Bucket is Airtight but No Bubbles after 6days!

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Harpo84

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I started a Woodford's Admiral's Reserve (3rd brew and my 1st premium kit) last Wednesday intending to ferment for 2-3 weeks as you guys have advised in the past rather than the 4-6 days stated in the instructions.

After 6 days @ 21°C the fairly vigorous bubbling has COMPLETELY stopped. I know my bucket is airtight from pressing gently on the lid. The vodka in my airlock moves and stays there until I let go of the lid. So no leaks anywhere!

Should I leave it for another week or two? Or is it worth taking a hydro reading this early? I don't want to risk cracking the lid for no reason when the layer of C02 won't be replaced if lost.

I know airlock activity isn't everything, but knowing that there's no C02 being generated at all, is this a sign of problems?

Thanks :)
 
Sounds like it's finished, but give it another week undisturbed to allow it to clear a bit before bottling / kegging. That's what I always do. It allows the yeast to clean up the products of fermentation and makes for a better, less headachey brew.
 
Yep sounds fine to me too. I second leaving it another week as well, it does make the difference.

If there is one thing I have noticed about the Wherry kits - they do need their time, especially in secondary/bottle/keg. But if left alone make a cracking pint!
 
Thanks guys :)

If it is stuck at a high-ish gravity, would I need to pitch more yeast at this point? Stir more air in?

Is no bubbling a sign that the gravity isn't going to fall any lower?
 
if its stuck at 1020 give it a very gentle stir to lift the yeast from the bottom back into suspension. id try and raise the temp a little too if possible. you certainly dont want to stir air in at this stage so just a gentle stir will be all you want.
no bubbling is no bubbling. could mean its stalled, co2 is escaping or its finished. no real need for an airlock to be honest. a hydrometer reading will tell you whats going on.
 
Thanks Mick,

I just took the hydro reading: 1017

3points above the 1014max recommended in the instructions.

Is it worth stirring and trying to raise the temperature? Or leave it be and hope to lose those 3pts over the next week?

Thanks!
 
Harpo84 said:
Thanks Mick,

I just took the hydro reading: 1017

3points above the 1014max recommended in the instructions.

Is it worth stirring and trying to raise the temperature? Or leave it be and hope to lose those 3pts over the next week?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I would definitely try to raise the temperature as a first course of action.
Just picking the FV up and moving it will stir it up a bit.

As a general principle, brewing at a lowish temp initially and raising the temp later gets a much better result than brewing too high initially and then lowering later.

My Wherries have always had plenty of yeast floating around in the process to worry overly about opening the lid off to stir the awkward bighter.
 
Thanks everyone,

After a second week at about 23°C there's still no airlock activity but gravity has gone down to 1012 so I bottled last night.

There was an overwhelming yeasty smell when I cracked the lid on my FV and a small number of brown flakes floating on the surface (hopefully just remnants of the hop additives?)

I was a little disappointed that the lovely hoppy smell had faded. Is this a downside of fermenting for extra time?

Now the waiting begins!
 

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