Airlock Stop Bubbling

[deviant]

Hi all, I am new to home brewing well I just have my first attempt fermenting now. I got myself one of the Tooheys New Micro Brew Kits. I did everything as per the instructions (Saturday, miday) and about 15 hours later the air lock started to bubble (Sunday, morning), about once every 30 seconds then it picked up to about once every 1-2 seconds (Sunday late morning) and last night (Monday night) it started to slow down, to about once every 30 seconds.. I went to bed and this morning it had stopped altogether.

Is this normal? Or did something go wrong? I have been told that it takes 4-7 days to ferment, and that when it stops bubbling it has stopped fermenting. Is that true?

So have I failed miserably at my first attempt to brew? Or is this normal and I should just ignore it and start checking the specific gravity??

 

[Steve]

and I should just ignore it and start checking the specific gravity??

got it in one

What temp did you ferment it at? What does the surface of the beer look like? Is it clear on the top of the wort or is there still foam (Krausen)

Cheers and welcome to AHB

Steve

 

[Supra-Jim]

I should just ignore it and start checking the specific gravity??

Follow this advice!

Cheers SJ

(note 'airlocks not bubbling' is an all too common question round these parts, they are unreliable for montoring fermentation, use your hydro!!!)

 

[under]

What temp did you ferment at? Higher ferment temps = quicker fermentation - but not always for the good.

Take a gravity reading. Run the first 100ml of yeast thats in the tap off and chuck it. It should be fairly clear after this. Then fill your hydrometer tube to about 2/3 full. And then add the hydrometer, give it a spin to remove any co2 stuck to the hydrometer itself. Read it to where the meniscus hits the line on the hydrometer.

Here is info on the meniscus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meniscus

 

[under]

What temp did you ferment at? Higher ferment temps = quicker fermentation - but not always for the good.

Take a gravity reading. Run the first 100ml of yeast thats in the tap off and chuck it. It should be fairly clear after this. Then fill your hydrometer tube to about 2/3 full. And then add the hydrometer, give it a spin to remove any co2 stuck to the hydrometer itself. Read it to where the meniscus hits the line on the hydrometer.

Here is info on the meniscus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meniscus

Further to my quote if you look at the wikipedia article, the fluid in the tube will be like sample A (concave) on that page.

 

[Scruffy]

Do you keep cats?

 

[Adamt]

Do you keep cats?

Please, let that stupid joke die already. The original line was funny but it's now turned into a "joke" that isn't even mildly humorous.

 

[Steve]

Do you keep cats?

yawn...i'll be back in another month to see if this place has improved.

 

[FNQ Bunyip]

Do you keep cats?

Please, let that stupid joke die already. The original line was funny but it's now turned into a "joke" that isn't even mildly humorous.

It still made me laugh ...

 

[under]

meow

 

[Scruffy]

Please, let that stupid joke die already. The original line was funny but it's now turned into a "joke" that isn't even mildly humorous.

yawn...i'll be back in another month to see if this place has improved.

So what would you do to improve AHB?

 

[Steve]

So what would you do to improve AHB?

Ok i'll bite. I would help a first time poster by answering their question instead of asking him a question that he probably has not idea what you are talking about.
Pretty bloody simple really dont you think?
Cheers
Steve

 

[chappo1970]

Is this normal? Or did something go wrong? I have been told that it takes 4-7 days to ferment, and that when it stops bubbling it has stopped fermenting. Is that true?

So have I failed miserably at my first attempt to brew? Or is this normal and I should just ignore it and start checking the specific gravity??

Sounds like a perfectly normal fermentation to me. Relax and have a homebrew!

As already stated previously the airlock is only one indication of fermentation taking place and is a very unreliable one at that because even though you have rubber grommets and "O"rings the fermenters are very poor pressure vessels. Other things to look for is condensation under the lid which is caused by the yeast creating exothermic heat as it multiplys it's colony numbers. The best indication is your hydrometer. I test my brews usually on the 4th day or so of fermentation or more accurately after the high kraussen (the foamy stuff on top of the brew) has died back down to be a brownish sludgy ring on the fermenters inside. By taking the sample then, this tells me two things, how vigerious the fermentation was and secondly how far the beer has to go before it reaches it ideal attenuation.

With kits IIRC a usual SG (starting gravity or OG original gravity) range was around 1.045 to 1.050 and FG (Final Gravity) range from 1.010 to 1.015. On that note always measure your SG after you have made your wort from the goop. Be sure to flush the tap, as the goop can sometimes well there and give you a false reading (a trap for new players). Do a search on here I am sure you would find a post where I did exactly that and had a SG of 1.070 or something stoopid . Flush by openning the tap and letting say 50mm into your hydrometer test jar. Just tip it down the sink and refill to a level where the hydrometer is about 1cm from the bottom.

Now when you say your first attemp wasn't so great? What exactly was wrong with it? Maybe we can help you avoid that with this brew or at the very least your next brew.

Cheers

Chappo

Edit: Speeelikz

Edit: Edit: BTW welcome to AHB and ingore the stuff above We really are a homebrewing forum... Honest!

 

[deviant]

got it in one

What temp did you ferment it at? What does the surface of the beer look like? Is it clear on the top of the wort or is there still foam (Krausen)

Cheers and welcome to AHB

Steve

Thanks for the reply.

Ok well i realised after that i was fermenting a little high, between 26-28d. But i have been told that if it isn't over 30d well 33d it wont kill the yeast. I tired to cool it down with by wrapping wet towel around it. Didn't have much success, but it didn't rise over 28d.

The surface of the beer did have about an inch of some foam, but from what i can see i has dropped down, over night.

The brew appears darker at the bottom, and lighter at the top.. if that helps.

 

[bum]

But i have been told that if it isn't over 30d well 33d it wont kill the yeast.

You can probably stab yourself in the face a few times and it won't kill you.

You want happy yeast. Give them a temperature they are comfortable in. Stop stabbing them in the face with your high temps.

From what you say it looks like it could just be a rapid ferment dying down. Check your gravity and when it is low enough (depends) and stable (3 consecutive readings over 48 hours) you're done and dusted.

Incidentally, any questions you have about your next kit brews should go in the kit section - you'll be able to find more, er, willing advice there. Welcome aboard!

 

[QldKev]

Thanks for the reply.

Ok well i realised after that i was fermenting a little high, between 26-28d. But i have been told that if it isn't over 30d well 33d it wont kill the yeast. I tired to cool it down with by wrapping wet towel around it. Didn't have much success, but it didn't rise over 28d.

The surface of the beer did have about an inch of some foam, but from what i can see i has dropped down, over night.

The brew appears darker at the bottom, and lighter at the top.. if that helps.

Generally you really want to be fermenting your ales at around 18. 20 would be ok, but by the time you hit 23 the yeast is throwing off a high amount of unwanted flavours. At 26-28 don't expect a good beer, it should still be drinkable. Have a search on here for a few idea for cooling. Basically either get a can cooler/container your fermentor can fit into, or wrap the fermentor in a heavy dooner, and throw some ice bottles in there with it. The additional benifit is you minimise light getting to the fermentor so minimising issues with the hops in it.

To check if the beer is finished; as already mentioned purge any crap from the tap and take a gravity reading. Once you have the same gravity over a couple of days you are finished fermenting. At this stage I would leave it a few more days to clarify more prior to bottling/kegging.

QldKev