Brewferm Diabolo fermenting?

[hoptoit]

Hello all, new to the forum and home brewing.
I got a starter kit from lovebrewing at christmas and a beerworks Dragons special kentish bitter which I fermented in a large bin and hopped as per instructions. This has been transferred to a barrel on wednesday and seems to be doing well. Took a small sample this morning, its carbonating well and clearing, smells good and doesnt taste too bad at the moment. SG 1040 FG 1011.
Bought a Diabolo kit on friday and a smaller 15 ltr bin with air lock. The instructions are a bit confusing as to sugar content. Had read various posts saying 500g of sugar but the instructions state 41.6 g/ltr so that would be 375g for the 9 litres. I decided to use golden syrup, so added 20% to allow for the water. T&l is a 454g tin so put it all in. Is this enough sugar? Have Brewferm changed their instructions as previous post say 500g?
Problem is the airlock is not bubbling on the new bin. Its sat in a water bath with aquarium heater and digi thermometer reading 20.5 - 21 oc. Seems to be putting a bit of pressure on the airlock but not bubbling like the other bin did with the beerworks. SG was 1072
Had a quick look in this morning and there is a foam on top and also orange traces over the foam. Would you say its just a poor seal on the bin lid causing it not to bubble? Will it cause any harm, and is there any point in trying to reseal it?
Thanks for any help

 

[Sandimas]

It's fine, you can see foam so it's fermenting. I have an FV like that - sometime the airlock bubbles and sometimes not. Hard to get a good seal sometimes.

I normally use a whole tin of T&L with that one, sounds like you have a decent SG, similar to when I did it.

 

[Budgie]

I have an FV that doesn't bubble too. It has a little rubber grommet that the airlock goes straight into bit it's not such a tight fit. I've still made some great beer in it though (if I do say so myself!)
Cheers

 

[hoptoit]

Thanks for the replies. Was just worrying after the beerworks kit bubbled like mad for a fair few days.
Cant understand the sugar though, do you think they have changed the yeast thats why its less sugar than stated on older posts?
Also they used to say ferment at 25oC.
Problem is keeping my hands off when its bottled for a few months.:nono:

 

[Sandimas]

I wish I'd kept more detailed notes from my previous Brewferm kits but you're right, I did note that I'd used 500g of fermentables in one a few years ago but now they suggest less. Really can't remember if I used a 454 or 907g of treacle, but as you've got a SG in the 1070s then it sounds good.

You need to leave these alone a long time. The only Brewferm kit I'v found that matures quicker is Oud Vlaams Bruin, but that's only 6%. I've got an Abdij maturing at the moment and even after 3 months it's nowhere near ready.

 

[hoptoit]

OK, brief update. Been 11 days since the initial worry about no activity.
Instructions say to put in a second vessel around day 10, after fermentation has slowed. Still not seen any activty. I haven't wanted to disturb it as there is no tap on this first smaller fv I bought. Just took delivery of a 10ltr with tap and air lock. So have transferred to this now.
Hydrometer reading at 20 oc is 1020. So still not quite there, will it still ferment out to 1010 thats required, or there abouts?
I was amazed at how clear it was already, and the sample tasted good too :grin:

Just hope I havent put it into secondary too early. Was planning on leaving it one more week in water bath around 20 oc.