Lack of activity

[Eisey10]

Hi all !!!

First time posting here. I am currently brewing a 5 gallon batch of a Belgian dubbel. I used a wyeast Belgian abbey yeast smack pack to pitch. This is my first time using one of those smack packs vs a dry yeast. The first 4 beers I brewed were far more active. I started this batch last Wednesday and havent seen much activity.

I noticed the lid didnt seem to seat right in one location so I removed the lid to reinstall it and noticed there is a krausen ring on the inside.

Should I be concerned that even after reinstalling the lid I still dont see much airlock activity ???

Thanks for the help and suggestions

 

[Sammy86]

Only way to tell is take a gravity reading... that will tell you where you are at fermentation wise. Many fermentation buckets don't have a perfect seal so you'll lose some co2 pressure that way.

I wouldn't be overly concerned at this point.

 

[Eisey10]

Only way to tell is take a gravity reading... that will tell you where you are at fermentation wise. Many fermentation buckets don't have a perfect seal so you'll lose some co2 pressure that way.

I wouldn't be overly concerned at this point.

Thanks!!!

How long would you let it sit before taking a gravity reading

 

[kartracer2]

Welcome! My self, I would wait a week (at least) from when you pitched the yeast. Too early to worry yet as Sammy86 said. Any seal leak will be the place the CO2 escapes rather than the air lock.
Cheers,
Joel B.

 

[RM-MN]

I noticed the lid didnt seem to seat right in one location so I removed the lid to reinstall it and noticed there is a krausen ring on the inside.

Should I be concerned that even after reinstalling the lid I still dont see much airlock activity ???

Yeast only produce CO2 during the early part of the ferment. Since you noticed a krausen ring I would expect that phase to be complete. From now on the only CO2 is what is excess dissolved in the beer coming out of solution so it will take a long time to build up enough pressure to make the airlock bubble if it ever does. It only takes a very slight leak around the lid to let that little bit of CO2 escape. Your beer is on track so don't open the lid again for several days and let the beer finish up.

 

[Sammy86]

Thanks!!!

How long would you let it sit before taking a gravity reading

I'm a 10-14 day first check guy...usually ill bump temp up slowly starting on day 5 then hold at 68° until i check it.

 

[VikeMan]

Yeast only produce CO2 during the early part of the ferment. Since you noticed a krausen ring I would expect that phase to be complete.

I'm not sure what you mean by "early part of the ferment," but as long as attenuation is happening, so is CO2 production. And krausen can fall before attenuation is finished.

 

[sebastienzeman18]

If it still doesn't start the fermentation process after 1 week you might be looking at unhealthy yeast. Depending on your OG you may want to make a yeast starter. As others have said though your only real way to know if it has fermented out is to take a gravity reading at the 1 week mark. Good luck!