Airlock not bubbling

[Markouli]

It’s been 4 days since I pitched my yeast in a batch of porter and the airlock hasn’t started to bubble, although ther is some bubble activity on the surface. I think it’s probably the temperature - it got down to 16C in the room where the FV lives. I’ve moved it to the room which is consistently warmest but so far still only up to 18C. Should I be patient, pitch more yeast, move to airing cupboard or….
Suggestions welcome please

 

[DavidDetroit]

What is the temperature range for your yeast?
If you have a tight seal on your fermenter, you should have seen activity and a krausen by now.
what temp did you pitch your yeast? OG?
If it's an all-grain batch, more info would be needed.

 

[Clint]

Wrap it up or move it.

 

[Markouli]

What is the temperature range for your yeast?
If you have a tight seal on your fermenter, you should have seen activity and a krausen by now.
what temp did you pitch your yeast? OG?
If it's an all-grain batch, more info would be needed.

Fermenter is tight as far as I can tell. It’s an all grain batch. Pitched at about 21C.
OG1052. Not about the temp profile - it’s Lallemand Windsor. Just looked at the back of the pack and noticed rehydration instructions, whereas I pitched it dry. Could that be the problem?

 

[Markouli]

Wrap it up or move it.

Have moved it to the airing cupboard (Mrs M not best pleased)

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Have moved it to the airing cupboard (Mrs M not best pleased)

When it blows out of the airlock she will be proper unpleased

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

The tiniest hole in the seal of the lid or next to the airlock will allow CO2 to escape - not through the airlock. I often seal the lids/airlock hole with vaseline

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

Have moved it to the airing cupboard (Mrs M not best pleased)

Is the fact that Mrs M is not best pleased anything to do with you moving the brew to the airing cupboard?

 

[Markouli]

What is the temperature range for your yeast?
If you have a tight seal on your fermenter, you should have seen activity and a krausen by now.
what temp did you pitch your yeast? OG?
If it's an all-grain batch, more info would be needed.

According to website, temp range is 15-22C

 

[DavidDetroit]

Could that be the problem?

No, not at that gravity. If all your temps were good while mashing, it should have been flying along. I've used Windsor and it can be slow so just be patient right now.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The tiniest hole in the seal of the lid or next to the airlock will allow CO2 to escape - not through the airlock. I often seal the lids/airlock hole with vaseline

Spot on OB there have been many hundreds of posts here over the years about non starting fermentation which turn out to be FV's with lids that are not airtight

 

[Mayor of Simpleton]

Are you able to take a sample and measure sg to confirm whether or not it's fermenting? I wouldn't rely on activity in the airlock as an indicator

 

[Markouli]

Are you able to take a sample and measure sg to confirm whether or not it's fermenting? I wouldn't rely on activity in the airlock as an indicator

So if the SG is going down, then it’s fermenting?
SG is about 1020. Smells and tastes like beer.

 

[Mayor of Simpleton]

Yes. assuming that your original gravity was way more than 1.020 then your beer is fermenting. Keep checking your sg is dropping. If it is, it's likely you don't have an airtight FV (which isn't necessarily something to be concerned about). A bubbling airlock isn't a primary measure of fermentation - dropping SG is. As long as you aren't picking up off-flavours I wouldn't worry.

 

[moto748]

Maybe now transfer to air-tight vessels, like demi-johns or similar, to finish fermentation under air-locks?

 

[Agentgonzo]

I had exactly this with my latest brew. I hadn't filled the airlock quite enough and there was about a quarter of a millimetre gap that allowed the co2 out. After 2 days, I cracked open the lid to check and could see a lovely thick krausen and got a huge whiff of CO2. It had been happily fermenting all along.

I suspect that something like this has happened with yours and it's fine. If you can see a krausen (thick yeasty layer on top of the beer) and/or smell co2 (ok you can't smell it as it has no smell, but you can feel it - like sticking your nose in a fizzy drink and getting a tingling feeling in your nose as the co2 dissolves in the mucus and forms carbonic acid in your nose!) then everything is peachy. The layer of CO2 will keep all the oxygen out and keep fermentation anaerobic.

 

[Markouli]

Thanks everyone for your help on this. I’ve learned a few useful things and I can stop fretting now.