No Bubbles in the airlock after 7 days....

[CrossCreekBrewing]

So this is my first brew(and first post!) and I feel like i did everything correctly except 2 things. I dont know that i aerated the brew well enough, and i dont think i did a good enough job maintaining a good temperature, i think there was a night where my room mate left our patio door open and it may have dropped to 60F. never did i see my air lock bubble during the primary fermentation, when i transported it to the carboy after 6 days i did see some CO2 bubbles in the brew so i know there was SOME fermentation, but whats the deal? did my yeast die from getting too cold maybe? should i add more yeast? after being in the carboy for a day i would have to say that it looks pretty dormant. do you guys need any other info? should i smell it? taste it? get a S.G. reading?

-thanks in advance

 

[BierMuncher]

60 is okay for fermentation temps...though the process will be slower.

Airlocks are devices to allow CO2 to escape, and not reliable gauges for fermentation progress. Take a hydrometer reading.

Get that beer up to 70 degrees and let it sit in the secondary for another 10 days (minimum).

It is just fine.

 

[Hugh_Jass]

I've got this one Revvy.

Have you taken a hydrometer reading?
Did you notice a krausen ring indicating active fermentation?

Just because you didn't have airlock activity, does not mean that the yeasties have not been active. Have a look at this blog.

My first post on here was similar to yours. My "cherry" beer turned out just fine; I'll bet yours is too.
RDWHAHB

 

[Brewing Clamper]

Yeah, all like they said... also, Welcome to HTB! Where are you from? How long have you been lurking? Etc.

 

[CrossCreekBrewing]

From the great state of California. I have been lurking for a couple weeks. I am currently getting a masters in environmental engineering. I am taking a microbiology class and figured that an interest in microbes was a good excuse to start brewing some beer. Brewing beer is like studying.....kinda....

 

[CrossCreekBrewing]

Now that i have google imaged a krausen ring, yes there was a krausen ring. i have not taken a hydrometer reading, but i have a hydrometer and i can. Should i do that now or hold off a bit?

 

[Hugh_Jass]

Now that i have google imaged a krausen ring, yes there was a krausen ring. i have not taken a hydrometer reading, but i have a hydrometer and i can. Should i do that now or hold off a bit?

You can do it now but it's only been 6 days correct? The beer is finished fermenting when hydrometer readings are the same over three consecutive days.
It's consensus on here to leave the beer longer on the yeast cake. If it were me, I'd wait another week then start taking readings. I'm sure I don't have to tell you but make sure to sanitize thoroughly before taking the readings.
For future reference, it is a good idea to take an original gravity reading and a finish gravity reading.
Welcome to HBT. Hope your "biology experiment" turns out well.:cross:

 

[phatuna]

Welcome CrossCreek, I think you should let it be. if it had a ring, it fermented and needs to clean itself up and settle for another week or two. you might try taking a couple of hydro readings after day 15 or so. make sure the readings stay consistent, then go to bottle.
Did you primary in a bucket? a lot of those have small leaks so you don't really get bubbles. some brews ferment quietly so RDWHAMB.

 

[humann_brewing]

Welcome CrossCreek, I think you should let it be. if it had a ring, it fermented and needs to clean itself up and settle for another week or two. you might try taking a couple of hydro readings after day 15 or so. make sure the readings stay consistent, then go to bottle.
Did you primary in a bucket? a lot of those have small leaks so you don't really get bubbles. some brews ferment quietly so RDWHAMB.

you are tricky, you threw in the MB since it was his first brew.

Anyways, welcome crosscreek, don't get sucked into brewing too fast, just remember one beer at a time or at least one beer in each hand

 

[CrossCreekBrewing]

I did use a bucket for primary. Should i see something happening to the brew in the next few days? what should i think if it just looks exactly the same in a week?

 

[shecky]

I did use a bucket for primary. Should i see something happening to the brew in the next few days? what should i think if it just looks exactly the same in a week?

Don't think anything. Don't even look at it. Take BM's advice and leave it alone for 10 days and then take a look at it.

 

[pompeiisneaks]

as phatuna mentioned, if you see no airlock activity, it can be due to not fully sealing the fermenter. Doesn't even really depend on what kind. I've read quite a few threads already in my short time at HBT of people saying this too and realizing they didnt' get it sealed well. Beer was fine. There are even a group of very dedicated "open fermenters" that don't seal their fermentation vessel up, and it still works fine. Ultimately as has been said, the best way of knowing if fermentation is complete is three gravity readings in a row that don't change over three days. It's also very good to get an original gravity to see about what alcohol % you'll get in your beer. Don't worry I'll bet it will be fine. Let it sit another week or so, take some readings, and see where its at.

 

[phatuna]

Is it a little cloudy now? the only difference that you will likely see is the beer starting to get more clear as the yeast settles down to the bottom.
other than that, your hard work is complete until you move it into bottles.

 

[Hugh_Jass]

I did use a bucket for primary. Should i see something happening to the brew in the next few days? what should i think if it just looks exactly the same in a week?

CrossCreek (nice name BTW) It is probably going to look the same. You may or may not see any activity in your carboy. Each yeast is different and the ball is in their court now. In my initial post, I linked a blog that covers your questions pretty well. If you have not already, have a look. Here it is again.
http://blogs.homebrewtalk.com/Revvy/Think_evaluation_before_action/

 

[Ramsbottom_Brewer]

Although a newbie here's my penny's worth (or should I say cent's worth)... my first and second brew did not produce one bubble in the air lock. They both ended up with with a nice FG reading and the first tasted good (not aged the second enough yet). Ignore the air lock and read this.

 

[CrossCreekBrewing]

Thanks a lot you guys have been a great help!