Fermentation

[sid]

Hey all, I put down a John bull K&K two days ago, and the airlock has showed no action what ever, now in the past I have screwed off the barrel lid and put it back on, thinking it was an air leak and was right. But this time my old trick hasn't worked.
I took a OG which was 1036, and now after 2 days its at 1031, does this sound ok, and should I wait, or should I just chuck in some old safale yeast from a previous batch. The beer is a traditional english ale, so maybe this yeast is just slow acting, I do know that my mates john bull K&K is bubbling away nicely....Damn his good yeast, heh.

 

[captian black beer]

when you took the lid off does there look like there is any scum or foam around the top? You know the normal signs of fermentation? Either way might be best just to chuck in some more yeast. What temp did you pitch at?

 

[sid]

when you took the lid off does there look like there is any scum or foam around the top? You know the normal signs of fermentation? Either way might be best just to chuck in some more yeast. What temp did you pitch at?

hey ya, No, just looked, theres no scum or foam around the top at all, all the yeast is at the bottom of the keg. hhhhmmm.... it's suspect, but why did the hydromtere reading move 5 pionts?.
I pitched the yeast at 18c and it's still sitting at that.

 

[kevnlis]

As long as the graivty is going down you are fine. A bit of lag is normal, just take a reading again in another 24 hours to make sure it is still going. Removing the lid is just begging an infection to take hold so try to avoid that when ever possible.

 

[Boozums]

(snip)
I do know that my mates john bull K&K is bubbling away nicely....Damn his good yeast, heh.

Bubbling is an understatement, my man, its more of a thunderous rumble. You can't tell from the still image below but those two doggies are jumping around like kittens in a sack.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Hey all, I put down a John bull K&K two days ago, and the airlock has showed no action what ever, now in the past I have screwed off the barrel lid and put it back on, thinking it was an air leak and was right. But this time my old trick hasn't worked.
I took a OG which was 1036, and now after 2 days its at 1031, does this sound ok, and should I wait, or should I just chuck in some old safale yeast from a previous batch. The beer is a traditional english ale, so maybe this yeast is just slow acting, I do know that my mates john bull K&K is bubbling away nicely....Damn his good yeast, heh.

Sid, since we are all relying on you to do this John Bull kit and write us a decent synopsis of the results, I share your pain that something has gone wrong. Basics first. the 1036 OG was the first reading - did you clear the tap before you took your reading sample ? Depending on how you added the wort (can, sugar then water ??) the tap is always full of more concentrated wort than the rest of the fermenter. Need to know if the 1036 OG is a good reading so we can assume the 1031 means there is fermentation.

The yeast - the John Bull yeast ? Never played with it so maybe stressed. Don't panic yet. Just get the old safale ready just in case.

If you are happy that the fermenter is airtight (squeeze the fermenter and look for signs of air loss / suck) then either the yeast is 1. poor 2. just lazy 3. shithouse.

If were you, wait 12 more hours. If nothing happening, chuck in the safale. Can't stand beer not plopping through an airlock.

 

[sid]

Sid, since we are all relying on you to do this John Bull kit and write us a decent synopsis of the results, I share your pain that something has gone wrong. Basics first. the 1036 OG was the first reading - did you clear the tap before you took your reading sample ? Depending on how you added the wort (can, sugar then water ??) the tap is always full of more concentrated wort than the rest of the fermenter. Need to know if the 1036 OG is a good reading so we can assume the 1031 means there is fermentation.

The yeast - the John Bull yeast ? Never played with it so maybe stressed. Don't panic yet. Just get the old safale ready just in case.

If you are happy that the fermenter is airtight (squeeze the fermenter and look for signs of air loss / suck) then either the yeast is 1. poor 2. just lazy 3. shithouse.

If were you, wait 12 more hours. If nothing happening, chuck in the safale. Can't stand beer not plopping through an airlock.

some good advice, I never thought of the tap having trapped suger/malt from preperation,but yeh it stands to reason that it would do, I put detrose, malt then water into this brew.
I have rechecked the fermenter and when I squeeze it there is bubbling in the airlock, so that should mean it's air tight.

Yep another 12 hours and that'll tell me whether the yeast is just lazy, or I have to put in the safale, Didn't want to do that, since I 'd like to see what this kit is like standard and review it.Out of my hands now.

Good news is my mate on this same thread has two John bull K&K on the go and the yeast isn't being lazy like mine, heh, which he has kindly let me know.

Thanx, guys.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

some good advice, I never thought of the tap having trapped suger/malt from preperation,but yeh it stands to reason that it would do, I put detrose, malt then water into this brew.
I have rechecked the fermenter and when I squeeze it there is bubbling in the airlock, so that should mean it's air tight.

Yep another 12 hours and that'll tell me whether the yeast is just lazy, or I have to put in the safale, Didn't want to do that, since I 'd like to see what this kit is like standard and review it.Out of my hands now.

Good news is my mate on this same thread has two John bull K&K on the go and the yeast isn't being lazy like mine, heh, which he has kindly let me know.

Thanx, guys.

Don't worry about the yeast. Your mate's brews will tell you heaps about the beer kit. Chuck in the safale and do a side by side comparison of the result. Lastly, your mate - he brewing at 18C too ? Just wondering if the yeast is slow cos temperature not optimal for this yeast ?

 

[Boozums]

Lastly, your mate - he brewing at 18C too ? Just wondering if the yeast is slow cos temperature not optimal for this yeast ?

My JB Brown Ale, echoing like a flock of test pilots messing with the sound barrier, was pitched at and sits on 20C, the JB IPA is sweltering at 24C and sounds like late-stage tappet destruction in an old car, yet this was pitched at 20C also.

Oddly enough, the location of the Brown Ale is always a couple of degrees cooler than the other two fermenters and I reckon it has something to do with the magnet in the old Technics speaker which sits directly beneath it. The only other explanation could be the last time I played music through that old speaker it was Cold Chisel or Cold Play and a lingering resonance is having some effect.

I rehydrated both JB yeast packets before pitching them (with love), Sid biffed his gimpy yeast into his newbie suds (with something approaching scorn, probably).

The fermenter he is using is cursed, I had it here a couple of weeks ago, brewing a Nut Brown Ale on behalf of a 3rd party. It was awfully quiet 2 days into the ferment, I absolutely must hear airlock action for all to be right in my world, so I removed the airlock and had a look in the eyehole. Violins and clanging pianos, man, that's all I can say.

 

[sid]

Don't worry about the yeast. Your mate's brews will tell you heaps about the beer kit. Chuck in the safale and do a side by side comparison of the result. Lastly, your mate - he brewing at 18C too ? Just wondering if the yeast is slow cos temperature not optimal for this yeast ?

Just took a hyrdometre reading ,24hr's later, and its slowly going it's gone from 1031 to 1026, so the yeast is working, all be it very slowly.
what your saying about the yeast could very well be the problem, as I'm running at 18c where as Boozums is at 20-24. The piece of paper with directions on fermenting temps that came with this kit looked as though they had printed it themselves, doesn't actually seem to be the original brewing info.
So going by my mates temps and the action he's getting I should proabably up the temp for this John bull yeast a bit, good to know I suppose.

this keg is going to get a new seal i think, just so i can hear that reasuring bubbling sound in the future.....Or I'll lend it out to Boozums and be done with it, heh.

 

[ohitsbrad]

I just brewed an extract batch that fermented from 1.048 to 1.014, yet never was there a bubble through the air lock. I checked the lid was on tight, and so figure the seal is broken. It bothered me at first but I don't expect it matters at all.

Just took a hyrdometre reading ,24hr's later, and its slowly going it's gone from 1031 to 1026, so the yeast is working, all be it very slowly.
what your saying about the yeast could very well be the problem, as I'm running at 18c where as Boozums is at 20-24. The piece of paper with directions on fermenting temps that came with this kit looked as though they had printed it themselves, doesn't actually seem to be the original brewing info.
So going by my mates temps and the action he's getting I should proabably up the temp for this John bull yeast a bit, good to know I suppose.

this keg is going to get a new seal i think, just so i can hear that reasuring bubbling sound in the future.....Or I'll lend it out to Boozums and be done with it, heh.

 

[Kleiny]

dont worry too much about the airlock some people are obsessed with them
i use one but rarely look to see if it is bubbling

ive also used just a glad wrap top and been able to tell how the fermenetation is going through the lid

as long as the gravity is going down you will be right