wont bubble

[TheMortReport]

Im on only my 4th batch, and while this might or might not be stupid, Im learning by doing partial mashes, sometimes combining recipes I see. Ive only been successful so far 1 of 3, and Ive known what Ive done wrong with the other two. This time around Im not sure why it wont ferment. Im trying a Kolsch, and it looks like this:

mash
2 LB white wheat malt
2 LB pilsner malt
1 LB munich malt

boil
3 LB light DME
1 oz mt hood hops
1 oz tettnang hops

wyeast 2565 Kolsch

mash/boil went fine, wyeast expanded to the point were it couldnt expand anymore. now almost 48 hours into it I saw some condensation in the airlock after 12 hours, now that is barely there, no bubble.

anyone have any suggestions? thanks -Brad

 

[Revvy]

Bubbles mean absolutely nothing.

Besides, it's too soon to even begin to worry....after 72 hours is when you take a gravity reading and see what's going on. It's quite common for yeast to take 2-3 days to get going, it's called lag time.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/fermentation-can-take-24-72-hrs-show-visible-signs-43635/, and by visible signs we don't necessarily mean a bubbling airlock. it means gravity reading

It IS a sticky at the top of the beginners forum for a reason, afterall.


Airlock activity is irrevelent. Just gravity points on a hydrometer.
Airlock bubbling (or lack) and fermentation are not the same thing. You have to separate that from your mindset. Airlock bubbling can be a sign of fermentation, but not a good one, because the airlock will often blip or not blip for various other reasons...so it is a tenuous connection at best.

If your airlock was bubbling and stopped---It doesn't mean fermentation has stopped.

If you airlock isn't bubbling, it doesn't mean your fermentation hasn't started....

If your airlock starts bubbling, it really doesn't matter.

If your airlock NEVER bubbles, it doesn't mean anything is wrong or right.

Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2. If it bubbles it is because it needs to, if it doesn't, it just means it doesn't need too...


Your HYDROMETER is the only BEST indicator of fermentation activity. Nothing else is accurate or consistent...

Unless you take a gravity reading you don't know what's really going on, not by airlock bubbling or by krausen formation. Neither of those signs are effective, they don't tell you exactly where on the fermentation process you are.

The amount of krausen can vary for whatever reason, it can come quick and depart quickly or it can linger long after fermentation is complete, and it all be normal.

And airlocks sometimes bubble or they don't. And airlock is a valve, a vent to release excess co2...NOT a fermentation gauge. It's important to make that distinction, or you'll be panicking everytime a an airlock doesn't bubble, or stops bubbling.

Fermentation is not always "dynamic," just because you don't SEE anything happening, doesn't mean that any-thing's wrong,, and also doesn't mean that the yeast are still not working diligently away, doing what they've been doing for over 4,000 years.

That's why you need to take a gravity reading to know how your fermentation is going, NOT go by airlocks, or size of krausen, or a calendar, the horoscope or the phases of the moon (those things in my mind are equally accurate).

The most important tool you can use is a hydrometer. It's the only way you will truly know when your beer is ready...airlock bubbles and other things are faulty.

The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....

Fast fermentations/slow fermentations/big krausens/small krausens/bubbles starting and stopping, in the long run is really irrevelent....just that you have fermentation. Yeast don't normal normally die/stop fermenting/get tired, that's a premise new brewers believe, but it's not the truth. Yeast have been doing this for 4,000 years, and know how to ferment the beer, they WANT to ferment the beer, it's their entire purpose in life is to eat sugar, peer alcohol and fart co2 (along with some major screwing during the reproductive phase) especially modern 21st century yeast.

All those other things are really just superficial to the purpose at hand, if your yeast took off, unless you let the temp go down near 50, your yeast is still working happily away, despite what the supreficial signs like airlock may indicate.

Take a gravity reading after 72 hours, and see what the beer's doing.

More than likely the only thing that is wrong with the yeast, is that the brewer using it is impatient.

 

[jonmohno]

Do you have a bucket to ferment in?Just wondering if you did any protein rests in the mash-nothing to do with your question but i have been doing mashes more and seems like wheat unmalted flaked grains maybe pilsen? that need this.
I would fret more about no krausen,did you check what it looked like inside?I would leave it maybe press on top to see if it bubbled could be a leak in the seal.
Maybe just needs a few more days-

 

[TheMortReport]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. I know I should have started on the extract kits, but at the same time Id rather learn this way, aka through constant failure haha. Plus Id rather screw up 5 times to get a beer I can call my own, not what the box says.

I have a hydrometer, but I dunno if its just me, but we dont get along at all, and like my EX refuses to clearly show me what the hell is going on... or just being a guy I cant read her for the life of me

 

[eastoak]

if you want to be an all grain brewer then all grain is the place to start if you ask me. stick with it and you'll learn as you go.

 

[JLW]

What is the temp of the beer? If it's cold it may take awhile for the yeast to get going. Did you make a starter?

 

[Pappers_]

I have a hydrometer, but I dunno if its just me, but we dont get along at all, and like my EX refuses to clearly show me what the hell is going on... or just being a guy I cant read her for the life of me

Mort, you must use your hydrometer. You can't do what you're trying to do (learn how your yeast and the fermentation work) without it - its your only real tool. You read it like a thermometer. Here are two pictures that might help you:

This one shows a reading of approximately 1.020

This one shows a reading of approximately 1.010

A typical beer might have a starting or original gravity of 1.048 and an ending gravity of 1.012, for example. Does this help? Do you need more explanation?

 

[brewit2it]

Are you fermenting in a bucket or carboy? Do you see yeast activity/Krausen on the surface?

 

[Whut]

Bubbles mean absolutely nothing.

OP, you've been Revvy'd. No disrepect meant though, I've learned a ton from him! Brew on.

 

[KevinW]

OP, you've been Revvy'd. No disrepect meant though, I've learned a ton from him! Brew on.

Yes Revvy was as succint as always:cross:

Mort do have a thermometer, well at least a half-way decent thermometer?

Temperature of wort at pitch can affect the lag time as well as the temperature of the wort when you check gravity!

Just wondering!

 

[TheMortReport]

Haha I will totally accept being Revvy'd, Id much rather learn from experienced brewers... Only so much you can take out of books, I tried to talk to "How to Brew," but it just ignored me ! And if it takes me making myself look ridiculously new at, so be it... I can take it, bring it on!!

As to the hydrometer, I now understand why it would never work for me... I didnt completely realize it had to float, I guess I miss-read the instructions. I wasnt taking enough out to make it float... silly me

I really appreciate everyone's help, now Im going to have to do some research on hydrometer readings... Anyone got a good link?

 

[Pappers_]

I really appreciate everyone's help, now Im going to have to do some research on hydrometer readings... Anyone got a good link?

I don't know of any links about hydrometer readings. Its not very complicated, here's a few very basic points:

The hydrometer is reading the liquid's gravity - which is sort of like density. Water's gravity is 1.000.

Wort has sugars in the water, so wort is more dense than water and the gravity reading is higher.

When you ferment the wort, the yeast eats the sugars and lowers the gravity reading.

When fermentation is complete, the gravity reading will stabilize, not change. So, you can avoid bottling too early and having bottle bombs by using your hydrometer to assure that fermentation is over.

The difference between your starting or original gravity and your final gravity will tell you the alcohol by volume of your beer, because it will tell you how much sugar the yeast ate. The more sugar the yeast eats, the more alcohol it produces. I use Beersmith to figure this out, some people do the calculations by hand.

Recipes will tell you the expected original gravity and final gravity. For example, I brew two beers, a sweet stout and a pale ale, both of which have a original gravity of 1.050. The sweet stout has a target final gravity of 1.020 while the pale ale has a target final gravity of 1.005. The stout has an abv of about 3.6% and a full mouthfeel. The pale ale has an abv of around 6% and has a drier, crisp mouthfeel.

Hope this helps you get started with your hydrometer.

 

[JLW]

One other thought on your samples. As you take samples at various stages in the process I would recommend you drink or at least taste the sample.

I take a sample pre boil & post boil then when ferementation slows I take another sample to determine if beer is at terminal gravity. If I secondary a beer I will take it again at bottling time.

 

[Revvy]

It's really not hard, here's a video from one of our members.

 

[chaydaw]

Reallly?!?!

 

[Aschecte]

three things to consider is your temp adequate for the yeast ? the manufactuer usually posts this info on their site. second are you sure your lid ( if using bucket ) or bung is secure? air could escape from improperly sealed vessels. and thee RDWHAHB you haven't waited long enough is the most likely answer I wouldn't panic unti 72 hours it's probably just lagging. good luck !!

 

[MaltMonster]

1. What was the temperature of the wort when you pitched the yeast?
2. Did you aerate the wort before pitching the yeast?
3. Like others have asked, what is the room temperature where the primary fermenter is stored?

If your using a bucket you can shine a flashlight through the lid to look for krausen development. It's always best to keep the lid closed until you have to open it so as not to allow any oxygen in, if possible. If you don't see any krausen you might want to pop the lid and take a gravity reading.