No visible activity first brew

[Merwether]

Afternoon all. Have wort with no activity. Bubbled over air lock after pitching yeast and I cooled off by putting the carboy in another container with cool water. Bubbling slowed and stopped altogether after day. Recommendations? Had one suggestion to add warm water to container that carboy is sitting in. Since I don't have OG not sure what good checking hydrometer reading now. Wort is in airlock and not sure if I should remove to pour that out. Appreciate any advice.

 

[Hopsimus]

I would start by cleaning the airlock. If you don't have a spare, just cover the hole with a piece of foil while you clean the airlock (or don't worry about the foil, since the chances are low that an infection will get in the hole while you are cleaning).

 

[AkTom]

Sorry, get a hydrometer. No wait. Get 2. 1 for a spare.
Now, your beer may be done fermenting. Give it 2 weeks and bottle.
Welcome y the way. Plenty of great reading in the beginners forum.

 

[flars]

You may have pitched the yeast when the wort was too warm causing a very active fermentation. The reason for the krausen rising into the air lock.

The wort could have been at the ideal temperature when you pitched and there was no head space in the fermentor for the krausen to expand into causing it to rise through the air lock.

What was the temperature of the wort when you pitched? What is the temperature of the beer now? About how many gallons of head space volume do you have?

Temperature control may be the only problem.

 

[Rocksville]

OG's and FG's are generally pretty obviously different ranges of numbers...especially if this was an extract brew. What was the OG "supposed" to be? Was it extract or all grain?

If it's extract, then it's a known amount of sugar in a known amount of volume, so you can fairly reliably assume your OG was close to what it should have been, so if you assume that and take a gravity reading, you'll be able to figure you how much fermentations has happened and about how much is left (if any). Taste the sample and if it tastes like warm, flat beer then great. If it tastes a little sweet, fine. If it tastes like sugar water, then you'll want to either rouse the yeast or add some more (or nutrient). This would also coincide with a high gravity reading.

Chances are, everything is fine and I wouldn't worry too much about it. Next time you'll remember to take your OG.

 

[Merwether]

Thanks, appreciate advice.

 

[kh54s10]

Clean out the airlock and re-install it.

Temperature. What was it when fermentation started? What is it now? You have fermentation as evidenced by wort in the airlock. If that happened quickly and fermentation stopped quickly the temperature was probably too high. Most ale yeasts ferment best when kept in the mid sixties. When close to done you can let the temperature rise into the low to mid seventies to help the beer finish. Do not raise the temperature without checking the temperature to start with and I would not do it until at least day 7. Unless it is to control the temperature to the desired mid sixties.

If it was an extract kit, you used all the ingredients and ended up with the right volume your OG will be what the kit predicted.

Get a hydrometer (or 2 as suggested) learn it's use. At least for beginning it is a very needed tool. Give it 10 to 21 days in primary, check for final gravity then bottle it. Keep the bottles about 70 degrees for 3 weeks then chill overnight and enjoy.

 

[Merwether]

You may have pitched the yeast when the wort was too warm causing a very active fermentation. The reason for the krausen rising into the air lock.

The wort could have been at the ideal temperature when you pitched and there was no head space in the fermentor for the krausen to expand into causing it to rise through the air lock.

What was the temperature of the wort when you pitched? What is the temperature of the beer now? About how many gallons of head space volume do you have?

Temperature control may be the only problem.

Will do. Temp was 70 F when yeast added. Used extract. Thanks for advice.

 

[Merwether]

Sorry, get a hydrometer. No wait. Get 2. 1 for a spare.
Now, your beer may be done fermenting. Give it 2 weeks and bottle.
Welcome y the way. Plenty of great reading in the beginners forum.

Thanks, much appreciation.