# First brew - I stirred in the yeast and I don't see bubbles



## slagfart (26/8/14)

Hey guys, it's my first ever brew. The homebrew store recommended the below:

1.7kg Black Rock Dark Malt Extract
1.7kg Black Rock Miner’s Stout
10ml Liquorice Extract
500g Dried Corn Syrup
11g Safale S04 British Ale Yeast
Fill to 18L with water

So I followed his instructions, but when I poured the dry yeast in, I stirred the yeast into the wort. Assumed it was like making bread. Since then, I had that thick foam rise, fall, but I still don't see bubbles coming out of the airlock. Unsure if my fermenter lid is tight enough - but I'm pretty sure it is. Should I just chill out, or do I buy more yeast and throw that in?

Also please don't laugh but I didn't put the tap in when I got the fermenter, and now I have to do it on bottling day.





I assume I can tip the thing on its side and do it somehow. Any advice?


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## apples2910 (26/8/14)

Fermentation doesn't happen instantly, I've had brews take 48hrs to show signs of activity, was your wort at correct pitching temp?


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## slcmorro (26/8/14)

Chill out. It's been said a million times before and it'll be said a million times again... a lack of airlock activity means nothing. Gravity samples will be your best bet. Might be harder without a tap in though. Good luck.


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## brzt6060 (26/8/14)

Looks good other then the missing tap....

Looks like you had a nice healthy krausen as well. Don't stress about no bubbles I have never seen any of my FVs bubble.


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## joecast (26/8/14)

Sorry, I laughed 

The yeast can take 24hrs to start actually bubbling out the airlock. Give it time. Watch your temp and maybe cover with a towel or blanket to keep it out of the light.
As for getting the beer out, yeah tip it on its side to put your tap in. Make sure its all sanitized first and you should be fine. Itll be heavy so maybe get some help. Good luck!


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## doctr-dan (26/8/14)

I wouldnt worry about not having any airlock action, if you followed the instructions and it seems you have a heat mat so temp shouldnt be a issue so it just means the gasses are escaping through a easier point other than the airlock.
Ive put down a dozen brews and the airlocks have only bubbled on the last two for that reason.

One suggestion I would make is moving it off the concrete.
The concrete will be drawing the heat just as fast as the heat mat can make it so it would be working overtime.


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## doctr-dan (26/8/14)

Also maybe put the tap in prior to bottling day so all the sediment can settle again


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## slagfart (26/8/14)

joecast said:


> Sorry, I laughed


Yeah. Knew it. 

The kit gave me a wine thief, so I don't think it's going to be a huge catastrophe if I do need to check the grav. But, wary of contamination, I'm planning to just bottle at 10 days (instructions say 7-14), and pray. Good idea?


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## slagfart (26/8/14)

doctr-dan said:


> I wouldnt worry about not having any airlock action, if you followed the instructions and it seems you have a heat mat so temp shouldnt be a issue so it just means the gasses are escaping through a easier point other than the airlock.
> Ive put down a dozen brews and the airlocks have only bubbled on the last two for that reason.
> 
> One suggestion I would make is moving it off the concrete.
> The concrete will be drawing the heat just as fast as the heat mat can make it so it would be working overtime.


Sitting on concrete with the heat mat and a little shirt on it is keeping it real solid at ~20C, +- 2C.

Does my heat mat cut out when it gets too warm, or does it just stay on all the time? I thought it was the latter.


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## danestead (26/8/14)

slagfart said:


> Yeah. Knew it.
> 
> The kit gave me a wine thief, so I don't think it's going to be a huge catastrophe if I do need to check the grav. But, wary of contamination, I'm planning to just bottle at 10 days (instructions say 7-14), and pray. Good idea?


The best way to know fermentation is complete is by measuring the gravity with a hydrometer. Going based on days like you have suggested is not a very good way of doing things and could result in bottle bombs.

Ale yeast ferments at the top of your wort/beer which is the foam (krausen) you will start to see after a few days. What I do, is wait untill the krausen has subsided and the top of the beer is now clear. I will then test the gravity with a hydrometer, and then test it again 2 days later. If the gravity readings were the same and in the normal range for a final gravity (could be anything from about 1.005-1.020ish depending on the beer) you are ready to bottle.

Please note, if you brew a lager with a lager yeast, you will not get a krausen as lager yeast ferments at the bottom of your beer. You will need to test the gravity every few days until you get a stable final gravity rather than using the visual signs of an ales krausen.

Hope that isnt too confusing.


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## beercus (26/8/14)

I have the same Fermenter, it does not bubble, don't think it seals well, makes good beer though....

I would put the tap in ASAP....if it is still fermenting (or has not started) the yeast will use up the O2 you introduce and you will have less oxidation... Take the advice on sanitation...


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## Pokey (26/8/14)

If the airlock didn't bubble I'd be very careful laying the fermentor on its side, doesn't sound like the top has much of a seal.


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## TheWiggman (26/8/14)

Look at the picture and his first comment fellas/gals. 
Slagfart (?), the "foam" that rose and fell is the krausen. A thick krausen is an excellent sign of fermentation. Your brew has probably done most of its work since the krausen has settled ie alcohol has been produced and nearing bottling. You've used a good ale yeast at decent temps so it's a fairly safe bet (never 100% without gravity readings) at 2 weeks from pitching the yeast it will be ready to bottle. 
There will be a lot of stuff (trub) settled on the bottom. As suggested above, gently put the tap in a day before bottling so the trub settles back down after stirring up from being tilted. Take a gravity ready while you're at it to be sure it's ready to bottle. 
Then the real waiting game begins. Good luck!


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## stevemc32 (26/8/14)

Listen to Pokey, don't lay that thing on its side to fit the tap until you've tightened up the lid. Tighten it real good. 

If you look at the picture you uploaded in the first post you can see where the seal is in contact with the lid and where it isn't in contact with the lid by looking through the plastic. Seems like you've got about 50% contact at this stage. Tighten that bugger up.


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## Curly79 (27/8/14)

When you say you stirred the yeast in do you mean RIGHT in? submerged? Or did you just sprinkle it on top?


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## slagfart (27/8/14)

Curly79 said:


> When you say you stirred the yeast in do you mean RIGHT in? submerged? Or did you just sprinkle it on top?


Stirred it right into the body of the wort. Like it was some sort of spice in bolognese.


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## The Judge (27/8/14)

stevemc32 said:


> Listen to Pokey, don't lay that thing on its side to fit the tap until you've tightened up the lid. Tighten it real good.
> 
> If you look at the picture you uploaded in the first post you can see where the seal is in contact with the lid and where it isn't in contact with the lid by looking through the plastic. Seems like you've got about 50% contact at this stage. Tighten that bugger up.


Be careful with this advice, try it, but be careful.

My fermenters that use an O-ring and lid (like this one) sometimes don't seal when I overtighten them. It is due to the O-ring buckling very slightly when it is super tight. To get it to seal, I can sometimes loosen the lid a little and let the ring re-seat itself. But more often than not no matter what I do it will not get an adequate seal. So when you tip this bad boy on its side I would expect you'll get leakage of the wort (I always get leakage of my sanitiser when sloshing it around in a closed fermenter so it'll be worse when it's full of wort!).

If you're afraid of this happening, read up about bulk priming. You'll need another vessel, but it means you can syphon your wort from this vessel into one with a tap (and in doing so set your sugar content right for carbonation in the bottles).

Good luck grasshopper.


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## Mr. No-Tip (27/8/14)

As wiggman said, that stain of Krausen above your liquid says most of the work is done. Airlocks are for astronauts.


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## Curly79 (27/8/14)

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but yeast should be sprinkled on top just before screwing the lid on your fermenter ?


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## philmud (27/8/14)

Curly79 said:


> Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but yeast should be sprinkled on top just before screwing the lid on your fermenter ?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Aussie Home Brewer



Lots of brewers sprinkle. Many rehydrate the yeast in water and pour it in. I can't see a problem with what Slagfart (that's one nasty username, dude) did, but may not be necessary either. If he stirred really vigorously it may have helped aerate the wort I guess.


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## Curly79 (27/8/14)

Ahh. Fair enough. I was worried I was doing it wrong. 


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## Nizmoose (27/8/14)

slagfart said:


> Yeah. Knew it.
> 
> The kit gave me a wine thief, so I don't think it's going to be a huge catastrophe if I do need to check the grav. But, wary of contamination, I'm planning to just bottle at 10 days (instructions say 7-14), and pray. Good idea?


This is a massive patience thing and I'm sure many people would disagree with me but personally regardless of gravity I leave my brews fermenting for 3 weeks. It allows off flavours and by-products to be removed and doesn't seem to harm the beer in any way. If you are really keen to bottle (I'm sure you are) I'd leave it for 2 weeks and you should be safe as long as it hasn't stalled (highly unlikely with a heat mat)


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## mongey (27/8/14)

dont worry too much. I have the same fermenenter and my 1st 2 brews didnt bubble at all and I got good beer.

my 3rd is bubbling like a madman so maybe they dont seal that well sometimes


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## wombil (27/8/14)

Forget the tap.
Syphon the beer out with a bottling cane or wand,pretty cheap at the home brewshop.
Taps are just a nucsiance anyway.


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## superstock (27/8/14)

Use a smear of food grade grease or olive oil on the seal or rim of the fermenter.

I agree with Wombil. Taps are just another place for bacteria to hide.

An easy syphon with a bottling wand on the hose is the way to go.


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## RobboMC (27/8/14)

A simple trick with the seals on the fermenter lid is to drown the seal and the underside of the lid in boiling water before screwing it on.
This softens the seal and kills any nasties lurking there, and allows you to screw it down nice and tight. That way I get my
airlock bubbling nicely every time.

Can be a nuisance getting it off after the brew is done though.


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## J B (27/8/14)

wombil said:


> Forget the tap.
> Syphon the beer out with a bottling cane or wand,pretty cheap at the home brewshop.
> Taps are just a nucsiance anyway.





superstock said:


> Use a smear of food grade grease or olive oil on the seal or rim of the fermenter.
> 
> I agree with Wombil. Taps are just another place for bacteria to hide.
> 
> An easy syphon with a bottling wand on the hose is the way to go.


Just wondering how would you take a sample for gravity readings? Or don't you bother?


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## slagfart (10/9/14)

So I bottled this up yesterday after two long weeks. The homebrew store gave me this no-rinse sanitiser, primary ingredient being sodium percarbonate, and, seeing that my Coopers sanitiser was also made from the same stuff, I assumed it was no-rinse as well. Squirted lots of the Coopers stuff into my bottles, let it dry, bottled my booze, and now I'm reading online that the Coopers sanitiser is made from the same stuff as laundry detergent, and should be rinsed.

Am I reading that I have brewed and bottled 18 litres of Napisan Stout?


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## Curly79 (10/9/14)

Not sure mate. I don't like the idea of those no rinse cleaners. Just more chemicals I reckon. Then again I know nothing about them? Someone will clear that up for you. Personally I use two tablespoons if household bleach in 20 ltrs of hot water to clean my bottles and fermenter. Then rinse with hot water. Cheap and easy


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## Yob (10/9/14)

If it's pure sodium percabonate you are fine, it breaks down to soda ash and hydrogen peroxide, harmless. 

Many people use srarsan as the no rinse sanitiser of choice as you don't need to even let it dry, this truly the shiznit


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## wombil (10/9/14)

J B asked,"How do you take a sample fpr gravity readings,or don't you bother"?
Use a small syphon,5mm beer or gas line is good.


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## sp0rk (10/9/14)

Curly79 said:


> I don't like the idea of those no rinse cleaners. Just more chemicals I reckon.


EVERYTHING is chemicals...
Starsan is an acid based sanitiser that in the levels we use, is tasteless and breaks down into harmless compounds eventually (some even say it's good for yeast)
I'd be more worried about chemicals in cleaners/sanitisers that need rinsing than in starsan


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## Curly79 (10/9/14)

4 ltrs of bleach lasts for years and costs bugger all. How much does star San or whatever it's called cost ? 


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## beercus (10/9/14)

Curly79 said:


> 4 ltrs of bleach lasts for years and costs bugger all. How much does star San or whatever it's called cost ?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Aussie Home Brewer


For me its about saving time, this hobby is already expensive but when you think about it we are still making beer at half the cost you would buy it. So Starsan is not cheap but will last a long time and saves a whole lot of time and effort.

http://www.fullpint.com.au/five-star-star-san-sanitiser-475ml/

Beercus


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## sp0rk (10/9/14)

Curly79 said:


> 4 ltrs of bleach lasts for years and costs bugger all. How much does star San or whatever it's called cost ?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Aussie Home Brewer


Bleach is also fairly harsh on plastics over time and will cause them to degrade faster than the starsan will (not to mention you need to rinse the bleach, which is potentially reinfecting with bugs in your water)


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## crowmanz (10/9/14)

OP don't worry about airlock bubbles, many of us on AHB don't even bother with a lid and airlock. Just gladwrap with the o-ring over the top. 



beercus said:


> For me its about saving time


Starsan is the best time saver, especially if you are stuck bottling.


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## mofox1 (10/9/14)

Yep - cost for starsan is negligible overall. Usage is about 1.7ml per litre of water. You don't need to use much to sanitise things - ie 1L in the fermenter is plenty and you can re-use it as long as the pH remains around 3. Meaning you can use it a couple of weeks later for ALL of your bottles.

Even if you tip it out after that, it's only cost you 8c.

You can pick up an equivalent phosphoric acid blend santiser for $10/330ml (kegking and others), which would reduce the above to 5c. Combine that with the fact you don't *have* to rinse it out (I shake out as much as possible - or if it's a keg/fermenter then a boiling water rinse) it's pretty low effort.

Wish I'd found out about it years ago.


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## slagfart (10/9/14)

Cracked one. Tastes like band aids. God damnit.


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## BrosysBrews (10/9/14)

How long in the bottle? Amazing how much a differacne a few weeks makes.


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## slagfart (11/9/14)

Not that long - like 5 days. But I can actually taste the cleaner smell. Turns me off the batch.

Better luck next time, hopefully.


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## TheBlackAdder (11/9/14)

Try one again after 14 days.

What was the temperature like during fermentation? Sometimes yeast can throw a soapy taste when fermenting hot

My first batch was rough after 2 weeks in the bottle
But much better after another 2 weeks
And better again about 2 months in - nothing to be proud of but much much better than at first

Give it some time, it may improve a lot and hopefully youll be pleasantly surprised

Its all a learning experience - your next batch will be miles better because of it


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## BrosysBrews (11/9/14)

Hmmm interesting, what sanitation process did you use?


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## Nizmoose (12/9/14)

slagfart said:


> Not that long - like 5 days. But I can actually taste the cleaner smell. Turns me off the batch.
> 
> Better luck next time, hopefully.


I don't want to be the negative one but a mate of mine used to always use the coopers sanitiser for every brew, he also no rinsed, putting a glass of mine vs a glass of his beer up to the nose it was easy to tell his because of the sanitiser. To be honest when we're tasting beers and trying to pick apart stone fruit from grapefruit tainting a beer with any amount of odorous sanitiser imo is doing yourself an injustice, I'd go with starsan from now on


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## slagfart (23/9/14)

BrosysBrews said:


> Hmmm interesting, what sanitation process did you use?


Well the bottles were fresh, but I sanitised for the hell of it. Reaaaally regretting that now.


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## BrosysBrews (24/9/14)

slagfart said:


> Well the bottles were fresh, but I sanitised for the hell of it. Reaaaally regretting that now.


I use no-rinse sanitiser liquid (it is 3% hydorgen peroxide) and never had a problem, I buy it from LHBS and yes it is more expensive then what others on here use however it is piss easy to use and never had any problems with residual taste. Breaks down to H and O2 which is basically found in water anyway and harmless, ever wanted to see what happens with you rapidlly decompose the two rather then slowly? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qlb8X_ffO8 from about 2:00


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