Need help first ever batch

Beer_Me_86 · Mar 31, 2015

Hey guys, looking for a bit of advice. I made my first beer batch using a LME kit from OBK on Sunday. Light wheat ale.

I have no co2 or gases evacuating my fermentation bucket, it's air tight and air lock is working fine.

Here's what it looks like.

I did add the hops waaaay to fast, rookie move and I had a boil over.
Added the yeast at 70deg. Used a wort chiller. 100% sanitized

Im stuck, thanks in advance folks.

kh54s10 · Mar 31, 2015

It looks fine. Now seal it back up and wait for 10 - 20 more days. Then take a gravity reading, wait another day and take another. If the numbers are the same it is safe to bottle.

Yooper · Mar 31, 2015

It looks great! Cover it back up and check it next week with a hydrometer to make sure it's done. When you check it, hold a sample up to the light to see if it's clear. If you let the sample sit in a glass for a while, like 30 minutes, and there is a ton of yeast sediment in the bottom, wait at least 3-5 more days before planning to bottle it. That way, the beer has far less sediment in the bottle and will have a great finished taste.

you're well on your way!

Beer_Me_86 · Mar 31, 2015

Thanks for the help guys, the panic has now subsided. Looking forward to some cold ones.

My buddies first 2 batches bubbled pretty hard so I was expecting the same. Different beers though.

Happy brewing

FirstAidBrewing · Mar 31, 2015

As kh54s10 and Yooper have said, the hydrometer is your friend :mug:

As you will read soon enough, lack of airlock activity doesn't indicate lack of fermentation. The best way to tell is to take daily readings 4-6 days after pitching your yeast. Good luck!

HB_in_Subic · Mar 31, 2015

A lot of times it is hard to get a good seal on the bucket lid. I use a rubber mallet and have to use a lid remover to get it off. Also another place for a leak is at the stopper. Sometimes you can have a small leak around it. I usually press the lid and listen to hear if there is a wheeze sound coming from the stopper.

Even with a good seal, at this stage of the game (Day 3) you will probably not have much airlock activity (if any). That doesn't mean that the yeast are done.

I agree with getting a hydrometer to measure for a stable gravity and see if you are close to the recipe's target final gravity. This ensures that you will not be worrying about bottle bombs. I generally take my readings on day 18 and day 21. I then bottle on day 21 if all is good.