Very Odd Fermentation, No Bubbling

[blitzballer2201]

Good Day!

I have been brewing for about 10 years, and I have never had an issue such as this.

I finished a brew day like normal, pitched my yeast starter, and waited. Typically - my fermentation starts within hours but this time it appeared to not do anything. I checked the next day... Still no activity. The next day... still no activity. So on and so on. Now we are one week in and I figure there is either one of three things are happening.

1. Bad yeast
2. There is a leak in the fermentation bucket causing the air to not go through the airlock.
3. Temperature is too cold - I can rule this out quickly, live in a warmer climate and its up stairs.

I first ruled the bad yeast. First thing I looked for was activity in the fermenter, krausen was present. Next I took a gravity reading one week into fermentation. My OG was 1.045 and my reading came at 1.025. Its higher than I was expected for a reading, but this tells me that fermentation is going on... So where is the Co2?

Next I checked for a leak in the bucket. I plugged up the hole for the air lock and applied pressure to the top of the lid, HOPING to hear some air leak out of the side or maybe a bad seal... No leak.

So now im super confused. There appears to be fermentation, but no Co2 which seems impossible since thats the byproduct. Any ideas?

 

[VikeMan]

So now im super confused. There appears to be fermentation, but no Co2 which seems impossible since thats the byproduct. Any ideas?

It doesn't just seem impossible. It is impossible. The CO2 is escaping from somewhere. It doesn't take much of a leak to reduce/bypass airlock activity. And pushing the lid down and listening for air may not necessarily reveal it.

 

[Immocles]

I’m unsure I’ve ever had my bucket fermenter show bubbles.

 

[ncbrewer]

I had just about the same thing on my last batch. A few bubbles - up to 4 per minute max (way less than normal). But I could tell there was kraeusen by looking thru the side of the bucket, so I just let it go. I bottled it last week and found 78% attenuation - no problem. I'm sure yours is the same.