Why no fermentation???

[mclynch]

This is my 10th or so brew and no troubles so far till now. I just brewed a nice IPA with whole Cascade hops, chilled the wort to about 80F and pitched Safale US -05. 24 hrs no bubbles, 48 hrs no bubbles, 72 hrs no bubbles. (I'm using a plastic fermenting bucket.) I opened it up to check and saw just a tiny bit of krausen peeking through the whole hops floating on top. I checked the air seal around the lid, and its OK.

So I repitched with what I had in the fridge: Saf US-04 and now it's two more days and nothing! I don't get it - any ideas??? I used tap water - no trouble before...

Mike

 

[bad67z]

Without taking a original and a current gravity reading and comparing them it is difficult to tell if your beer is fermenting. Only a hydrometer and do the job.

 

[mclynch]

OG was 1.060 SG now is 1.016... so I guess it is fermenting, but why no airlock bubbles? Warped lid I guess... must get a carboy.

 

[RM-MN]

OG was 1.060 SG now is 1.016... so I guess it is fermenting, but why no airlock bubbles? Warped lid I guess... must get a carboy.

Does the lack of bubbles bother you that much that you are willing to spend as much as the price of ingredients for a 5 gallon batch of good beer for a carboy? Your beer doesn't really care what it is fermented in as long as it is clean. I prefer to use a hydrometer to tell if my beer is done.

 

[bad67z]

OG was 1.060 SG now is 1.016... so I guess it is fermenting, but why no airlock bubbles? Warped lid I guess... must get a carboy.

As Revvy has preached soooo many times an airlock is not an fermentation indicator. Only a hydrometer can do the job.

 

[mclynch]

Good point - thanks!

 

[daksin]

You are also pitching quite hot. You may have actually missed the most vigorous point of fermentation. In general, you want to pitch your yeast several degrees cooler than your ideal fermentation temperature and let them rise naturally to the place you want them to be, then prevent them from getting any warmer.