Very fast fermentation or stuck?

[PintofPride]

Hello,

I started a brew on Monday and pitched the yeast in the evening. then there was extremely active fermentation for until late last night, to the point where the krausen was really uncontainable, after which it started to settle. this morning though, there is no bubbling in the airlock and I think the seal around the bung is relatively good. there is still a fair amount of krausen and, because i'm using a glass FV, I can see a certain amount of activity actually in the liquid... but no bubbling from the airlock. the temperature in the room is 19C, so it's not that i don't think.

Does anyone have any idea if it's possible for primary fermentation slow down so much in less than 48 hours? If not then does anyone know what I might be doing wrong, or what might be going on?

Cheers

PoP

 

[pjbiker]

Difficult to know without a gravity reading. Leave it another couple of days then bottle/keg, unless you have a hydrometer to check the fermentation progress. If you pitch alot of yeast to start with, it is possible it has already nearly fermented out.

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Fermentation can happen that fast. As pjbiker says the only way to check is with a hydrometer though.

There is probably still a fair bit of fermentation to go though, just the lively looking bit is finished.

I would leave it for a few more days yet, it won't harm it being in the fermenter for a bit longer.

 

[PintofPride]

Difficult to know without a gravity reading. Leave it another couple of days then bottle/keg, unless you have a hydrometer to check the fermentation progress. If you pitch alot of yeast to start with, it is possible it has already nearly fermented out.

Thanks for your reply. I do have a hydrometer but I don't want to risk infection, because I don't have a pipette/turkey baster. Also I was planning on racking into a new FV for secondary ferm. for at least a couple of weeks, so maybe I should just wait and test the gravity then. I take it there's not really much I could do if it was stuck anyway.

I pitched 100 billion yeast cells of Wyeast london ale III (is that a lot of yeast compared to the average?), which had also had a good 6-8 hours incubating in its packet. they come in a packet with a nutrient bag inside which you burst and leave for a recommended 3 hours. so the yeast was definitely ready to go when pitched and there was certainly enough of it.

 

[pjbiker]

Glass FV you say? Like a 'carboy' the americans use? Much easier when you have something with a tap on the bottom. I'd say transfer to your secondary as you intended and take a gravity sample at the same time. Your infection risk is highest before the main fermentation anyway.

 

[PintofPride]

glass fv indeed but not like the americans. It's actually a belgian one because I live in the netherlands right on the border. it looks like this

I wonder if the shape could contribute to the rapidity of fermentation (assuming it is rapid rather than inhibited).

Although, I see the advantage of having a tap at the bottom there are a number of downsides to plastic fv's that outweigh the perks, in my opinion.