Back brewing after 15 years

[pedroboro]

Hi All
I’ve decided to take up brewing beer again after a 15 year rest.
I’ve started with a Woodfords Wherry and followed the instructions to the letter.
Potential problems that I’ve never encountered before 1 no bubbles from the airlock after 4 days temp is around 21C, I lifted the lid slightly to find a thick foam sitting on top.
Day 5 today and the foam has almost gone with a hydrometer reading on 1.020 I’ve changed the lid for a new one today in case the old lid was not sealing properly.
Should a take another reading in a few days time I know it’s very early in the process at day 5 but just seems odd I’ve had no visible CO2 released.

Thanks in advance

 

[Clarence]

Hi All
I’ve decided to take up brewing beer again after a 15 year rest.
I’ve started with a Woodfords Wherry and followed the instructions to the letter.
Potential problems that I’ve never encountered before 1 no bubbles from the airlock after 4 days temp is around 21C, I lifted the lid slightly to find a thick foam sitting on top.
Day 5 today and the foam has almost gone with a hydrometer reading on 1.020 I’ve changed the lid for a new one today in case the old lid was not sealing properly.
Should a take another reading in a few days time I know it’s very early in the process at day 5 but just seems odd I’ve had no visible CO2 released.

Thanks in advance

If it's foaming then it's fermenting regardless of what the airlock is doing. I shouldn't waste time ad beer taking another reading until the foam has subsided, the head has sunk and the beer is beginning to c.lear.
All sounds as if things are going as they should

 

[pedroboro]

I’ll leave it another 7 days as per instructions and take another reading, just a bit concerned there’s not much activity.
Previous brews had popped the plastic lid off after 2/3 days.

 

[klaus]

We do brew relatively small quantities so the visible activity doesn't last long but under the surface plenty going on.

We can't expect the amount of foaming you might get in a brewery with hundreds of litres on the go in one FV.

 

[MashBag]

Sounds perfectly OK to me. Leave it alone for a few days then taste.

 

[Wherrypuzzled]

I've done lots of Wherry kits over last few years and the activity after 4 or 5 days subsides often looking "stuck" and you may think nothing is happening

Learning from advice and comments on here I will always let the fermentation go on for 2 weeks at which stage you would need to sit watching for maybe hours for a tiny bubble which you could blink and miss

However I have 3 piece airlocks called Major something and I will after 9 or so days press the lid gently which drops the "float" in the airlock

I then go out for the day or go to bed and later I look at the float and if ferm is ongoing it will have been raised again. I do this until by day 14 the float had made no discernable progress upwards at which point I keg the beer

I will try to find a link for my airlocks but really you can equalise the ordinary airlocks and watch for the change in level later as well

 

[Wherrypuzzled]

Link as promised Super Major Airlock

 

[The Baron]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Link as promised Super Major Airlock

I also use a super major airlock see the size difference below -

The body of the Youngs Super airlock is 8 cm by 4 cm.

The Wilko airlock is 5 cm by 2.5 cm

 

[MashBag]

I use no airlocks any more. Not even on my 500 litre fermentation vessel.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I use no airlocks any more. Not even on my 500 litre fermentation vessel.

This often pops up when airlocks are mentioned, some people like to see bubbles in an airlock to confirm fermentation is taking place some dont as they know it is, i always use an airlock.

 

[MashBag]

I can't even see the fermenter let alone the airlock.

Ps OK ok, I won't mention it again

 

[pedroboro]

Thanks for the replies guys it’s much appreciated, I can tell by the responses you’re all very enthusiastic

 

[pedroboro]

Quick update just done a quick reading (I know I couldn’t wait) hydrometer reading has dropped again to 1.014 from 1.020 on Monday from an OG 1.042 so guess things are going in the right direction.

 

[pedroboro]

Had a little peek in the fermenting bucket this morning this is day 8 does it look normal to you experienced lot lol.
Tia

 

[The Baron]

Yes it looks fine and the bubbles say it is still fermenting

 

[pedroboro]

Yes it looks fine and the bubbles say it is still fermenting

Will all the crud on the top sink when it’s done fermenting?

 

[Rodcx500z]

Yes the crud will drop and if you have temp control cold crash it at 2c for 2 or 3 days

 

[pedroboro]

Yes the crud will drop and if you have temp control cold crash it at 2c for 2 or 3 days

Hi Rodcx500z
That’s a little above my skill set lol , don’t have any control over temp other than bucket wrapped up and around a constant 22C
We’re on day 8 now think I’ll leave it a few more days and look again.
It will be going into a pressure keg with 70g of granulated sugar, and back in the same spot for 2 weeks then into the utility where it’s around 10C on average:

 

[Rodcx500z]

That sounds perfect