(Possible) Fermentation Problem

[cgbroncos113]

I'm very excited to be brewing my first batch of homebrew, but am nervous that I might have encountered a problem during fermentation.

Two nights ago, I brewed a batch of ale using a recipe that came with my starter kit. Everything went according to plan. After I finished brewing the wort, I added it to the cold water sitting in my plastic bucket and let it sit for 10 minutes. I then added the dry yeast from my packet to the top and stirred it in. I realized afterwards that I should have probably done something to prepare the yeast, but unfortunately, the handbook with the recipe didn't mention that. I also probably should have taken a hydrometer reading, but alas, that wasn't mentioned in my brewing guide.

I brought the beer down to my basement and let it sit. According to the thermometer on the side of my fermeneter its between 70-72 F. I checked the beer the next morning (about 12 hours later) and the airlock was bubbling quite well (one bubble every 3 seconds). I then checked it 10 hours later and the pace of bubbling had slowed down considerably (one bubble every 90 seconds). After checking it this morning it is bubbling even slower (one bubble every 6 or so minutes). I checked to make sure the lid was on tight and everything feels secure. When I was pressing on the sides to check, the airlock would bubble when pressure was applied.

Should I be concerned since I didn't prepare the yeast at all? What would you suggest I do? Also, I have the fermenter positioned on a folding chair, which makes it at a bit of an angle. Is that a problem? We sometimes have ground water in my basement so I wanted to raise it off the floor. Thanks so much for your help!

 

[TKH]

I've only brewed a few batches but my understanding is that you can add dry yeast directly, although it may be better to rehydrate it first. Regardless, you got fermentation so you should be good! Can't imagine the angle is bad unless it's interfering with the air lock or something... I guess your sediment may get stirred up more when you move it and set it on a flat surface? Hopefully someone with more knowledge will chime in but sounds fine to me.

 

[ncbrewer]

If you boiled the wort (say about 2 ½ gallons after the boil) and then added it to cold water in the bucket without chilling, it would be way too warm for pitching yeast. The wort (boiled wort plus cold top-off water) should be at roughly fermentation temperature for pitching the yeast. There is some disagreement on the exact pitching temperature, but this will be close. But since you checked the temperature later and found 72 degrees, maybe you actually did chill the wort - ?

Fermentation temperature is a little high at 72. Maybe this speeded up the fermentation and could explain the slowing down. Also, fermenter lids often don’t seal well, and the airlock won’t bubble when fermentation is slow. Probably too late for this batch, but for most ales and most yeast strains, lower temperature will improve the flavor.

I don’t see why the fermenter sitting at a slight angle would hurt anything.

 

[Captain Damage]

Relax, your beer is doing fine! Many recommend that you rehydrate dry yeast with clean, sanitary (boiled and cooled) water for ten minutes before pitching, but many just throw it in dry. Beer fermentation is often only active for a couple of days. But just because there are no bubbles doesn't mean your beer is done. Give it a few more days - even an extra week or two to clean up some off-flavors and settle. That will leave less sediment in your bottles.

Yes, you should get in the habit of taking hydrometer readings prior to pitching - that's how you figure out how strong the finished beer is. The truth is, though, that with extract brews unless you make some pretty big mistakes in measuring your top up water, your original gravity will be within about a point of the calculation.

 

[BigFloyd]

Do you have a thermometer with which you can measure the temp of your wort before pitching?

If not, you really need one before you do your next batch. Pitch temp is almost as critical as fermentation temp to the getting a good result.

Overall, brewing is a very temperature-dependent art, especially any parts that involve yeast.

 

[masterfool101]

RDWHAHB,

Your beer is just fine. It did EXACTLY what it was supposed to do. Bubbling commonly slows down after a few days . .. and will all but stop in a few more.

That does NOT mean you're done fermenting . .. the yeast need time to clean up after themselves. MOST people on this forum recommend 3 weeks in the primary fermenter, then 3 weeks in the bottle for good beer.

Welcome to the Hobby!!!

 

[woozy]

Should I be concerned since I didn't prepare the yeast at all?

No.

What would you suggest I do?

Nothing.

Also, I have the fermenter positioned on a folding chair, which makes it at a bit of an angle. Is that a problem?

Is the folding chair strong enough?

When it comes time to move it for bottling or for racking to secondary (if you are one of those type) be careful and gentle to avoid kicking up any trub or defocculated yeast. (But you were going to be careful anyway so...)

 

[celticdevildog]

RDWHAHB,

Your beer is just fine. It did EXACTLY what it was supposed to do. Bubbling commonly slows down after a few days . .. and will all but stop in a few more.

That does NOT mean you're done fermenting . .. the yeast need time to clean up after themselves. MOST people on this forum recommend 3 weeks in the primary fermenter, then 3 weeks in the bottle for good beer.

Welcome to the Hobby!!!

No.

Nothing.


Is the folding chair strong enough?

When it comes time to move it for bottling or for racking to secondary (if you are one of those type) be careful and gentle to avoid kicking up any trub or defocculated yeast. (But you were going to be careful anyway so...)

Both of these posts are spot on.

Welcome to the club of first-timers

And just in case you aren't sure what RDWHAHB means its "Relax Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew" but since it's your first time I would recommend popping open a beer of your choice and letting the yeast do it's job.

Basically, don't worry, you are still making beer!