Fermentation Concern

[CharlieM]

I've been doing the wine kits for a year now and am use to how the air lock "bubbles" when the yeast is at work. I just started my first batch of beer on 10-5, a Pumpkin Pie Cream Ale kit. 5 days later I'm not seeing this lock " bubble" although it did the second and third day. Is this a cause for concern? The temp was about 78 when I added the yeast and its in a room that's a constant 73. And I have a good seal everywhere. Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[aiptasia]

Air locks are not an accurate indicator of yeast activity. The best way to tell in beer is by using a hydrometer. Draw off a sample of your beer with a wine thief or an auto siphon and measure the specific gravity (sugar content) of the beer. When it is the same for 2-3 days, the main fermentation has completed. It still pays to let the beer sit for another week or so on the yeast cake to clean itself up a little. Yeasts produce a lot of precursor alcohols that the yeasts will consume and clean up for you if you let it rest for another week after the main fermentation finishes.

I'm sure your beer is fine. Good luck.

 

[jodymcd]

It's perfectly normal to see the bubbling for just a day or two. Just because it stopped bubbling doesn't mean it's stopped fermentation. Temp is a little on the warm side, but I'm sure it'll be fine. Take a gravity reading after a week from brew day to see where you are.

 

[BigFloyd]

Don't worry about lack of bubbles. Check gravity after 3 days if you think you may have zero fermentation.

What yeast did you use? Try to knock your temps down about 10*F. Fermentation is exothermic when it's really active. A fermenter sitting in a 73*F room can get up around 82-85*F inside. That will give you unpleasant flavors with most ale yeasts (especially Nottingham).

 

[CharlieM]

Good update - checked the SG on Sunday, 1.016 and target is 1.011 so looking good. But dropping temp on window unit ac in that room to 68. Never thought about the contents of ferm bucket / carboy being couple degrees higher. And with ac previously set at 73, yeast was prone on edge of where it needed to be.

 

[BigFloyd]

And with ac previously set at 73, yeast was prone on edge of where it needed to be.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but 73*F ambient means that your ferment probably peaked out with the beer temp at around 82*F. Unless you were making a saison, that's much too warm. It's better to start cool (low-mid 60's) and then let it warm into the upper 60's after 4-5 days.

What yeast did you use?

 

[CharlieM]

Whatever was in the kit, not sure off hand. But I've been doing wine kits for over a year, and fermenting / aging in same room with ac set at 73. And if the instruction say to ferment 5-7 days i always go minimum of 2 weeks, often 3. Still it's a good point, dropping temp setting later.