1st Timer, stalled fermentation day 3

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JakeBriscoe

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Well, I probably have not done something correctly...... But I admit I follow directions well, making an American ale, from kit. After I cooled wort and put in primary, I pitched yeast at about 73 degrees. I just sprinkled it in and gave it a stir. Closed it up with air lock. Bubbles up pretty good day 1, 1 per second. Then day 2 has dropped off. Today stopped. No bubbles. Temp is 63 degrees. Too cold? Bad yeast? Any suggestions?
 
Take a hydrometer reading and see if your near your target FG. If you are you might be done, let it sit a couple of days and take another reading to see if it is stable. If you aren't at your target FG let it sit a few days and check again, the yeast might have gotten lazy for a bit and then got back to work.
 
My suggestion? RDWHAHB. It is probably in the less vigorous portion of the fermentation process. Just let it do it's thing. The yeast aren't quite as active, but they are chewing down the last few gravity points and cleaning up after themselves. This can take a few days. For a beginner, you are going to have the best luck letting it sit 11-18 more days before bottling to get rid of many imperfections you may have and have a great first beer.

If you really want, you can take a gravity sample, then take one in 3 days and see how they compare. This is the only reliable way to know whether fermentation is happening. I wouldn't recommend doing that now, as it is just another way to oxidize your beer and increase risk of infection, and you are most likely fine. Remember, you aren't as important as you think. Yeast are living organisms and know how to eat and crap.

Airlock bubbles are not a reliable gauge of fermentation. It is just a vent. You can have CO2 escape some other way (not perfect seal on lid, etc.), and you can have bubbles come from things besides fermentation (CO2 in solution being disturbed, atmospheric pressure changes, etc.).
 
Perfect, thanks. I am currently bottling some hard cider and it is bubbling like there is no tomorrow, has for the last 8 days. I guess by comparison I thought something was wrong. Thanks for your suggestions. I'll pull off a sample and get an OG and recheck.
 
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