I finally got around to making some brew last night. Everything went great except for the most important part. I can't, or it doesn't seem to be fermenting. I re-hydrated the yeast, which was Nottingham's, at 86 F water while I was chilling the wort. There was a bunch of activity so I knew the yeast was good to go. But, I over chilled the wort and all my make up water was refrigerated because I had assumed that chilling the wort would take forever. Anyway, so I then used a gallon of distilled nursery water and some tap water to make it to the 5 gallon mark. I pitched the yeast and shook it all up. At first, it was fermenting, according to the bubbler. Then, about 6 hours later, it hasn't done squat. I cleaned my thermometer and popped off the lid to check the temp, thought and it "felt" like it was cold, but it wasn't. Temperature was in the high 60's. There was some krauzen on top, just a little, but nothing super foamy looking. I did stir the thermometer around in the wort some and then when I closed the lid, it started fermenting according to the bubbler, then it just quit again. What's the deal? Did I not aerate it enough or am I being too paranoid, 8 hours may not be enough to crank up the yeast? If the water was too cold, did I kill off the yeast? What are my options...
First batch of beer....not fermenting..HELP
- Thread starter Schmoe
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Stop being paranoid.
If it's not going in 24-36 hours, then maybe worry. You must realize yeast has a lag phase. It's just got a whole bunch of fermentables....
If it's not going in 24-36 hours, then maybe worry. You must realize yeast has a lag phase. It's just got a whole bunch of fermentables....
don't worry, you won't see it for another day.
Boy, first time homebrewing jitters. Thanks, as usual, you guys were right. It started bubbling around 1830 last night. Dang near blew off the top of the bubbler. It just freaked me out because I wasn't 100% sure I had the temperatures correct. I did rehydrate the yeast, but I also didn't think I had rehydrated it long enough. By the time I got done cooling the wort, it was about 0230 and I was dogarshe tired.
next time try to get some liquid yeast. the fermentation game will kick off sooner.
Well, I'm still in need of answers. It did start bubbling like crazy at 14 plus hours. It did that for no more than about 11 hours, and then, which is now....nothing. I thought, from what I've read, that it should continue to bubble aggressively like that for up to 3 days. Temperature is around 70. Is this normal???
Sometimes. Just relax. Have a homebrew. It probably fermented out faster that you assumed.
No. It's still fermenting! Just not making as much CO2. 70°F will make a fairly fast ferment, but should still be fine.
How often does the air lock bubble?
Dang this is making me thirsty!
How often does the air lock bubble?
Dang this is making me thirsty!
Thanks for the really quick reply. It ain't, put it this way, I watched it for at least a couple of minutes and the water column didn't even move. I think I've screwed the pooch on this, for some reason. Maybe I need to move the fermenter upstairs, it's a little warmer than in the pantry where it's at. This is ale yeast, and don't they perfer a little warmer as to a little colder? If too cold is the case, it will still ferment, right? Or will the yeast die off and I'm left with partially fermented sugar water.
Ale yeast should do fine at 68°F. I would let it sit for a week or so, then rack it. The yeast are still alive in there, trust me. They are one of the best things about homebrew!
And some you think a defrocked woman is tempting.......
Don't bother with a secondary fermentation. I never have; just be careful when siphoning into your bottling bucket. Then, let sit for at least 10 days in bottles, and pour into a glass when drinking. You'll avoid all the sediment.
Unless you're trying crazy decoction mashes and filtering for competition, the extra fermentations are (IN MY OPINION) extra work not needed.
I had a porter once not ferment for 5 days, and then took off for 3 weeks. Every beer is different.
I agree with liquid yeast....it's cleaner tasting and works faster. You also don't need to "start" it like dry yeast (although I never did).
Unless you're trying crazy decoction mashes and filtering for competition, the extra fermentations are (IN MY OPINION) extra work not needed.
I had a porter once not ferment for 5 days, and then took off for 3 weeks. Every beer is different.
I agree with liquid yeast....it's cleaner tasting and works faster. You also don't need to "start" it like dry yeast (although I never did).
Yeah, I agree with everybody else. Don't worry. The first brew is a bit nerve racking. But, Schmoe my friend, we all recommended fresh yeast, no dry...., one of many reasons is that dry is unpredictable. Now, just leave it in your primary (and only, in my opinion) fermenter for at least 10 days. Then, and only then, rack it out into your bottling bucket. Unless you are being very, very technical, stop worrying and wasting lots of your energy on secondary fermentation. No body else does! Well, my friend Paul does!!! (sorry Paul, very small cheap shot). Have fun, and don’t be your harshest critic. Let us know how it tastes. Actually, this whole thread has made me open a Full Sail Pale Ale. Thanks!
I heard ya'll, but I got a Brewers Best American Amber extract kit and it came with Nottingham's dry yeast, so I went with it. I hope that once I "get it" I'll look back at this forum and laugh my arshe off and say "what an idiot I was." One thing I am curious about, a lot of you are saying, don't secondary ferment. But, the brew shop boys swear by it. Is it strictly for clearing up the brew? After some reading, I've found that the advantage of secondary fermentation is that you get rid of the trub stuff that can lead to off flavors that the still active yeast will eat off of. If you take that away, the beer will taste better.
Schmoe - I think for an ale the difference of using a secondary fermenter or not is academic at best. Only maybe with a light ale will it be perceptable. One thing in favor of no secondary is every time you move the beer it's exposed to more contaminants, oxidation and bad microbes. These are more your enemies than a week on the trub!!
I can't wait until you start asking about sparging your wort. (or collecting your wort for boil)
Lean back and suck down a long one.
I can't wait until you start asking about sparging your wort. (or collecting your wort for boil)
Good point Paul. For light lagers or poorly flocculating yeast, secondary fermenters are useful, especially if you don't have a good way of separating the hot break from the wort.
I generally use whole hops and pump my wort out of my brew kettle from a valve at the bottom fitted with a stainless steel screen. The whole hops really help set up a filter bed on the screen. With this setup, I get very little trub in my fermenter and thus have never seen the benefit of secondary fermentation for any beer with my system. I also ferment in 10 gallon s.s. ball lock kegs and transfer all beer with CO2. It’s pretty cool because after fermentation, my beer never “sees” oxygen, which, of course, gives it a very stable shelf life.
I generally use whole hops and pump my wort out of my brew kettle from a valve at the bottom fitted with a stainless steel screen. The whole hops really help set up a filter bed on the screen. With this setup, I get very little trub in my fermenter and thus have never seen the benefit of secondary fermentation for any beer with my system. I also ferment in 10 gallon s.s. ball lock kegs and transfer all beer with CO2. It’s pretty cool because after fermentation, my beer never “sees” oxygen, which, of course, gives it a very stable shelf life.
Yeah, this is way overrated...but common in the literature.
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