Second brew ferementing?

[newbrewr4fun]

I put brew number 2 in the fermenter on Sunday. Started to bubble very faintly at about a bubble every 1.5 seconds on Monday evening and continued till early Wednesday. Now the bubbling has ceased. I used the same yeast as the last batch yet the fermentation was much less vigourous. I am not sure why. I shook the fermenter for a few minutes before pitching but did not use a starter. It was a White Labs pitchable tube. Should I take a hydrometer reading and transfer to a secondary or let it sit for a few days?

 

[z987k]

let it sit. then take a hydro reading in a few days.

 

[EvilTOJ]

If you want to feel like you're doing something (like I do when things don't seem to be going according to plan), swirl the fermenter around a little bit to get the yeast back into suspension. Then give it at least a week. I've had ferments be done in 24 hours, but will never consider racking or bottling for a minimum of week, usually longer.

 

[newbrewr4fun]

I tried swirling the fermenter a bit, but nothing seemed to have happened. I did that last night and did not notice any change. I hope I don't have a stuck fermentation.

 

[Yooper]

I tried swirling the fermenter a bit, but nothing seemed to have happened. I did that last night and did not notice any change. I hope I don't have a stuck fermentation.

I'm 99% sure you're just fine. If the fermentation bubbled for over 24 hours, it's probably just about done. I wouldn't swirl it or mess with it- just wait until Sunday and then check the SG. It will probably still drop a few more points even without any bubbling, and during this "quiet time", the yeast is cleaning up the byproducts of fermentation, eating its own waste products (like diacetyl) when the available sugars are gone. So, even though it seems about done, there is still a lot happening in there to make your beer better. Don't ever rack a beer before a week (or longer) since the yeast will "clean up" the beer when active fermentation is over.

I know it's hard, but stop touching it and stop worrying about it. It's like Tom Petty says, "The wa-ai-ting is the hardest part."

 

[Steel-Reserve]

haha! i finally have some advice to give... ! yay!! if ur being inpatient, just take your mind off of it by brewing up another batch!!!

 

[neilb]

Airlock activity is not reliable. As others have said, leave it for a few days then take a hydrometer reading.

I once had a beer that fermented out in 3 days though. So I wouldn't worry until you take that hydro reading.