Now I'm confused

[PADave]

I brewed my first ever batch on 12/12, did a 1 gallon all grain IPA. I did make a few mistakes, like letting my mash temp drop, but I seemed to get something that looked like beer. OG was around 1.050. Fermentation started within a few hours, was vigorous for 24 hours then very few bubbles. Yeast used was Muntons ale yeast.

Batch # 2 was on Saturday 12/19, a black IPA extract kit. Yeast used was US-05. Four days later and I still got steady bubbling coming out of my blow off tube.

So I guess my concerns are, why did the first batch seem to ferment so quickly and be done, while the second is still chugging along? Could it be the different yeast strains? Or did I mess the mash up on the first batch, and will it turn out drinkable?

 

[jlinz]

If you started with an og of 1050, the mash was likely fine. In my experience different ferments take different times, sometimes even with the same yeasts. Just step back from the fermenter, relax, don't worry, and have a home brew!

 

[BigMack]

There are way too many variables that can impact fermentation to stress over one taking slightly longer than another. Just enjoy the sound of a bubbling air lock and let the yeast do its thing.

 

[theseeker4]

I brewed my first ever batch on 12/12, did a 1 gallon all grain IPA. I did make a few mistakes, like letting my mash temp drop, but I seemed to get something that looked like beer. OG was around 1.050. Fermentation started within a few hours, was vigorous for 24 hours then very few bubbles. Yeast used was Muntons ale yeast.

Batch # 2 was on Saturday 12/19, a black IPA extract kit. Yeast used was US-05. Four days later and I still got steady bubbling coming out of my blow off tube.

So I guess my concerns are, why did the first batch seem to ferment so quickly and be done, while the second is still chugging along? Could it be the different yeast strains? Or did I mess the mash up on the first batch, and will it turn out drinkable?

Different yeast, different recipes, different temperatures (potentially). All of these contribute to fermentation speed. Try to keep your beer fermenting in the mid 60's if you haven't done that already, and let it go for a few weeks. Whether it bubbles for 1 day, or 2 weeks, you can't judge whether you messed anything up by amount of bubbling, or the length of time. Let it go for a few weeks, and check the FG, that will tell you whether it is done.

RDWHAHB

 

[unionrdr]

I totally agree. Each fermentation is different, even though I rehydrate my dry yeasts. I've even had WL029 kolsch yeast bubble steady as machine pistol bursts for 5 days or so. No worries, m8.

 

[PADave]

Different yeast, different recipes, different temperatures (potentially). All of these contribute to fermentation speed. Try to keep your beer fermenting in the mid 60's if you haven't done that already, and let it go for a few weeks. Whether it bubbles for 1 day, or 2 weeks, you can't judge whether you messed anything up by amount of bubbling, or the length of time. Let it go for a few weeks, and check the FG, that will tell you whether it is done.

RDWHAHB

That's what I was thinking, but wanted some reassurance. I think I'll be doing brew #3 today. Got 3 more extract kits to do, then going to give AG a try again. This waiting thing is the hardest part!

 

[mmlipps]

Whatever you do don't dump it because you think you messed it up. You have to at least give it a try. Odds are it is fine.

 

[fuelish]

This waiting thing is the hardest part!

Haha....seems that way, friend, but just try making wine or mead ....the wait can seem insufferable, although it allows great leeway for slacking. Enjoy the new hobby, it is fun and rewarding. I only make the very rare beer, anymore, have gone over to the mead side....easy as hell, and an excellent beverage, with patience

 

[unionrdr]

That's why I decided to start brewing beer. My wines all took at least a year of aging before they were ready. now that's an exercise in patience...

 

[mongoose33]

I've recently brewed my first two batches. The first is an Irish Red Ale that used S-04 as the yeast.

The second is an experiment, adding a couple pounds of DME to ingredients for an English Bitter. For that I used S-05 as the yeast.

The first batch took more than 12 hours to get going, and it was then finished for the most part 48 hours later. I don't have my notes but the ABV based on OG and FG was in a decent range, somewhere in the mid-4 range, IIRC.

The second batch started a bit faster, and it was a bubbling fool for a couple days. It then slowed down and ended up going nearly 5 days before the bubbling ceased.

I've read (someplace) that S-04 is a fast yeast, while S-05 will go longer. That's probably an overgeneralization, but my experience, limited though it is, bears that out.

 

[emclinux]

Bubbles are CO2 not the only part of fermentation. I have had beers bubble for 10 days and I have had them reach final gravity in 5 days. In both cases fermentation wasn't done yet. There are other chemical changes and flavors that develop that don't necessarily create bubbles. If you were to take a taste sample at say 4 or 5 days vs 2 weeks you will usually see a night and day difference.