Duration of fermentation

[João Machado]

Hello, I used a extract jit as my first experience of beer making...

I have two questions:

1st- How much time until the fermentation begins? It passed 24h already since I putted everything in the fermenter bucket...

2nd- In the instruction says that the fermentation last for 4-7days...but I can't touch the beer fermented until 15 days from today...is it bad?...

 

[DBhomebrew]

Hello, I used a extract jit as my first experience of beer making...

I have two questions:

1st- How much time until the fermentation begins? It passed 24h already since I putted everything in the fermenter bucket...

2nd- In the instruction says that the fermentation last for 4-7days...but I can't touch the beer fermented until 15 days from today...is it bad?...

1st - It's not unheard of for it to take a few days. As long as you are measuring the wait in hours (24, 36, on the outside 72), it's fine. In the future you can learn and practice better yeast handling.

2nd - Ditch (or at least, question) the instructions. They are notoriously inadequate and written to make brewing sound quick and easy. Your beer will likely be better at 15d than it was at 4-7. 4-7 for fermentation of a standard strength ale with a very healthy and abundant yeast pitch, but 2+ weeks for conditioning.

 

[Steveruch]

Hello, I used a extract jit as my first experience of beer making...

I have two questions:

1st- How much time until the fermentation begins? It passed 24h already since I putted everything in the fermenter bucket...

2nd- In the instruction says that the fermentation last for 4-7days...but I can't touch the beer fermented until 15 days from today...is it bad?...

1: there are many factors involved in how long it takes to start fermentation. How are you determining if it's started?
2: 15 days is not very long. If your cleaning and sanitation is good you can easily go 2 or 3 times that long.

 

[João Machado]

1st - It's not unheard of for it to take a few days. As long as you are measuring the wait in hours (24, 36, on the outside 72), it's fine. In the future you can learn and practice better yeast handling.

2nd - Ditch (or at least, question) the instructions. They are notoriously inadequate and written to make brewing sound quick and easy. Your beer will likely be better at 15d than it was at 4-7. 4-7 for fermentation of a standard strength ale with a very healthy and abundant yeast pitch, but 2+ weeks for conditioning.

Thanks!

 

[João Machado]

1: there are many factors involved in how long it takes to start fermentation. How are you determining if it's started?
2: 15 days is not very long. If your cleaning and sanitation is good you can easily go 2 or 3 times that long.

I am doing nothing...like I said, it's my first time...

 

[RM-MN]

I am doing nothing...like I said, it's my first time...

The question is whether you are looking for bubbles in the airlock or some other method to determine if the fermentation has started. I ferment in buckets and the lids of those are notorious for failing to seal so the airlock never bubbles. Since I can't see through the bucket I sometimes open the lid and look for evidence of krausen and smell while looking as fermentation smells different from wort.

From that, we'd like to know what you are using to ferment the beer. Carboy? Bucket? Stainless steel keg?

 

[João Machado]

The question is whether you are looking for bubbles in the airlock or some other method to determine if the fermentation has started. I ferment in buckets and the lids of those are notorious for failing to seal so the airlock never bubbles. Since I can't see through the bucket I sometimes open the lid and look for evidence of krausen and smell while looking as fermentation smells different from wort.

From that, we'd like to know what you are using to ferment the beer. Carboy? Bucket? Stainless steel keg?

I think it is well sealed...

Plastic bucket...I know it is fit for this purpose...but I don't know exactly the material...

 

[RM-MN]

I think it is well sealed...

Plastic bucket...I know it is fit for this purpose...but I don't know exactly the material...

There may be a fairly large space above the beer that has to become pressurized enough to make the airlock bubble even if it is well sealed. On my buckets that do seal well I may not see any bubbles for 30 to 36 hours and if I loosen the lid it will take several hours after the lid is sealed again to build up pressure. It only takes a tiny leak to prevent the airlock from ever bubbling.

This article may help you understand how a fermentation progresses. It gives a timeline but my beers always take longer than their timeline.
http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html

 

[João Machado]

There may be a fairly large space above the beer that has to become pressurized enough to make the airlock bubble even if it is well sealed. On my buckets that do seal well I may not see any bubbles for 30 to 36 hours and if I loosen the lid it will take several hours after the lid is sealed again to build up pressure. It only takes a tiny leak to prevent the airlock from ever bubbling.

This article may help you understand how a fermentation progresses. It gives a timeline but my beers always take longer than their timeline.
http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html

I'm not at home...but when I get there I will se the bucket and secure it's well sealed.
So, I have to wait until the pressure is build up inside?

I will se that, thanks!

 

[Steveruch]

The question is whether you are looking for bubbles in the airlock or some other method to determine if the fermentation has started. I ferment in buckets and the lids of those are notorious for failing to seal so the airlock never bubbles. Since I can't see through the bucket I sometimes open the lid and look for evidence of krausen and smell while looking as fermentation smells different from wort.

I don't open the lid unless I'm taking a gravity reading. When I want to just take a peek I remove the stopper.

 

[MaxStout]

Those bucket lids don't always seal well. Sometimes it lets out CO2 just as fast as it's generated by the fermentation, and so, nothing passes through the airlock. Another spot to look at is the rubber grommet that holds the airlock stem. Those grommets can leak around their sides.

 

[rootAndBoom]

I'm not at home...but when I get there I will se the bucket and secure it's well sealed.
So, I have to wait until the pressure is build up inside?

I will se that, thanks!

Keep in mind too, just because you don't see anything happening doesn't mean nothing is happening.

 

[Quentin Nelson]

Hello, I used a extract jit as my first experience of beer making...

I have two questions:

1st- How much time until the fermentation begins? It passed 24h already since I putted everything in the fermenter bucket...

2nd- In the instruction says that the fermentation last for 4-7days...but I can't touch the beer fermented until 15 days from today...is it bad?...

Full fermentation within 4-6 days is a good goal. Commercial breweries always do it at least that fast, with A LARGE yeast pitch. I do some unusual things that work just fine for me. Mash out at 165-170F, 11-12 gallons in kettle, never boil for more than an hour, yeast nutrient & Irish moss last 5-10 min, cool to 68-70F, generous medical oxygen thru stainless stone @ 1+ LPM for 1-2 min, then comes the good part. I pitch A LARGE 20-25 oz of harvested yeast slurry. Wyeast Scottish is my favorite. Give the kettle a stir, put the lid on with thermometer thru the hole (no seal or air lock) keep temp stable & fermentation is raging when I get up next morning (7 hrs at most) Krausen usually oozing around loose lid. Yes, I ferment IN THE BOIL KETTLE. Always nearly done in 3 days. Only then I (might) transfer it to a different vessel. If I have any doubt fermentation is finished, I will warm it up to 71-72F for 24 hrs. Then into a serving keg, cold crash & carbonate. Works every time for me, even with a variety of styles & this same yeast. Might be a little hazy at first, then always drops very clear.

 

[PCABrewing]

Works every time for me, even with a variety of styles & this same yeast....

I think that leads to great advice for new brewers. Take advantage of the knowledge of your peers and learn what works best for you and your setup. Then practice what works and push aside what doesn't.
Everyone finds their own rhythm.