Noob needs some hand-holding

[taylornate]

Alright, so I started my first batch Saturday afternoon and activity was quick to start and by the next morning it was pretty vigorous. Today (Monday), there is zero activity. From my reading, it seems there should be at least *some* activity as primary fermentation ends.

I am using a 3 piece airlock, and the middle piece floats up to hit the cap before letting the bubbles out. After letting the bubbles out, it stays against the cap. Now, it is resting at the bottom, indicating a complete lack of pressure.

So what is going on? Should I rack it?

I have a hydro but forgot to take an initial reading, so I don't know how useful that would be. A question about the hydro: Why take beer out of the fermenter to test it? Why not just float the sanitized hydro in the fermenter?

Thanks.

 

[magnj]

I'll let someone elaborate because I'm new but I'd say wait before racking, 24 hours seems awfully short for fermenting to have stopped completely. Hydro reading would be useful if you knew what your target FG is supposed to be.

 

[thedailyaustin]

I'm still technically a newb with only 6 brews under my belt, but I would say take a reading and see how close to the intended FG you are. I wouldn't rack it yet. No harm in taking a reading now and again in 5 or so days to see if its the same.

The reason you dont just float the hydrometer in the fermenter is that,
1) its hard to see what SG you are at
2) you want that beer to be closed up and exposed to as little containments as possible. pull your sample with a sanitized thief and close it back up.

like i said, im still a nub, so if any pros have different advice, follow theirs first.

 

[Panzermann]

Just because you don't "see" activity in the airlock means absolutely nothing. I would leave it sit for at least 7-10 days then rack to secondary.

Of course having a OG helps as well but since you don't have one, leave it be for 7-10

 

[Blue_Water]

Sounds like you might have an air leak somewhere. Assuming you're using a bucket, make sure it's all sealed up tight and the airlock/stopper is tight as well.

Then you can check the gravity. If it's not at final gravity, give the bucket a swirl and see if you can rouse up the yeast to restart.

Just a few tips there to get you started.

 

[beersydoesit]

Any chance you've got a leak in air lock?
A hydrometer can show progress even if you don't have an OG.
Compare successive readings
Anyway I agree with earlier post, give it time.
Good luck.

 

[Jared311]

Alright, so I started my first batch Saturday afternoon and activity was quick to start and by the next morning it was pretty vigorous. Today (Monday), there is zero activity. From my reading, it seems there should be at least *some* activity as primary fermentation ends.

I am using a 3 piece airlock, and the middle piece floats up to hit the cap before letting the bubbles out. After letting the bubbles out, it stays against the cap. Now, it is resting at the bottom, indicating a complete lack of pressure.

So what is going on? Should I rack it?

I have a hydro but forgot to take an initial reading, so I don't know how useful that would be. A question about the hydro: Why take beer out of the fermenter to test it? Why not just float the sanitized hydro in the fermenter?

Thanks.

First off, the hydrometer is your friend. Even though you didn't take and OG reading, you can use the hydrometer to monitor the fermentation. If you have two or three days of consecutive readings then you may be done with fermentation. As others have already mentioned though, just because it doesn't look active doesn't mean it isn't. I would let it sit in the primary for a minimum of one to two weeks before thinking of racking it over.

 

[taylornate]

I just checked and everything appears air-tight. I don't think I have any good way of stealing a sample (this damn kit was supposed to come with everything!). Maybe I'll run to Walgreens and get a turkey baster.

 

[Blue_Water]

Yes, be patient, go buy a turkey baster when you get a chance. The beer will be ok.

Make sure to sanitize the baster and anything else that might touch the beer.

good luck!

 

[histo320]

What is the temperature of your fermentation?

 

[ifishsum]

I wouldn't mess with it this early, regardless of what the airlock may or may not be doing. My advice is to leave it 10 days minimum, then check the gravity. No matter how fast it might have fermented out, give it that much time at least. It's fine, sometimes fermentation goes quick and sometimes it doesn't but the yeast still need time to clean up and the beer needs some aging.

If you're planning on racking it to secondary and the gravity is where it should be after that 10 days, then go ahead and do that. If you're not going to secondary, leave it another 10 then bottle. If you rush it you'll only get faster green beer anyway.

 

[taylornate]

Gravity is 1.017. Current fermenting temp 64F. I pitched it at 80F.

I got a turkey baster at Wal-Mart and I'm a bit sorry I didn't get my kettle there. They had a nice looking 22 quart 3-ply for $42.

edit: Forgot to mention - FG is 1.010-1.012 according to the instructions. This is Irish Red Ale from midwest.

edit again: The slight agitation from stealing the sample was enough to restart some slight activity. I gave it a bit more agitation for good measure

So when the gravity levels off / gets to FG, it is time to rack it to secondary?

 

[nosmatt]

bah, 22 quart for 42 bucks...

dont waste your money.
i bought a 50 quart for 59.99. .157" thick too.

those small pots are good till you want a full boil and buy a turkey fryer. then 30 quart is too small, and it boils over, or your on edge the whole time.

my motto i just made up, buy it once.

do not buy anyhting unlessit is gonna grow with you.

i have two burners, a 30qt pot, a 50 qt pot, and a 5 gallon mlt/cooler.
i should have bought a 10 gallon mlt/cooler.
doh!

anyway, i primary for 21 days. and now, i set it in my garage for a week to crash cool (temp never above 40, and likely ~ 30 or so) then bottle.
store inside house in bottles for ~ 3 weeks. move downstairs to fridge for two weeks and drink away.
if (when that is) i rush it, it never tastes all that good. when i do as i said above, it's fricken great.


the best advice i have gotten here, brew often. you stop worrying so much about brew #1, and start worrying about brews 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.... by the time you realize it, #1 is actually ready, and not green!

good luck

 

[taylornate]

Nosmatt: It sounds like you don't use a secondary? I'm not trying to rush bottling.

 

[nosmatt]

i have never seen the point in a secondary.

rushing has nothin' to do with anything btw, at least in my case.

my last few beers were cold crashed in the primary (AFTER 21 DAYS OR MORE), and are clear as hell IF i chill the bottles for at least 3 days like revvy suggested i do. even better if i do 2 weeks.


i had the CLOUDIEST, floatiest, POS looking beer, i put 2 sixers in the fridge. I left em @ 35* for two weeks.
took one 6er out, put in my main fridge, left one another week.

drank all 6 the first night, all were commercial clear.
the next six, well i drank those after a pint of wil turkey, and i cannot tell you if they were cloudy, but i can tell ya i was not capable of doing much.
i should have saved them for more sober times

good luck!

 

[Flattop]

Panzer is right, hydrometer or not, don't rack before 7 days, fermentation goes in cycles, it is slow to start then off like a shot then slows again. Maybe the fermenter is poorly sealed and gas is escaping down the sides. I use a plastic fermenter, i can squeeze the air out and see the imbalance in the fermenter, if it equalizes the pressure in less than a few hours air is getting in. Anyhow for a simple brew you should be fermented out in 7-10 days then it is safe to rack.
Question, why rack? If you don't have a specific reason, don't do it.
You can leave the beer in the primary for 2-3 weeks and bottle directly from that.
People tend to rack for the wrong reason and there are good reasons to do it, but if the brew is a straightforward one then there is really no need. If you are worried about clearing the yeast checkout finings. You can add a bit of gelatin to hot water, dissolve it and tip it into your brew it will do the same job as isinglass.
Anyhow these days i rarely rack and rarely use finings and my brews stay in the primary for 2 weeks and bottle for 3-4 weeks and turn out really clear and taste good.

 

[CBBaron]

A fermentation can complete pretty quickly in moderate gravity beers if conditions are good for the yeast. Your beer is probably most of the way to final gravity.

HOWEVER, it is NOT ready to bottle. Leave it in the primary for atleast 7 days. Then if you want to use a secondary, you can transfer the beer to a secondary for 2 weeks. If not leave it in the primary for a couple more weeks before bottling.

I usually leave my beers in the primary for 3-4 weeks, then transfer to a bottling bucket and bottle. After 3 weeks the beer will be done fermenting and stable and be ready to bottle. The extra time will improve the flavors.

Craig

 

[taylornate]

Thanks for all the advice, guys

I will plan on sticking to the original plan of 1-2-3: 1 week primary, 2 weeks secondary (as long as hydro readings support this). There are a couple reasons why I want to use a secondary. First, John Palmer says it helps and having taken biology lab courses I'm pretty sure I can do it without contaminating it. Second, I want to look my beer in the eye as it ferments. Third, I want to free up my primary so I can get another batch going if it looks like I'll be getting enough bottles from friends.

Is it ok to put a 5 gallon batch into a 5 gallon carboy primary if you use a blow-off? I think it would be fun to use glass for primary, and I would get more utility out of having a single size of carboy.