No airlock activity after 3 days - Wyeast

[Greggy]

Hello everyone,

Last Friday I brewed northern brewer's three hearted ale kit. I nailed the gravity reading at 1.064 and brought down the wort to proper temp before adding in the water and yeast to the bucket. I used the provided wyeast and allowed it to expand (smackpack) for 3 hours prior to pitch. It has now been 3.5 days and I still don't have any airlock activity. The brew has been at a steady 72-73 temp range in a sanatized ale pail with a bubble style airlock. Paranoid?

Any insight would be awesome!

Greg

 

[Dr Vorlauf]

How old was the smak pak? Smak paks normally dont contain enough yeast for certain styles of beer.

Normally you need a starter for the smak paks. Give it another day and then pitch a dry yeast appropriate to the style.

 

[Fingers]

Is it in a pail? You might have a leak somewhere that is allowing your CO2 to escape. Have a look inside and see if there is a krausen forming. As well, you can push down on the lid a little to get a couple of bubbles through the airlock. You'll see the liquid climb up the center tube as a result of the slightly negative pressure you just created. If it drops right away, you have a leak.

 

[Greggy]

Is it in a pail? You might have a leak somewhere that is allowing your CO2 to escape. Have a look inside and see if there is a krausen forming. As well, you can push down on the lid a little to get a couple of bubbles through the airlock. You'll see the liquid climb up the center tube as a result of the slightly negative pressure you just created. If it drops right away, you have a leak.

I just looked inside and there isn't really a krausen. When I push on the top of the bucket, the water rises, and when I let go, it falls back down. I may just have a leak....

I plan on pitching a new yeast tomorrow hopefully..

Greg

 

[Yooper]

Before you pitch a new yeast, check the sg today and see if any fermentation is/was going on. Sometimes it goes along without a bubble, and suddenly it's done. It's worth a try to check the sg, and if it's the same, go ahead and pitch yeast tomorrow.

 

[Fingers]

I just looked inside and there isn't really a krausen. When I push on the top of the bucket, the water rises, and when I let go, it falls back down. I may just have a leak....

I plan on pitching a new yeast tomorrow hopefully..

Greg

If there's no krausen, there likely isn't any activity. For the seal test, you have to push down hard enough that a few bubbles go through the air lock. This will produce a negative pressure in the pail and pull the liquid back a little ways through the air lock. Be gentle, you don't want to suck the liquid INTO the fermenter.

In this case, I think Yoops and Vorlauf are on the right track.

 

[Joker]

A hydrometer reading is the best method to see what is or isn't going on.

 

[Greggy]

Ok, so I just took a gravity reading and wow... 1.02

Thoughts?

Greg

 

[Yooper]

Yes, it's fermenting! It's probably pretty close to done. Seal it back up and wait another week!

Edit- and try to keep it in the 68 degree range if you can.

 

[Greggy]

Yes, it's fermenting! It's probably pretty close to done. Seal it back up and wait another week!

Edit- and try to keep it in the 68 degree range if you can.

Funny you say the 68 temp range. That's exactly what it is at now.

Greg

 

[Joker]

Congrats your yeast are making beer.