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ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Started by MUL-BRU, July 29, 2015, 05:39:15 PM

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MUL-BRU

Hi all,
getting worried here due to the inactivity of me' BRU.
I went with Lord Eoins recipe...see below...everything went well with the mixing and now there nothing.
http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/wordpress/irelands-best-kit-brewers/

I sealed it up on Friday approx 23deg......there have been only a couple of bubbles over the last few days.
This is the first time that I have noticed a lack of activity...

I have read in other posts about adding some more Yeast!
How do I know that the yeast has stopped working its magic??

Bzfeale80

Have you got a good seal on your fermenting bucket? This could be a problem depending on the bucket you are using. In my own experience the seal on my youngs 25ltr bucket is very poor in comparison to another 33ltr bucket which I use that I got with my beer starter kit.

With the 33ltr bucket the seal is excellent and a day or 2 after starting a beer the lid is clearly bulging with the pressure from the fermentation in my experience.

On the other hand the 25ltr bucket even when a layer of cling film is between the lid and the bucket is still rather poor. I have added cling film to try and keep nasties out while attempting to clear a batch of mead at the moment.

MUL-BRU

Hi Bzfeale80,
yeah.....well at least I think so.  I pushed the lid down again and there was no extra "clicks".
Attached is the FV that I am using.
On Sunday there was a noticable Lid Bulge but no bubbles.
On Monday after some messing with the Airlock there were a few bubbles....but not a lot.
.......now nothing.
This is bugging me now as it has never happened before.


Bzfeale80

Depending on the yeast you are using and the ambient temperature of where you have your fv it may be slow to start fermenting (for example if your fv is outside in a shed) I can't see clearly what temperature is on the strip. If you look up your yeast type on google it should tell you what is the ideal temperature range for it to work its magic.

If you have access to a brew belt and a plug in timer it might be worth heating it for 15 mins of every hour and see how it is after 24 hrs or so.


MUL-BRU

It is in the Utility room in a well insulated box.  Just checked the temp there and it is 22 deg.
The yeast I am using is WB06... I do not have a BRU BELT although I did put a heat pack in the microwave and put it against the side of the FV.
I know that the heat is not going to radiate throughout the FV that way but I am willing to try anything now.....
OR am I just worrying for nothing......Is it such a nad thing that there are no bubbles??

LordEoin

wb06 is usually pretty active and you should have no problem at 22C.
Take a gravity reading and see if it's dropped since pitching.

Pheeel

From what i can see in the picture there's a krausen line and you said you had a bulge. Tells me its working
Issues with your membership? PM me!

DEMPSEY

A bulge is built up co2 that is not escaping. Check your airlock. :)
Dei miscendarum discipulus
Forgive us our Hangovers as we forgive those who hangover against us

MUL-BRU

Quote from: Pheeel on July 30, 2015, 09:09:56 AM
From what i can see in the picture there's a krausen line and you said you had a bulge. Tells me its working

Will do this evening....

MUL-BRU

Quote from: DEMPSEY on July 30, 2015, 12:50:53 PM
A bulge is built up co2 that is not escaping. Check your airlock. :)

Lets hope so DEMPSEY, lets hope so.

MUL-BRU

Quote from: DEMPSEY on July 30, 2015, 12:50:53 PM
A bulge is built up co2 that is not escaping. Check your airlock. :)

This was the case on Sunday, and when I checked the Airlock and loosened off the lid there was activity.....Now nothing.
When I gently press down on the lid it does bubble.
This is coming off the back of a Coopers Ginger Beer, which at times I thought that we were under attack from small arms fire.....it bubbled that much for about a week....

MUL-BRU

July 31, 2015, 01:59:56 PM #11 Last Edit: July 31, 2015, 03:39:39 PM by MUL-BRU
STATUS UPDATE:
On the advice form LordEoin I took a sample reading from the FV last night and all hope is NOT gone.
The reading was much higher than I had expected.
BTW I have bottled me 'BRU with lower readings than this in the past.
I'll leave it well alone now for approx another week then bottle up.
Thanks again for all your input...this thread is happily CLOSED.

Eoin

Don't worry about bubbles and airlocks, it's best to ignore them even. If the beer has krausen then it's fermenting.
Take a gravity reading.

I say it regularly and normally to a mixed response, but I only use airlocks on wine, beer just gets the lid of the bucket either not screwed down, with my present fermenters, or not clicked down fully if it's a bucket with a snap lid.

Airlocks are just a potential infection point when the crap sucks back into the fermenter when you lift it and confuse people as they think they have a real useful function.

molc

None of the seals are airtight around my airlocks anymore and I'm actually happier not listening to the damn thing bubbling away all night long. Just keep your brew secure from nasties and watch your f2f.
Fermenting: IPA, Lambic, Mead
Conditioning: Lambic, Cider, RIS, Ole Ale, Saison
On Tap: IPA, Helles, Best Bitter