room temperature while fermenting

[nowashburn]

hi all! im currently trying to brew my first beer ever. I bought a brewer's best 2009 hopnog and everything seemed to be going quite fine.

currently, i have the wort in a plastic fermenter sitting in my crawlspace / furnace room with the airlock in the top of the fermenter. its been a little over 24 hours and there has been no bubbling in the airlock.

the temperature in the room is reading at precisely 59 degrees. please someone let me know if this is the problem and i will make room inside for it immediately!

thanks in advance

 

[nowashburn]

my original barometer reading was 1.050, would it be too soon to take another barometer reading?

 

[ChshreCat]

my original barometer reading was 1.050, would it be too soon to take another barometer reading?

I assume you mean hydrometer and not barometer...

59 is a little on the cold side, but not too far off. I'd just leave it alone for the time being. The airlock isn't a good indicator of fermentation. My airlock never bubbles. And fermentation can take a day or two (or more) to start up. Especially when you have your fermenter sitting at the low end of the temp range. Better to be on the low end of the range than be too warm.

What yeast did you use?

 

[nowashburn]

I assume you mean hydrometer and not barometer...

59 is a little on the cold side, but not too far off. I'd just leave it alone for the time being.

haha, hydrometer is indeed what i meant. sorry about that.

 

[HIM_Tattoos]

59 isn't that bad. Are you using dry yeast? More specifically, dry ale yeast? I've found that my dry yeasts at colder temps generally take 24-48 hours to show sign of fermentation in the air lock.

 

[nowashburn]

59 isn't that bad. Are you using dry yeast? More specifically, dry ale yeast? I've found that my dry yeasts at colder temps generally take 24-48 hours to show sign of fermentation in the air lock.

yes, the kit came with Safale US-05 yeast. Anyhow, i guess because its my first time brewing i REALLY dont want to ruin it. So, I made a little room in the closet which is at a comfy 68 degrees. I just hope i didnt ruin it bu keeping it out there in the first place.

 

[HIM_Tattoos]

yes, the kit came with Safale US-05 yeast. Anyhow, i guess because its my first time brewing i REALLY dont want to ruin it. So, I made a little room in the closet which is at a comfy 68 degrees. I just hope i didnt ruin it bu keeping it out there in the first place.

RDWHAHB!!!!

 

[ChshreCat]

I'd say that 59 would have been better than 68, actually. It'd ferment slower, but that's usually a good thing. But, this being your first brew, you might not be ready for the slow-and-steady approach anyway. Leave it in the closet and relax.

And check it in a week.

 

[nowashburn]

RDWHAHB!!!!

hehe, actually had to google "RDWHAHB" since i didnt know what it meant!

 

[nowashburn]

so i moved it inside as posted earlier and it has bubbled a few times since. prolly just from moving it around i guess.

however, during prime fermentation, how often should it be bubbling just so i know?

 

[ChshreCat]

so i moved it inside as posted earlier and it has bubbled a few times since. prolly just from moving it around i guess.

however, during prime fermentation, how often should it be bubbling just so i know?

It all depends. My airlock never bubbles. Ever. Well, unless I push down on the lid. Don't trust the airlock to tell you if it's fermenting or not.

 

[Greyhound]

My airlock never bubbles. Ever.

Huh? How do you have fermentation without the release of CO2? Is it somehow escaping through the lid instead of through the air lock? Seriously, I've never heard of this before (but I've only been brewing for a year).

 

[JesseRC]

Huh? How do you have fermentation without the release of CO2? Is it somehow escaping through the lid instead of through the air lock? Seriously, I've never heard of this before (but I've only been brewing for a year).

Really?? That seems to be all we hear around here, how people think that there beer is not fermenting because of no airlock activity. Revvy has even made up a whole page worth of "dont rely on your airlock" advice. Not all of my fermenter show visible airlock activity. But to your question, yes it is escaping via the lid or grommet. The only reliable fermenter I have is the better bottle with tight carboy cap.

 

[Greyhound]

Really?? That seems to be all we hear around here, how people think that there beer is not fermenting because of no airlock activity. Revvy has even made up a whole page worth of "dont rely on your airlock" advice. Not all of my fermenter show visible airlock activity. But to your question, yes it is escaping via the lid or grommet. The only reliable fermenter I have is the better bottle with tight carboy cap.

As for the "Don't rely on your airlock advice", I always read that as "Don't assume your fermentation is done just because you don't see it bubbling; it may have just slowed to a point where it's not bubbling constantly". I thought that during the most active stages of fermentation you should see bubbling; at least that's been my experience. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Poolplayer]

Mines bubbling every eight minutes now. I'm thinkin it's gonna be time to secondary maybe tomorrow with a reading first.

 

[nowashburn]

ok, its now been 2 days and still no bubbles. i took the lid off and did a hydrometer test and it actually got higher?!?!? what the heck, isnt it supposed to get lower? something is obviously wrong, what do i do?

 

[Yooper]

ok, its now been 2 days and still no bubbles. i took the lid off and did a hydrometer test and it actually got higher?!?!? what the heck, isnt it supposed to get lower? something is obviously wrong, what do i do?

It can't be higher- that's not possible. One of the readings is incorrect.

What's the recipe? We can calculate the probably OG from the ingredients.

Do you have a "stick on" thermometer on the fermenter? That helps to determine the temperature of the beer, which is the important thing rather than room temperature.

What kind of yeast did you use? Did it have any dates on it? Did you take it right out of the fridge and put it in the brew, or was it at the same temperature as the wort? What temperature was the wort when you added the yeast?

 

[nowashburn]

It can't be higher- that's not possible. One of the readings is incorrect.

What's the recipe? We can calculate the probably OG from the ingredients.

Do you have a "stick on" thermometer on the fermenter? That helps to determine the temperature of the beer, which is the important thing rather than room temperature.

What kind of yeast did you use? Did it have any dates on it? Did you take it right out of the fridge and put it in the brew, or was it at the same temperature as the wort? What temperature was the wort when you added the yeast?

the kit is brewer's best hopnog as seen here:

http://store.homebrew4less.com/Brewers-Best-HOPNOG-2009-beer-kit-Makes-5-Gal/productinfo/LD1053

the wort was 80 when i poured the yeast in, which is a powder that i poured directly into the wort, as instructed. though im now reading that you should prepare the yeast in warmer water before adding. the instructions didnt say this.

the wort is now 68 degress as read by a dip in thermometer and i also got the same reading with a laser heat gun reader.

perhaps since i didnt prepare the yeast there is the problem?

 

[Yooper]

the kit is brewer's best hopnog as seen here:

http://store.homebrew4less.com/Brewers-Best-HOPNOG-2009-beer-kit-Makes-5-Gal/productinfo/LD1053

the wort was 80 when i poured the yeast in, which is a powder that i poured directly into the wort, as instructed. though im now reading that you should prepare the yeast in warmer water before adding. the instructions didnt say this.

the wort is now 68 degress as read by a dip in thermometer and i also got the same reading with a laser heat gun reader.

perhaps since i didnt prepare the yeast there is the problem?

They don't have the recipe there, but it should be on your instruction sheet. I can't tell from looking at the box . The OG for that kit is at the top of the instruction sheet. You can't miss the OG that the kit maker says, unless you add way too much water or don't add all of the ingredients, so just close up the fermenter and leave it alone. Consider your OG whatever the kit maker says.

If it's at 68 now, it's fine. If the wort was 80 degrees, you didn't kill the yeast so try not to worry about it. It should start anytime now.

 

[nowashburn]

They don't have the recipe there, but it should be on your instruction sheet. I can't tell from looking at the box . The OG for that kit is at the top of the instruction sheet. You can't miss the OG that the kit maker says, unless you add way too much water or don't add all of the ingredients, so just close up the fermenter and leave it alone. Consider your OG whatever the kit maker says.

If it's at 68 now, it's fine. If the wort was 80 degrees, you didn't kill the yeast so try not to worry about it. It should start anytime now.

sorry, the paper says that the OD range is 1.048 - 1.056. so i guess im not that far off. also, how long should i wait to start considering re pitching the yeast?

 

[Yooper]

sorry, the paper says that the OD range is 1.048 - 1.056. so i guess im not that far off. also, how long should i wait to start considering re pitching the yeast?

Give it up to 72 hours before worrying too much.

 

[ChshreCat]

Odds are that you didn't get your thick wort and your top up water completely mixed together when you took the first reading, so it was lower than it should've been. Now that it's had time to incorporate on it's own, you're getting a truer reading.

You can rehydrate dry yeast before pitching, but you still want to use water at pitching temp. If you use too hot of water, it'll kill the yeast.

 

[nowashburn]

Odds are that you didn't get your thick wort and your top up water completely mixed together when you took the first reading, so it was lower than it should've been. Now that it's had time to incorporate on it's own, you're getting a truer reading.

You can rehydrate dry yeast before pitching, but you still want to use water at pitching temp. If you use too hot of water, it'll kill the yeast.

that and when i initially measured the wort, it was 80 degrees. now at 68 degress is probably why im getting a different reading too i guess.

 

[nowashburn]

BUBBLING ABOUT ONCE A MINUTE NOW!!! WHOOOOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!

:rockin:

 

[nowashburn]

UPDATE:

As stated before, I didnt see any signs of bubbling untill about 72 hours after pitching. I still see some bubbling now (96 hours later), but it seems to have slowed. I then took the lid off, took a sample, and took another hydrometer reading. There was yeast residue on the top and the hydrometer is now reading at about 1.052. So, there is some activity, but not as much as described. My OG reading was about 1.060.

Should I pitch more yeast or just be patient?

 

[Tiamat]

just be patient.

 

[JesseRC]

quit opening the lid, just come back 3 weeks later

 

[snevey]

Jesus man, you need to stop taking hydrometer readings! You've now taken 2 from the bucket in 48 hours! Just relax! Everytime you open the lid and take a reading, you are exposing the beer to contamination! I hope you didn't pour the beer from your hydrometer tube back into the fermenter???

Just let it go! We've all been where you're at now, and we know your just excited, but this is one hobby that you MUST have patience with! If you're that curious what's going on in your bucket fermenter, you should get a carboy, whether it be a glass one or a better bottle (plastic). They aren't that badly priced.

Now, no more taking the lid off your bucket, ya hear? :rockin:

UPDATE:

As stated before, I didnt see any signs of bubbling untill about 72 hours after pitching. I still see some bubbling now (96 hours later), but it seems to have slowed. I then took the lid off, took a sample, and took another hydrometer reading. There was yeast residue on the top and the hydrometer is now reading at about 1.052. So, there is some activity, but not as much as described. My OG reading was about 1.060.

Should I pitch more yeast or just be patient?

 

[JesseRC]

I think we need child proof lids put on our fermenters

 

[snevey]

Or a time lock safe!

I think we need child proof lids put on our fermenters