How many batches have you tossed?

[J A]

Wort was 78 and yeast was 74.

It'll take off like a bat out of hell at that temp. When you get the lid off for a sample, you'll find the sides all gunked up from krausen and the gravity at projected FG. Buckets just don't seal well enough to push out the airlock. I often use regular buckets with no airlock at all and can of beans on top to keep the lid on in case the krausen goes too big. Works great.

 

[Nosybear]

That's a big problem I have. I tend to get over paranoid.

Most of us do until we internalize the homebrewer's mantra: Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew.

 

[Gunny1775]

I d

Most of us do until we internalize the homebrewer's mantra: Relax, don't worry, have a homebrew.

I didn't have any homebrew. But I do now. My hef just finished Conditioning.

 

[Gunny1775]

I had the same problem the other. I started fermenting in a keg and wasn't getting any bubbles in the blow off but could smell beer when I opened my fermentation chamber. Put a little co2 on it and found a leak in the lid. Replaced the gasket and all is good.

I think I'm just going to buy another big mouth bubbler and stick to that in fermentation.

 

[Nosybear]

I d

I didn't have any homebrew. But I do now. My hef just finished Conditioning.

Enjoy that homebrew, Gunny, and do relax. Yeast have been serving humans for nearly 10,000 years - they know what they're doing. If you combine sugar, yeast, a few micronutrients and a bit of oxygen up front you will get beer. Airlocks are notoriously bad indicators of fermentation progress, mostly due to leaks in our fermentation vessels.

I have one of the Big Mouth Bubblers - mostly wife uses it for fermenting wine - and like it. It's seven gallons, enough headspace for most fermentations, it's clear so you can see what's going on, it fits in my fermentation chamber (a refrigerator with a temperature control on it) and, using my fancy stopper with the thermowell, I can monitor the temperature of the interior of the beer. A recommendation when you get one: Either get one that has a spigot or get a spigot, port the fermentor and put one in. Makes racking, draining, bottling, whatever you intend to do with the fermentor, much easier.

 

[jeffpn]

Buckets just don't seal well enough to push out the airlock.

I've never had a problem with my airlock not bubbling when I've used my bucket.

 

[J A]

I've never had a problem with my airlock not bubbling when I've used my bucket.

I've seen it work sometimes...I should have added "consistently" to my earlier comment. I don't have rubber/silicone seals in my bucket lids so it's hit or miss - usually little or no activity.
Ales are usually vigorous enough but lagers almost never bubble unless it's a pitch on an existing cake and temp is relatively high.

 

[Gunny1775]

Enjoy that homebrew, Gunny, and do relax. Yeast have been serving humans for nearly 10,000 years - they know what they're doing. If you combine sugar, yeast, a few micronutrients and a bit of oxygen up front you will get beer. Airlocks are notoriously bad indicators of fermentation progress, mostly due to leaks in our fermentation vessels.

I have one of the Big Mouth Bubblers - mostly wife uses it for fermenting wine - and like it. It's seven gallons, enough headspace for most fermentations, it's clear so you can see what's going on, it fits in my fermentation chamber (a refrigerator with a temperature control on it) and, using my fancy stopper with the thermowell, I can monitor the temperature of the interior of the beer. A recommendation when you get one: Either get one that has a spigot or get a spigot, port the fermentor and put one in. Makes racking, draining, bottling, whatever you intend to do with the fermentor, much easier.

I already have (1) big mouth bubbler with a tap. I'm going to buy another one, have decided if I want the tap on it or not. It would be easier to take a gravity reading than without a tap.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I ferment in 30lt imake bucket clip down lid only once it was leaking as in no airlick activity. My lid is pretty flexy so a gentle push down with airlock installed is a good way to check seal.

 

[Gunny1775]

So, just in case anyone was was wondering, I cracked the lid of my brew today. Found myself a krausen ring. Recipe calls for 1-2 week primary and 1-2 week secondary. I'll probably leave it for another week (2 week) primary and then rack to secondary. Thank you all for calming my paranoia.

 

[Mark D Pirate]

I took that mantra on board early , should note that too many brews while brewing isn't always a great idea I brewed rolling pirate drunk and made a fantastic beer but no idea how I did it

 

[GFHomebrew]

She looks done gunny me old mate let her sit if you need another day or two then chill her down and.bottle/keg er up.

 

[Gunny1775]

She looks done gunny me old mate let her sit if you need another day or two then chill her down and.bottle/keg er up.

Recipe calls for a 1-2 week primary and a 1-2 week secondary fermentation. Tomorrow ends my 1 week in primary but I’m thinking of going ahead and racking to secondary

 

[Nosybear]

Recipe calls for a 1-2 week primary and a 1-2 week secondary fermentation. Tomorrow ends my 1 week in primary but I’m thinking of going ahead and racking to secondary

Key to those times is they make a bunch of assumptions that may or may not be true in your conditions. Also, leaving it longer generally won't hurt the beer and might help it. If the beer's done fermenting, it's done with primary. When it has clarified, dropped bright in brewing terms, it's done with secondary. The times are good for a given batch under given circumstances. Yours may be different.

 

[Gunny1775]

I took that mantra on board early , should note that too many brews while brewing isn't always a great idea I brewed rolling pirate drunk and made a fantastic beer but no idea how I did it

I've never tried drunk brewing lol

 

[Mark D Pirate]

I've never tried drunk brewing lol

Get your process and routines down pat before you try it , then its still a risk you'll forget a vital step or make your best ever batch .

I often change my mind midway through a brewday as far as hops go , but you still have to learn the rules before you break them

 

[GFHomebrew]

I have enough problems brewing sober l usually hit the kegerator once the boil is underway at that point I think she's outta your hands physically. Just a matter of IBUs and sanitation oh and oxidation which rolling drunk could be I paired unless left till next morn.

 

[Mark D Pirate]

I woke up to find a mess in the kitchen and the laundry , empty beer bottles everywhere and a batch in the fridge ...Turned out great but no idea how i did it as was drunk when i started the mash and by the looks i was thirsty the whole way through

 

[J A]

l usually hit the kegerator once the boil is underway at that point I think she's outta your hands physically.

That's my usual routine. Can get a little problematic with a long boil on a hot day...if I end up a wee bit potted by the time I get around to throwing in the last of the hops, connecting pump and cooling hoses and running wort through the plate chiller it gets to be somewhat a clusterf**k.

 

[dankbrewing@gmail.com]

That is just one of the issues with fermenting in the bucket. I used to use one that I never saw any bubbles, it was leaking around the lid. It is very likely that your beer is fine and the yeast are happy. Patience and a hydrometer will answer the question.