OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
I am very satisfied with how it all went. I brewed it alone and the whole process took about 6 hours. I am however a bit concerned it has been 14 hours and I have no fermentation happening, should I be concerned?
Just pitched my first AG Batch...
- Thread starter OMBrewer
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TwoHeadsBrewing
Well-Known Member
Nice work, and welcome to the AG club! I wouldn't worry about your fermentation taking off slowly...give it up to 36 hours. As long as you didn't pitch the yeast at over 100F, they should be fine. Sometimes yeast just take a while to get going, but rest assured they are doing their job!
Your fermentation is no different whether you pitched your yeast on an all grain batch or an extract, wort is wort...meaning that fermentation can STILL take up to 72 hours to start....
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
Great thanks, thats reassuring. Another question, I forgot in my fevered frenzy last night to take a hydrometer reading before pitching, is it to late?
It's never too late to check the SG! If fermentation is starting, it might not be exactly what it was when you pitched the yeast, but if it hasn't, you'll know your OG and be able to calculate your efficiency!
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
Thanks Yooper. Took SG at 1.06, which is 80% efficiency, not too bad. I am excited and yet still nervous about fermentation as it hasn't started yet after 24 hours.
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
By the way too, not to like you yoopers to help out the trolls. 
By the way too, not to like you yoopers to help out the trolls.
My mistake! I won't let that happen again!
What yeast did you pitch and how? Dry, hydrated, liquid, starter?
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
I pitched Whitelabs Irish Ale liquid. For 9.5 gallons. No starter.
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
I can see a bit of a krausen ring right now, but still no bubbling. As I stick my nose up to the lid I can smell that smell too. Maybe my lid isnt creating enough of a seal. Should I be concerned? Almost certain that when I wake up it will be bubbling like crazy. (I HOPE SO)
FishinDave07
Well-Known Member
!!!
!!! I assume you were going for a 10 gallon batch? Did you atleast pitch 2 vials or just one? Make sure you have a tight seal and stop peeking in! :cross:
It'll ferment
Well, if you used one vial of the liquid yeast, you would have definitely underpitched hugely- that would explain why it's taking so long. Three vials or so might take off sooner, but even that would be underpitching for 9.5 gallons.
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
I used 2 vials. Still no bubbling, but I can smell fermentation. I think my lid is leaking air. Should I hammer it closed or is that ok? The krausen ring is is there.
FishinDave07
Well-Known Member
Keep it closed and undisturbed. Take a hyrometer reading in about a week.
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
Still no bubbles after 70 hours. I think I figured out my issue. I took the vials right out of the fridge and pitched them opposed to letting them warm to room temperature. I have one more vial on my counter right now and a packet of dry yeast, should I pitch them tonight to try to save the batch?
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
Too late, hammered it closed last night.
Has a hydrometer come into play yet?
If not then don't do anything...You used two vials so it's pretty likely that fermentation is happening.
All that happened by pitching cold yeast is that they were still asleep...that means they will take longer to wake up...
Remember, quit thinking about bubbling...Bubbling means nothing...you said earlier you saw a krauzen ring..and "smelled fermentation"....
until you stick a hydrometer into it and take a reading all you are doing is building up a whole lot of worry...For all you know, unless you slept with your bucket, all your fermentation already happenned...It could have bubbled all night long and finished...But either way.
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
Has a hydrometer come into play yet?
If not then don't do anything...You used two vials so it's pretty likely that fermentation is happening.
All that happened by pitching cold yeast is that they were still asleep...that means they will take longer to wake up...
Remember, quit thinking about bubbling...Bubbling means nothing...you said earlier you saw a krauzen ring..and "smelled fermentation"....
until you stick a hydrometer into it and take a reading all you are doing is building up a whole lot of worry...For all you know, unless you slept with your bucket, all your fermentation already happenned...It could have bubbled all night long and finished...But either way.
Thanks. I have a spigot on the side of my fermenter, can I take a hydrometer reading right now?
Or you can chill and wait til it's been a week...but if it will get you to relax then it wouldn't hurt....even if it's dropped a few points it means that fermentation is happenning and you can go to the beach or something
Okay..you mean to tell me you've been worried about it, contemplated pitching more yeasts, hammered the g#$@$mn fermenter lid shut...and never ever thought to drain a little bit out of the spigot and take a reading?????
oh yeah, you probably believe bubbling in the airlock = fermentation...a cheap piece of plastic over a precision instrument....*sigh* the kids these days
I mean...taking a hydrometer should be the FIRST trouble shooting thought in your mind looong before the words "pitch more yeast" should come into play...you can't fix something until you know it is broken first.....
oh yeah, you probably believe bubbling in the airlock = fermentation...a cheap piece of plastic over a precision instrument....*sigh* the kids these days
I mean...taking a hydrometer should be the FIRST trouble shooting thought in your mind looong before the words "pitch more yeast" should come into play...you can't fix something until you know it is broken first.....
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
Or you can chill and wait til it's been a week...but if it will get you to relax then it wouldn't hurt....even if it's dropped a few points it means that fermentation is happenning and you can go to the beach or something
Just got back from the beach actually. You were right my SG was 1.061 and now it is 1.014. My fermenter might be why it doesn't bubble, it is a 17 gallon fermenter.
Now you can relax, and put that other tube back in the fridge.
In a 17 gallon fermenter, with 9.5 gallons in it, that is a mighty lot of headspace for the co2 to rise to before it needs to vent out the airlock....THAT'S WHY YOU DIDN'T SEE ANY!!!!
with over half of my beers, I never see any bubbling...and I ferment in carboys and buckets...and even do test batches in 3 gallon water jugs...
You have to get out of the mindset that bubbling means anything....
There are just too many variables that come into play...like I said it is a cheap 2 dollar piece of plastic...
You could have for example and bad seal between the grommet (or stopper) and the airlock, or the lid on the bucket isn't fully tight and gas is getting out elsewhere besides the airlock, or the stopper and mouth of the carboy and that would appear slow, while fermentaion is actually occuring rapidly... Or the little bubbler in the airlock could be sitting a little crooked, or become weighted down with tiny co2 bubbles and need to build up a good head of gas before blurping again....Or the bubbling happened when you were at work, or asleep and finished after 6 hours...
Even having the airlock leaning slightly askew affects it.
It just isn't something you should rely on...
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all your input. Since it was my first AG and a kinda big batch I was concerned. I am excited to get my next batch going.
I am going to get another Keg on Thursday for 40 bucks so I can set up a sparge system!
I am going to get another Keg on Thursday for 40 bucks so I can set up a sparge system!
I know the issue has been resolved, but I still have to chime in. You said you saw Krausen and you were still worried. That is as sure of a sign the fermentation is occuring as a hydrometer reading. Only difference is when you see krausen you don't know how much fermentation has occured. Bottom line OMBrewer is that you need to rdwhahb.
OMBrewer
Well-Known Member
rdwhahb? Relax Don't worry have a hombrew! You sir are correct. I have always done 5 gal batches and had massive bubbling / blowoff in the past. This was the first time I never saw that. Just a concerned, perfectionist, hombrewer that is all.
