Am I screwed?
I let it cool to 65 overnight in my fermentation cooler.
Pitched a packet of Coopers ale yeast on Monday morning.
I'm brewing in a bucket for the first time and had a hard time getting the lid on tight but I THINK it was on ok.
However, I haven't gotten any bubbles in the air lock.
Could it be that the yeast didn't work? Can the seal not be right and the co2 if going out the edge?
What do I do now?
Thank you!
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Kevin Masaryk on -
Take a hydrometer reading first and see if you're gravity has dropped. My guess is that the lid isn't sealing completely, I've had that problem with buckets many times when doing mead. If the gravity has not changed and/or is still high, you'll want to pitch another vial/pack of fresh yeast as soon as possible. Try that and let us know how it goes!
-
Permalink Reply by Andrew Bauman on -
Thanks Kevin!
(half the fermentables were honey, BTW. Because I just had some and only had 3 lb of DME...)
I'll check the gravity when I get home.
-
Permalink Reply by Jay Baack on -
+1, take a reading and reseal the bucket.
Kevin Masaryk said:
Take a hydrometer reading first and see if you're gravity has dropped. My guess is that the lid isn't sealing completely, I've had that problem with buckets many times when doing mead. If the gravity has not changed and/or is still high, you'll want to pitch another vial/pack of fresh yeast as soon as possible. Try that and let us know how it goes!
-
Permalink Reply by Keevin Simpson on -
Coopers yeast is a fast starter and fermenter, so something is wrong. I agree with Ken and Jay of course, but I have never brewed with that much honey and know that most people recommend adding a yeast nutrient when working with larger amounts of honey... Good luck and keep us posted!
-
Permalink Reply by Andrew Bauman on
-
Keevin,
It may be fermenting and the co2 is venting through the lid "leak" rather than the airlock, I HOPE...
As far as the honey, it's still only 1.061 OG, so it shouldn't be over the capacity of the Cooper's. (did I even get that right at all?)
(on a somewhat related note, Coopers is the only yeast I have ever used. Cheap ass beeyotch...)
-
Permalink Reply by Keevin Simpson on
-
I understand, but what I was saying is that due to the large quantity of honey and the fact that honey does not contain any of the amino acids that yeast need for nutrition, it may have stuck the start of fermentation... Just another point, but I agree with everyone else that it is more probable that you are leaking co2 and will know more after you take a hydrometer reading. Honestly, I think Coopers is a great yeast and keep a pack of it sitting around for any stuck and difficult fermentations that I encounter. (I'm mainly a dry yeast guy too just because it is easy and I have always gotten great results, except my main dry yeast is US-05).
-
Permalink Reply by Andrew Bauman on
-
OHHHH... I see. Dammit! Amino acids... oy vey.
-
Permalink Reply by Jeremy Jones on -
So you had 3lbs of DME and 3lbs of honey? That should provide more than enough yeast nutrient. The yeast don't need all the yeast nutrient to start their growth, they need it to continue to grow and remain healthy. I agree with Kevin, Hydrometer reading and see where it's at. You're probably leaking out the lid somewhere and it's less resistance than the airlock so the airlock isn't bubbling.
-
Permalink Reply by Andrew Bauman on
-
Why, oh why did I stray from the carboy? "Oh, I have this fermentation bucket and lid- why not give it a shot? Lots of people ferment in a bucket..." Dumb dumb dumb... And there is a carboy sitting on the top shelf looking at me, snickering.
"I'm gonna EAT YER BABY!" it's saying...
-
Permalink Reply by Ken Saxe on -
Hi Andrew,
Relax don't worry, have a homebrew! It's OK if the lid is not on tight. Yes the co2 could be coming out the edges instead of the airlock. Try swirling the bucket around and see if you get some activity. With older yeast it could take longer to start fermenting. It wont hurt to pitch another packet of yeast. Your beer will still be ok for several days if it's not fermenting as long as it is cool and sanitary. Work quickly with a purpose, crack the lid, pitch the yeast and close the lid back up as quickly as possible.
As far as letting the wort cool overnight...not the best thing. You want to get the wort cooled as quickly as possible, like an hour tops or you could get some off tasting beer.
-
Permalink Reply by Andrew Bauman on
-
Ken,
I did use an immersion chiller and got it down to like 80, but I didn't want to pitch till it was under 70 and both time and (lack of) ice did not allow. It should be fine, I think. HOWEVER with that in mind, I'm totally using the pond pump in an ice bath through that immersion chiller next time :)
Thank you!
-
Permalink Reply by Andrew Bauman on
-
From Ken: (I think he meant to put it here, but posted it on my profile wall instead...)
Out of Ice...Doh! I've made many trips to the grocery store at midnight for a $2.00 bag of ice in order to get the wort down to 70 degrees. 75 would be ok to pitch but I would not recomend 80.
------
Would the 8 hours from 80 to 70 (I say 8 hours because that's when I woke up and got to the garage...) negatively affect the beer? I would imagine that it would reduce in temp enough in 5 hours, but... I need my beauty sleep!
(and the wife was in no mood for me to go to the store and buy ice, IIIIFFFFF ya know what I mean...)
© 2012 Created by ASH Editor.
