Needs advice

[serrano07]

I'm very new to home brewing, I just started fermenting my first batch of a double ipa on New Year's Day. I bought a kit and followed the directions to a t. My original gravity level was a 1.078. So anyway after 24 hours my airlock was pushing bubbles out at about 1 every two seconds. So at this point I'm very happy! But then the next day my airlock had stopped bubbling completely. I read many different things but I'm not sure what to do. I did open it up to take a peek and there was a very thick layer of foam on top the beer. I closed it back up and let it sit. Still today no bubbles. I'm very worried that I messed something up. What advise can you guys give me on what to do at this point. Thank you. I really enjoyed brewing my first batch and I want to continue brew a lot more so I need to learn as much as possible. Again thanks for the help!

 

[aiptasia]

Relax. Everything is going along just fine. Airlock bubbling isn't an indication that the fermentation is done. It's an indication that the beer is farting CO2 while it's eating the primary malt sugar. It still has a little way to go.

If you have a hydrometer, sanitize it and float it in your beer and write down the measurement on a piece of paper. This is called taking a gravity reading, or measuring how much dissolved sugar is still in solution. When your gravity reading is exactly the same for 2-3 days in a row, you can assume that the yeasts are finished the initial part of the fermentation and are now "cleaning up" early fuesel alcohols, acetylaldehyde and diacetyl. These are early forms of alcohol that yeasts pee out that they'll re-consume when all of the cheap sugars are gone for them to feed on. After consumption, they will be the fruity and spicy components that yeasts can add to the beer.

If you have no hydrometer, just let the beer sit a full three weeks in the primary fermenter at a MINIMUM. I've had some big beers sit for four months in the primary finishing fermenting. It won't hurt the beer, it just makes it taste better if you let it sit on the yeast and clean up. Most fermentations require about 2 weeks to ferment out IME and benefit from the "Diacetyl rest" of an extra week in the primary. In any event, feel free to rack the beer to a bottling bucket and bottle/keg after three weeks time.

 

[Trox]

The airlock is not an indicator of anything that is going on; its possible the escaping gas has found another route to get out (and no you don't have to worry about an infection getting in through the other route). You are fine, leave it be for the next 10-14 days and then take a FG reading, wait another 2 days and take another reading if they are stable you are ready to bottle (or dry hop if that's the next step). Remember instructions are not a good guideline to follow when it comes to the fermentation times; the yeast will finish when they are done, not a day sooner.

Patience is the most important and hardest lesson a new brewer has to learn. While waiting read the posts on these forums they are extremely helpful and informative.

 

[Captain Damage]

Don't rely on the airlock as a fermentation gauge. It is just a pressure relief valve, and there's all kinds of reasons why it might not be bubbling. Everything sounds fine, so i don't think you messed anything up. The most active phase of fermentation only lasts for 1-3 days. Most kit directions say to bottle after a week. You will find that many of us here feel that is much too soon. I'm among those that say to leave it untouched for at least two weeks, and plan on bottling at three weeks. In any case if there are signs of fermentation, like the foam on top, which is called krausen (KROY-sin), then it's not ready to bottle. Once the krausen is gone you can start taking gravity readings. There is no point (other than curiosity) in taking readings while the beer is still fermenting. Once you have two or more gravity readings the same that are more than one day (each) apart, then you can bottle. Letting the beer sit for another week when you have a convenient weekend or enough bottles or whatever will not hurt the beer.

 

[flars]

Buckets don't seal very well so the CO2 produced can escape around the lid seal instead of through the airlock. So no bubbles doesn't mean fermentation is not taking place.
You have a heavy krausen so fermentation is proceeding nicely. After the initial activity there will be a slow down. The fermentation may be done in two weeks.
In two weeks from your yeast pitch day take a hydrometer reading. Take another one the next day. If the readings are the same fermentation is complete. The yeast still have some work to finish after fermentation is complete. The yeast will begin cleaning up naturally produced off flavors if the beer is left on the yeast cake.
Three weeks is usually a good target date to plan your bottling day. This may change if your beer was a high gravity brew, about 1.059 or above. There is no problem with leaving your beer on the yeast cake longer.

Fermentation temperature control, after sanitation, is the second most important part of brewing. With most ale yeast the best temperature is at the low end of the yeasts range. Typically low to mid 60°s unless you are using a Belgian Saison yeast.

Swamp coolers are the most economical temperature control solution.

 

[serrano07]

Thanks guys for all your advise. I was really worried that I did something wrong. But hearing what you all have to say makes me feel a lot better. Ill let it go and let the yeast do its job. Thanks again. I'll take all your advices to heart!!!!