I started my first ever batch on Saturday (a free pale ale that came with my equipment) and now on Monday I still have not seen any bubbles in the air lock. I kinda panicked and opened the lid of my plastic fermenter to look and I THINK it smells yeasty(similar to a beer smell?) and some gunk on top. I'm just worried it's not fermenting wether from the cheap dry yeast that I didn't rehydrate or maybe I didn't aerate enough to begin with? Any suggestions on what to do? Should I take a hydrometer reading?
Not sure if fermenting!?
- Thread starter JackHoff
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
BlueHouseBrewhaus
Well-Known Member
Buckets are notorious for not sealing well. That is the likely cause for your quiet airlock. The CO2 is escaping elsewhere. The gunk on top is the krausen so it's fermenting. Leave it at least until this Saturday and then take a hydrometer reading and report back. Be sure to sanitize the crap out of anything that goes into that bucket and resist the temptation to open it again until Saturday. Sounds like you're in good shape so Relax Don't Worry Yada-yada-yada.
cyanmonkey
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2014
- Messages
- 1,074
- Reaction score
- 153
Gunk on top = fermentation.
You need to find out where it's leaking. First guess it lid isn't pressed down well enough or airlock doesn't have enough water.
You need to find out where it's leaking. First guess it lid isn't pressed down well enough or airlock doesn't have enough water.
Where_the_Redfern_Brews
Well-Known Member
Also worth mentioning that you should use vodka or a sanitizer solution in your airlock in case any gets sucked back in.
rlmiller10
Well-Known Member
Put the lid tight on your fermenter. Go buy a 12 pack of various brews. Drink one a day. When they are all gone it is time to take another gravity reading.
Seriously, sounds like you are fine. patience and time are both hard to come by but greatly needed in the brewing process.
Seriously, sounds like you are fine. patience and time are both hard to come by but greatly needed in the brewing process.
Subdivisions
Well-Known Member
That's a pretty sick torture technique.
cyanmonkey
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2014
- Messages
- 1,074
- Reaction score
- 153
Where_the_Redfern_Brews
Well-Known Member
I use Star San in mine since I have it handy when I am putting the airlock/lid on but vodka is perfectly fine too. You can fill it up with vodka/sanitizer when you take the lid off next or just coat some foil in sanitizer to put over the hole while you change out the airlock water at any time.
Yup, especially the yada-yada-yada.
So i just took a hydrometer reading today and got 1.120. So that would indicate that it is fermenting if my starting reading was 1.485, correct? It smelled like beer and i tasted it and its not bad lol i had originally wanted to switch to my glass carboy for the second week of fermenting but it seems a lot of people dont suggest this especially for first timers? what do you guys think? it would be fun to see the beer before i bottle it, also it would have less sediment in it before bottling right?
cyanmonkey
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2014
- Messages
- 1,074
- Reaction score
- 153
What are you taking readings with?
Typical gravity readings would be less than 1.100. Is it suppose to be 1.049 and 1.012? Those would be normal readings, but I'm thrown off how you got the 5.
Regardless, people do advise against secondary as do I. You're fine leaving it in there. Next time just ferment in the carboy. THAT'S fun to watch all the yeas ties going crazy.
Typical gravity readings would be less than 1.100. Is it suppose to be 1.049 and 1.012? Those would be normal readings, but I'm thrown off how you got the 5.
Regardless, people do advise against secondary as do I. You're fine leaving it in there. Next time just ferment in the carboy. THAT'S fun to watch all the yeas ties going crazy.
Similar threads
