question about fermentation /safeale US-05/

[400d]

after 20 hours from pitching the yeast and sealing the fermentor, now I can see some krauzen forming on top, if I take a closer look I can see that this krauzen is actually moving, bubbling. I can also see small white particles sinking down from this krauzen... what does this mean?

still no airlock activity.


I hope I will be ok

 

[Nurmey]

It means the yeast is doing it's job. It looks like a storm in the fermenter sometimes with all that churning.

 

[400d]

It means the yeast is doing it's job. It looks like a storm in the fermenter sometimes with all that churning.

but what are those small white particles that are falling (sinking) down to the bottom of the fermentor?

how come there are no bubbles in the airlock?

 

[KayaBrew]

but what are those small white particles that are falling (sinking) down to the bottom of the fermentor?

how come there are no bubbles in the airlock?

Yeast.

Don't worry about bubbles. The yeast is in charge now.

 

[Revvy]

airlock bubbling, lack of airlock bubbling, stopped airlock bubbling, fast airlock bubbling, slow airlcok bubbling, heavy metal airlcok bubbling, or disco airlock bubbling really is not an indicator of what is happening to your beer, really isn't important, and it is NOT an accurate gauge of fermentation.

You see krausen, you got fermentation.....

I have 9 different fermenters and have been brewing for a few years, and OVER HALF OF MY BEERS NEVER HAVE ANY BUBBLING IN THE AIRLOCK AND THEY ALL TURN OUT FINE!

If you've oxygentated, and pitched plenty of yeast, then you SHOULD reach your yeast attenuation, and get close to the final gravity.....that is all that is important...NOT whether or not you airlock goes "blip" or "Rattattattatta!!!!"

An airlock is a vent for excess co2, nothing more, it's to keep your beer off the ceiling, and is designed to vent and still keep stuff out of your beer....that's really it...

In fact many no longer use airlocks at all, just cover the hole with a piece of tinfoil, or use a piece of plexiglass instead of a lid.

your fermentation is going nicely at it's own pace but for a dozen possible reasons your airlock isn't bubbling...simple as that. Get out of the habit of thinking it is a precision instrument and you will find you are less worried...The only precise methid of gauging fermentation is taking gravity readings.

Co2 is heavier than air...there can be plenty of co2 going on, plenty of active fermentation happenning but there is not enough excess co2 rising or venting out to actually lift the plastic bubbler

The 3 piece airlock is the most fallable of them all, often there is simply not a strong enough escape of co2 to lift the bubbler. Or they can be weighted down with co2 bubbles, or their is a leak in the grommet or the bucket seal, any number of factors.

But the good news is if the co2 is pushing out somewhere, then NOTHING is getting in.

 

[Revvy]

but what are those small white particles that are falling (sinking) down to the bottom of the fermentor?

Those bits are everything from hops, to yeast to bits of hot and cold break material. It's all perfectly normal, the yeast is just moving stuff around. Once fermentation stops being so active it will all fall down to the bottom of the fermenter.

This is a pretty good vid of the stuff flying around in there.



This one is really dynamic,

 

[400d]

ok, this is what happened

my beer showed no airlock activity. since I have a white plastic untransparent bucket for a fermentor, I could barely see what's going on inside, but I could see sediment around 1 inch thick on the bottom.

there was nothing going on.

then I read on the internet that aeration should have been much more used before pitching, and if one skips this step, then one should shake the fermentor very hard in order to aeraete the beer.

so I did it. I shook it really hard. and guess what? after 5 minutes I had bubbles in the airlock, and some really crazy activity coming from that sediment on the bottom (like tiny old faithfuls all around, like a small eruptions). my airlock is now going crazy, it's a bubble per second!

and now the bad part of the story. instead of clear water I poured some vodka inside the airlock. while I shook the fermentor, some of this vodka (let's say couple of drops) fell inside the beer. could this be a problem later?

 

[bob1852]

while I shook the fermentor, some of this vodka (let's say couple of drops) fell inside the beer. could this be a problem later?

nope. it will be fine. You're well on your way to making beer!

but no more shaking - at this stage you don't want to introduce oxygen to the beer. It could make it taste like cardboard.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

so let me get this right...you had active fermentation, but you didn't believe it because the airlock wasn't doing anything. You then, while fermentation was active, shook it really hard. Is that correct? As AZ hints at, this may not have been a good idea.

 

[400d]

so let me get this right...you had active fermentation, but you didn't believe it because the airlock wasn't doing anything. You then, while fermentation was active, shook it really hard. Is that correct? As AZ hints at, this may not have been a good idea.

but, cmon, everything seemed to be dead inside.

after I did this, now I can see billions of small bubbles coming up from the bottom of the fermentor. I can see it only on the walls, but I can imagine what is going on inside.

this is a huge difference from what I had last two days.

I suppose my yeasts were sleeping untill I introduced some oxygen to them. how come everything became so alive in there after I shook the fermentor?

 

[bob1852]

you basically casued your beer to release a lot of carbon dioxide that was in solution.

the same thing that happens when you shake up a soda

 

[400d]

you basically casued your beer to release a lot of carbon dioxide that was in solution.

the same thing that happens when you shake up a soda

is it a problem??

 

[bob1852]

2 days into the ferementation, probably not. you were basically just splashing around your beer with its own carbon dioxide.

But, don't shake it anymore.

too much oxigen can lead to oxidation which can lead to wet cardboard tastes.

 

[Revvy]

but, cmon, everything seemed to be dead inside.

after I did this, now I can see billions of small bubbles coming up from the bottom of the fermentor. I can see it only on the walls, but I can imagine what is going on inside.

this is a huge difference from what I had last two days.

I suppose my yeasts were sleeping untill I introduced some oxygen to them. how come everything became so alive in there after I shook the fermentor?

So you totally ignored anything I said here about your airlock? https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/question-about-fermentation-safeale-us-05-a-138759/#post1573284

Yeah, I guess you know more about this stuff than we do....

is it a problem??

Your beer possibly could end up tasting like cardboard from adding to much air when fermentation had already been going fine.

Fermentation is not always "dynamic," just because you don't SEE anything happening, doesn't mean that anything's wrong, and also doesn't mean that the yeast are still not working dilligantly away, doing what they've been doing for over 4,000 years....

 

[Yooper]

I suppose my yeasts were sleeping untill I introduced some oxygen to them. how come everything became so alive in there after I shook the fermentor?

you basically casued your beer to release a lot of carbon dioxide that was in solution.

the same thing that happens when you shake up a soda

No, the yeast were fine. Leave it alone, for crying out loud. Go make another batch, or take a walk, or do something to stop you from peering in there all the time.

I know it's hard to wait, but it's really the best way to go about it. Just because the airlock wasn't bubbling didn't mean anything wasn't happening, as every single person on this forum as told you.

If you don't want to listen, that's cool. But it's not fair to keep asking our advice and have us type up our responses and then do the exact opposite and then ask if it's ok. Do what you want! But stop asking if it's ok, then.

If you want to ask questions and ignore the advice, and then come back and ask for more advice based on something that you did anyway, some people will find that irritating.

 

[400d]

No, the yeast were fine. Leave it alone, for crying out loud. Go make another batch, or take a walk, or do something to stop you from peering in there all the time.

I know it's hard to wait, but it's really the best way to go about it. Just because the airlock wasn't bubbling didn't mean anything wasn't happening, as every single person on this forum as told you.

If you don't want to listen, that's cool. But it's not fair to keep asking our advice and have us type up our responses and then do the exact opposite and then ask if it's ok. Do what you want! But stop asking if it's ok, then.

If you want to ask questions and ignore the advice, and then come back and ask for more advice based on something that you did anyway, some people will find that irritating.

ok I'm sorry because I obviously disrespected all of you guys. the thing seemed completely dead today, and I am a begginer very eager to make it right.....

 

[Revvy]

ok I'm sorry because I obviously disrespected all of you guys. the thing seemed completely dead today, and I am a begginer very eager to make it right.....

Then listen to what we have to say.....We're not just blowing smoke out of our rears......we know what we're doing Most of us who take the time to answer new brewers questions have brewed hundreds or more gallons of beer. We've seen it all, we understand the fermentation process.

And we have literally seen every version of the nervous new brewer asking the same question as you over and over and over.....And we know the answer, the one we gave to you. That despite what you, in your (excuse me) ignorance of brewing may believe your beer was doing fine! And you just need to walk away for awhile and let the yeast who have been doing this for 45 million years do their job.

Trust us, my friend we wouldn't steer you wrong!

If your airlock was bubbling and stopped---It doesn't mean fermentation has stopped.

If you airlock isn't bubbling, it doesn't mean your fermentation hasn't started....

If airloc starts bubbling again, it doesn't mean you fermentation has started again.

An airlock is a vent for excess co2, nothing more, it's to keep your beer off the ceiling, and is designed to vent and still keep stuff out of your beer....that's really it...

In fact many no longer use airlocks at all, just cover the hole with a piece of tinfoil, or use a piece of plexiglass instead of a lid.

If you want to read about how faulty an airlock is, read this https://www.homebrewtalk.com/1156967-post6.html

Just remember,

 

[Yooper]

ok I'm sorry because I obviously disrespected all of you guys. the thing seemed completely dead today, and I am a begginer very eager to make it right.....

Nah, it wasn't disrespectful and I don't mind if you don't take my advice or that of the board. We all have different opinions, and so a discussion about different things is great.

I'm just trying to let you know that we do spend some time and effort in thinking up replies and the advice we give. We're not always right, so it's not like you have to do what we say. My point was that people will stop giving answers if they feel like no one is listening.

You can do what you want- it's YOUR beer!

 

[400d]

of course I trust you guys. otherwise I wouldn't be here asking questions.

thanks for every answer, you made the process of mashing and boiling much easier to me.

I was just very impatient. It was my first brew.

I just hope I didn't make a big mistake shaking my fermentor, and that, in the end, evth will be fine

 

[Lmuggs]

I just hope I didn't make a big mistake shaking my fermentor, and that, in the end, evth will be fine

How did it turn out?

 

[400d]

How did it turn out?

it's been a long time since my last post... and the beer turned out great!

thanks guys for all the advices, and sorry if I was pain in the ass....