36hrs and still no activity

[Heisenberg]

Hi there, i brewed a batch of coopers wheat beer on Tuesday around 3pm so 36ish hours ago, the temperature is 22'c steady but the airlock still hasn't had any activity, this is my second brew and I followed the instructions to the t, all my equipment was cleaned and sterilised so just wandered if I'm being impatient as my mates brew went for it after about 24 hours (never had an airlock on my first beer batch which was an ipa)

Cheers for any help/recommendations,

:hat:

 

[PD]

Is there any sign of activity in the beer ?
Any bubbles/froth ?

Fermenter lids and airlocks are prone to not sealing 100% so gas can be produced and escape and not go through the airlock.

 

[Heisenberg]

Yeah I have a nice froth on top, also it smells quite nice, I take it this means all is o.k? Someone told me to put a film of Vaseline around the rim to make a good seal on the keg would this be ok to do on the bucket too or not necessary?

Thanks for your speedy reply pd.

:hat:

 

[TheMumbler]

I wouldn't panic just yet :)

As PD says there are a number of reasons why an airlock may not be bubbling. After 36 hours the yeast might not be have produced enough CO2 to force anything up through the airlock. To be honest I wouldn't be overly concerned even if I couldn't see much in the way of visible activity at that stage. Kits quite often have a small amount of yeast for the job and the state of the yeast in that packet will depend on its age and how it was stored.

If it still looks completely dead tomorrow you might take a gravity reading and think about chucking another packet of yeast in depending on what you find.

 

[TheMumbler]

Yeah I have a nice froth on top, also it smells quite nice

I think you are fine, that sounds perfectly healthy. I've fermented loads of times with a lid cracked open and a towel over the top without any infection. You don't need to be air-tight with an airlock, although watching the bubbler go is fun.

 

[Heisenberg]

Thanks for the advice, :thumb:

Don't want it to spoil as it is my brothers stag do drink (not that he knows it yet). :party:

 

[Robbo]

I have 4 different fermenting tubs and none of them are air tight and my wines and ciders have been fine.

 

[ibrewthereforeiam]

The vasoline seems strange...but glad it took off. At the same time, pitching "cold" yeast will take a few days to really take off.

 

[Duxuk]

Pitching dried yeast into cold water can reduce cell viability by as much as 60%. This situation is made worse by the shock that the yeast gets from the sugars in the wort. The best thing to do is to add your yeast to a small amount of water at body temperature (37C). Wait 20 minutes then add the slurry to the wort. Make sure your jug or whatever is sterile.
You also need oxygen in the wort, so give it a damned good whisk when you get it into the FV.
I read all this in a very geeeky scientific paper but can't find the link. Seems to work, though :clap:

 

[Heisenberg]

Cheers for the replies, still no airlock activity but foam on top so not worrying too much anymore, the Vaseline thing was recommended to me for the keg to ensure a good seal and also it lubes the thread so not as hard to unscrew once finished, I just wandered if the lid of my fv would benefit from a good seal too but as mentioned it makes no difference.

Can I ask though; does it make a difference if I leave the brew in he fv any longer i.e after fermentation has stopped? Or does it need bottling ASAP?

Thanks again, M

 

[NickW]

You can leave it up to 5 weeks really. There's no risk in doing that. A lot of guys on here leave in primary for around 4 weeks and then bottle. :thumb:

 

[jonnymorris]

You need to leave it in the FV longer than the instructions say. There is still a lot going on once the initial fermentation has stopped and the krauesen has died down. Give it two weeks in the FV at least before bottling.

 

[Heisenberg]

Pitching dried yeast into cold water can reduce cell viability by as much as 60%. This situation is made worse by the shock that the yeast gets from the sugars in the wort. The best thing to do is to add your yeast to a small amount of water at body temperature (37C). Wait 20 minutes then add the slurry to the wort. Make sure your jug or whatever is sterile.
You also need oxygen in the wort, so give it a damned good whisk when you get it into the FV.
I read all this in a very geeeky scientific paper but can't find the link. Seems to work, though :clap:

I have rechecked this morning and there seems to be nothing happening at all, no 'foam' on top or fizzing, this didn't happen with my first batch.

should I get some more yeast and try adding it to water to get it active and add to the brew?

If not I do have some yeast nutrient would that aid it along or am I worrying over nothing? I am just a little concerned as I cant even see any 'fizzing' going on either, starting to think the bubbles on top previously were just the remainder of the wort, (I think that is what the wort is anyway),

Thanks again for any replies.

:hat: M

 

[iceo]

did you take a reading with your hydro at the start? if so take and out reading to see if it changed before adding any thing else to it

 

[GavH]

I've just put on my first Wherry yesterday and thus far there is absolutely no sign of activity in the FV at all (have the Coopers one so can see through it). So surprised was I that I took a gravity reading and it remained unchanged from yesterday at 1043. Gave it a stir and there was a fair bit of sediment in the bottom so I'm slightly confused, especially as the last Woodfordes kit I did - Admirals Reserve - fermented out in about 36 hrs thanks to me not paying attention to the starting temperature (34c as opposed to the 27 I had yesterday)! Every kit I've done so far has had a good Krausen overnight. Anyone experienced slow starts or at what point do I pitch new yeast?

 

[Heisenberg]

Right then I have just taken a gravity reading and it is currently at 1028 it started at 1052 so something is happening I think, just no airlock activity or foaming on top, glad it is working

I bought some more yeast just incase it wasn't fermenting, just need to leave it a bit longer now I believe.

:hat:

 

[iceo]

glad it going, leave it 7-10 days and you should be good

 

[bobsbeer]

I've just put on my first Wherry yesterday and thus far there is absolutely no sign of activity in the FV at all

Wherry's can be slow to start so don't worry, it will be fine. :thumb:

 

[ibrewthereforeiam]

That's odd man that you see no activity and yet your readings show progress. I'm baffled because your airlock should be bubbling away...and yet, nothing. I've been brewing for 13 years and haven't ever seen that. The only thing I can think of is that it is old yeast and most of the yeast is dead and if that is the case, it might take a couple weeks to ferment all the way out.

 

[kochosensei]

The science must be respected!