Understanding if you have had fermantaion stuck or not?

[Lebowski509]

Hi All,

Just want to throw this out as I am in the midst of a weird brew experience and I don't understand what is going on. On monda 9/9, I made an oatmeal stout, clone recipe of the Velvet Merlin from FW, except I chose a different yeast. I used Imperial Darkness, I made 1.5 liter starter. Did my normal process. I have had no bubbling, like NONE, to this point right now which about 72 hours. I have never had a stuck fermantation before, so I know I know, you need to check the gravity, I did, and it was 1.057 to start and now I am 1.018, so something has been happening. My question is how can I have had fermanation happening which clearly it has been, with ZERO evidence in my blow off tube. I know a leak is a likely response but I am fairly confident it is not that, I have been spraying everything to find a leak and no luck. What don't I understand here? I was just about to go get more yeast and make another starter to try and save it, assuming the gravity reading would show me nothing but now that I had that drop, I think I am ok, right?

Thanks to anyone with any thoughts.

 

[lumpher]

Yes, you should be OK. There is definitely a leak somewhere. What do you ferment in? Bucket, Fermonster, etc...

 

[day_trippr]

Your gear has a gas leak
Are you using a plastic bucket?

 

[Lebowski509]

Yes, you should be OK. There is definitely a leak somewhere. What do you ferment in? Bucket, Fermonster, etc...

I have a Brewtech 7 gallon Chronical..... yea it probably is a leak, I just can't find it.

 

[Lebowski509]

Your gear has a gas leak
Are you using a plastic bucket?

7 gallon Brewtech Chronical

 

[hotbeer]

Probably if there were any bubbles in your airlock, then they happened while you slept. But you also likely have a leaky seal somewhere. That's not a big deal. Some times higher pressure inside will lift the lid a tad and gas get past the seal. But when the pressure goes back down inside, the seal still keeps the outside air out. Or if it leaks in, it's minimal. Hopefully.

I haven't see a bubble in the airlock of my conical. I put it as me being asleep during the time it's really active in the krausen. The beer comes out fine.

You might have a little more to go from 1.018. So give it a few more days for the ferment and then another 10 or so days to let things settle to the bottom.

But now the fermentation is going to be slow producing any gas. So it's very unlikely any leak checks will show anything.

 

[Deadalus]

Probably if there were any bubbles in your airlock, then they happened while you slept. But you also likely have a leaky seal somewhere. That's not a big deal. Some times higher pressure inside will lift the lid a tad and gas get past the seal. But when the pressure goes back down inside, the seal still keeps the outside air out. Or if it leaks in, it's minimal. Hopefully.

I haven't see a bubble in the airlock of my conical. I put it as me being asleep during the time it's really active in the krausen. The beer comes out fine.

You might have a little more to go from 1.018. So give it a few more days for the ferment and then another 10 or so days to let things settle to the bottom.

But now the fermentation is going to be slow producing any gas. So it's very unlikely any leak checks will show anything.

Good point to make about the pressure. I had my uni lid on and the v-band gasket was not seated well. I was actually getting good bubbling from the blow off tube and thought all was well. Later though I put pressure on I wanted to try a little carbonation in the uni and that's when I had some leakage as it wouldn't hold 5 psi but was holding about 2 or so.

Can be really frustrating to find leaks at times!

 

[Bobby_M]

The lid seal is probably the issue. Any bit of debris can cause a gas leak. The way it pulls down in a few spots makes them a little more prone to issues.

There's is 100% no reason to pitch more yeast. The gravity doesn't lie.

 

[Lebowski509]

The lid seal is probably the issue. Any bit of debris can cause a gas leak. The way it pulls down in a few spots makes them a little more prone to issues.

There's is 100% no reason to pitch more yeast. The gravity doesn't lie.

Thank You, after I rack it out, I will put it under some more pressure see if I can identify it,