Not Bubbling or Foaming After a Day

surfbrewerguy · May 8, 2017

I made a limey pale ale yesterday and the airlock has yet to start bubbling after 24 hours. The last few ales I've made started bubbling very quickly after putting the yeast in. This batch does not have the foam my other batches had either. I did everything the same as the last few, let the wort cool to 75F, took the yeast out of the fridge an hour before I put it in, shook it well before putting in. It is in a carboy and the airlock is not faulty. I'm planning on leaving it for another day to see if anything starts before I really start panic. If nothing happens should I add more yeast or is the batch a waste?

b-boy · May 8, 2017

I'd give it another day. I've had batches take close to 2 days top start up.

kh54s10 · May 8, 2017

You are really 2 days early to really worry. It appears that you used one pack of liquid yeast. If it is a 5 gallon batch you did not use the proper amount of yeast. It will ferment the wort if the yeast was not old. It will be slow and could produce off flavors.

Read up on yeast starters.

I expect you will have fermentation going in the next 12-24 hours.

surfbrewerguy · May 10, 2017

Phew! It's bubbling like crazy now. Just had to make a blow off valve it was going so much. I felt better after reading some other threads and learning this is a rather common thing. Can't wait to get it kegged now :tank:

Thanks guys!

kh54s10 · May 10, 2017

surfbrewerguy said:
Phew! It's bubbling like crazy now. Just had to make a blow off valve it was going so much. I felt better after reading some other threads and learning this is a rather common thing. Can't wait to get it kegged now Thanks guys!

Good news.

Don't get too anxious, let the fermentation fully finish and time for the beer to clear.

A little longer is almost always better than a little too short.