DrifterFred
Active Member
I brewed a cream ale on Sunday..Monday morning I was getting a bubble every 2 seconds..and tuesday monring I ams till only getting a bubble every 2 seconds...is this slow?
slow fermentation???
- Thread starter DrifterFred
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slarkin712
Well-Known Member
Airlock bubbles are not an accurate indicator of fermentation progress. What kind of container are you fermenting in? If it's a bucket then gas is probably leaking out of the lid seal, therefore the airlock activity can't be used to gauge your fermentation. If you really want to monitor your fermentation you should take a hydrometer sample. And two days of steady fermentation is not slow. Depending on you OG and the yeast strain used, your primary ale fermentation should finish in 3-5 days.
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DrifterFred
Active Member
I am using a 6.5 gallon bucket (basic brew kit) didn't think the seal may not be tight al around. I will check when I get home. original gravity was 1.050. target I think is 1.010?
No. Do not sit there and count bubbles - wait until visible ferementation activity (including bubbles) stops and then take a gravity reading. You should judge the speed of your fermentation off of the time it takes for your yeast to fully attenuate (i.e. reach the estimated FG, +/- a few points, and stay there for a few days). Most yeasts fully attenuate within about a week - if it takes longer than that, you arguably have a "slow fermentation."
slarkin712
Well-Known Member
I'm not suggesting that you didn't put your lid on all the way. I'm saying that even if the lid is on all the way that these bucket lid seals almost always leak a little bit. And it's OK if they leak a little bit unless you plan on leaving the beer in the bucket for more than 3-4 weeks. Side note: If left in a leaking bucket for a long time you may get some oxygen exposure to your beer, which is not a good thing. Transfer to a carboy for extended aging to avoid this problem.
