No bubbles in overflow - plenty of krausen

[Zorbarose]

I have a 5 gallon carboy with krausen filling the neck morning after the brew. But I'm not having any bubbles in the overflow jar. Is that OK? Could my orange cap have too much of an air leak and that's where the CO2 is escaping to?
Later

 

[Yooper]

Maybe so. My first brew didn't have one airlock bubble. Not even one! But it still fermented out just fine. Airlock bubbling isn't a reliable sign of fermentation. Sometimes it bubbles in a weather change, like a temperature or barometer increase. Sometimes it doesn't bubble at all, even when vigorous fermentation is taking place. So, don't worry about the bubbling (or lack of). It's fermenting, and when it's done you can check with your hydrometer to be sure. A hydrometer is the only "for sure" way to know.

 

[Zorbarose]

If I have plenty of krausen but no bubbles escaping in overflow, could there be CO2 getting trapped in the carboy causing ill fated beer?

 

[double_e5]

That CO2 is getting out of there somewhere. Plus you want a layer of CO2 on top of your beer to protect it from oxidation.

CO2 is not bad for your beer. Carbonation is CO2.

 

[Yooper]

If I have plenty of krausen but no bubbles escaping in overflow, could there be CO2 getting trapped in the carboy causing ill fated beer?

No. The co2 won't get trapped- it's got to out somewhere. If the lid is on too tight (no way for the co2 to escape), that could be bad. Not for the beer, but for the carboy. That's why you use an airlock, or at least a loose cover, so the co2 can get out. It doesn't make the beer taste bad, or cause problems with the beer, but the container can explode if there isn't a vent. If your cover is loose, that's probably where the co2 is escaping.

 

[PavlovsCat]

As was told to me just a week ago, "don't worry about it - have a beer and relax" I had krausen rising and falling and no bubbles in the airlock for two days. Then yesterday, I was about to change the airlock when presto, it began bubbling like a little kid in a bathtub. When I left for work this morning, still bubbling away. :rockin: