Fermentation - Is This A Problem?

[chays99]

I brewed my seventh brew (AHS ESB mini-mash) on Monday morning. I chilled the wort to about 70 degrees and then added about 2.5 gallons of very cold water to get to 5.25 gallons. After adding the cold water, the wort was at about 58 degrees. I pitched a one liter starter that had been on a stir plate for 18 hours, chilled, and brought back to room temperature.

Over the next day and a half or so, the wort warmed to about 70 degrees. During this time I never saw the airlock bubble once. I understand that airlock activity isn't indicative of fermentation. When I got home last night (about 60 hours after cooling and transferring the wort), there was still no airlock activity but I could smell odor from the airlock. This morning before I left for work, I cracked the lid and saw krausen.

So, the questions:

- Is my brew OK?
- Again, I understand that airlock activity doesn't really mean anything but why isn't the airlock bubbling away like it has on my past six brews?
- Any tips, pointers, suggestions for making sure this brew turns out OK?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jaycount]

Yes

Maybe a weak lid seal? Or just not enough active fermentation.

RDWHAHB

 

[wiescins]

sounds like fermentation is going fine, likely a poor seal on the bucket or airlock connection. take a gravity reading and see how its coming.

 

[unionrdr]

My 1st brew or 2 did that. It was some molding flash along the mold part line that was propping up the lid seal slightly. Trimmed it off with an exacto knife. The airlock works normally now. But it can go with no bubble action sometimes. Just not a very vigorous ferment.

 

[chays99]

I swapped out the lid and airlock last night. I still had krausen and the airlock is showing slow activity. Thanks for the info. I feel better now that I won't have a ruined brew.

 

[Revvy]

- Again, I understand that airlock activity doesn't really mean anything but why isn't the airlock bubbling away like it has on my past six brews?Thanks in advance!

Well one reason for sure now is that you cracked the lid, so the airlock doesn't need to bubble since you voided out any EXCESS co2.

An airlock is a valve, nothing else, if it doesn't bubble, it doesn't need to....It's just not important whether it does, doesn't or it stops or starts. It's not a magic fermententaion gauge, it's just a way for any excess gas to escape and to keep the beer off the ceiling....

You say you know it doesn't mean anything, yet you still worry about it.

You give it more power than even seeing a krausen....That's NOT understanding it means nothing.

 

[DoubleAught]

Well one reason for sure now is that you cracked the lid, so the airlock doesn't need to bubble since you voided out any EXCESS co2.

An airlock is a valve, nothing else, if it doesn't bubble, it doesn't need to....It's just not important whether it does, doesn't or it stops or starts. It's not a magic fermententaion gauge, it's just a way for any excess gas to escape and to keep the beer off the ceiling....

You say you know it doesn't mean anything, yet you still worry about it.

You give it more power than even seeing a krausen....That's NOT understanding it means nothing.

Revvy do you just copy and paste from previous airlock activity threads or do you type it new every time? lol I've only been here only a few months and you are very good about calming the nerves of new brewers.

 

[djfriesen]

I suspect he has an Excel spreadsheet with all his RDWHAHB-themed mantras just waiting to be copied and pasted in. What percent of those 30,880 posts are original material?