First all grain batch fiasco

[jimbohlia]

Hey everybody, I'm new to all grain brewing and my first batch was not a good start. First off I mistakenly put in 5.5 gallons for my sparge which I quickly found out was wayyy high. I dumped a gallon and boiled for an extra 30 min which got me to 5 gallons and 1.046 OG, not too far off from my target 1.053 considering I dumped a gallon.
I started fermenting and everything seemed to be going well with a good bubble coming from the fermenter but after just a day and a half the lock has stopped bubbling. I checked the temp and it is good so I tried stirring to re-suspend the yeast but still no activity. I'm considering dumping the batch but was just wondering if there is anything else I can do to maybe save it. ANY ADVICE APPRECIATED!

 

[Tinhorn]

I wouldn't dump
What temp were your fermenting at? Also airlock activity is not a sure fire indication of fermentation as others I am sure will chime in on
If I was you I would leave it for 2 weeks and then take a gravity reading and see where you are at

The fact is started bubbling seems like it started fermenting and you may just have a leaky seal ?

 

[RM-MN]

Don't dump it! The airlock is supposed to quit bubbling. Sometimes it might quit in one day, sometimes it might take a month. Here's an explanation of what is going on in your beer now. http://www.brewgeeks.com/the-life-cycle-of-yeast.html

 

[MEPNew2Brew]

Doesn't sound too bad for a first AG try. Mine was much worse, even after 5 brew in a bag batches.

Tinhorn is right - leave it sit for a few weeks. My first AG batch, I missed my starting gravity by 13 points, and that is after adding the 8 oz of DME I had laying around.

Just opened the beer last night. Not too bad. A bit too bitter on the finish. But, all in all, fairly decent.

It is hard to tell how a beer will turn out. So, just let it sit a few weeks, make sure your hydrometer is properly calibrated and take a measurement.

 

[thadass]

The airlock doesn't indicate yeast activity, it's just a pressure relief system. Let it sit for a while (two weeks maybe) and then take a gravity sample. That's the only way to know if it has fermented.

 

[cluckk]

A fair rule of thumb, unless you find a dead rat floating in it do not dump a batch without letting it finish and tasting it. The other guys are right. The bubbles are little more than brewer entertainment. They tell you little useful about your fermentation.

 

[jimbohlia]

Thanks everybody for the advice. I will definitely let it sit for a few weeks and then take another gravity reading. I took one today and it was 1.024 from the OG 1.046 so it definitely did ferment a bit. BTW I am fermenting at 70 degrees

 

[oakbarn]

Litfa!

 

[oakbarn]

A fair rule of thumb, unless you find a dead rat floating in it do not dump a batch without letting it finish and tasting it. The other guys are right. The bubbles are little more than brewer entertainment. They tell you little useful about your fermentation.

I would remove the rat.

 

[day_trippr]

If it's already floating, you could rack out from underneath it...

Cheers!