now :rolleyes:

And evidently duskb agrees.

Thanks Revvy I appreciate you taking the time to post that for me. Believe it or not I know all of this it's just this is my first lager and I was unsure of myself. This is out of the ordinary for me. Usually I'm picking the lid up off the floor by now. To add insult to injury my last batch got stuck at 2 weeks so I'm a little gunshy.

The good news is it's coming to life now, just differently than I'm used to.



So maybe it's YOU who needs to chill out.

Duskb, in lagering an airlock blip is EVEN LESS an important indication....since the co2 is heavier that air, and gas that is cold is even less likely to need to vent (which all an airlock really is despite what some people may believe). So you are even less likely to see bubbles. We discussed it in another thread recently....:D



but what is I brewed a lager, should I see bubbles? :cross: (sarcasm)

The answer is simple my son....If a tree falls in the forest, is there a sound? Does the lightbulb really shut off when you close the door on the fridge, or does it just blink once but come back on so the eggs can read by?

And is a year to us humans but a second in the life of a tree?

Does an airlock in near frozen conditions go "blip" or does it go "bliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip?"

And how long do you want to sit in your fermentation chamber to find out?

:D
 
FWIW,

I've found the airlock activity on my fermenter to be a valuable indicator. When the bubble rate slows to about one bubble per minute or less I can count on the fermentation to be nearly complete. This will typically happen in less than one week and sometimes much less than that. My standard practice is to leave it alone for at least several more days then I rack it to the secondary to clear. I always get a good seal on my bucket lids. I do check the gravity when racking to the secondary to see where it's at FG wise. So, the bottom line is, once again, it all depends. No need to rigidly adhere to the often repeated dogma unless you prefer to let others do all of your thinking for you. Probably the best advice is to leave it alone for about two weeks before doing anything at all, then check the gravity a few times over the course of several days. No change tells you it's done fermenting. The next steps depend on how desperate you are to get some beer in your mouth. It pays to give it more time to clear either in the primary or by racking it to a secondary fermenter. Another week or two and it should be ready to bottle or keg. Some beers finish out faster than others and lagers will have different requirements than ales, but we can delve into that later if you want. It is possible to shortcut the time if you need to meet a deadline, but the quality of the end product may suffer to a degree. One of my friends brews a mild that is ready to drink in just over two weeks and it's pretty good stuff.

Looking back I see the OP was brewing a lager. Yes, lagers ferment somewhat slower and require more time in both the fermenter and for the lagering period in the secondary, but he probably was already aware of that.

I wasn't hence why I was asking. This is my first real lager. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to read up now on the differences between the two before I run into any other surprises. I have brewed a Steamer before but with different yeast at higher temps (65-70). Both turned out scrumptious!

This one is supposed to be more like the "real deal".
 
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