No Bubbles

[Zipster]

Hi there,

I bought this Czeck Pilsner kit from countrybrewer last week. It's my first batch.

I have poured 70degres water on my yeast extract and the next day added the lager yeast that was provider with the kit and let the whole thing in a room at 15degrees (the shop said 12 was best but 15 works too). 36 hour later there was no bubbles whatsoever so on the advise of a friend I brought the fermenter up to 22degrees in order to actvate the yeast, I gave it a stir just in case the particles would have been sitting on top. It worked good, was bubbling happily once every 5 seconds then put it back to 15 degrees and nothing again.. It seems that the yeast went back to sleep.. It has been 4 days now.. still no bubbles..

What is happening?

Thanks in advance for your help.

z.

 

[TmC]

Hi there,

I bought this Czeck Pilsner kit from countrybrewer last week. It's my first batch.

I have poured 70degres water on my yeast extract and the next day added the lager yeast that was provider with the kit and let the whole thing in a room at 15degrees (the shop said 12 was best but 15 works too). 36 hour later there was no bubbles whatsoever so on the advise of a friend I brought the fermenter up to 22degrees in order to actvate the yeast, I gave it a stir just in case the particles would have been sitting on top. It worked good, was bubbling happily once every 5 seconds then put it back to 15 degrees and nothing again.. It seems that the yeast went back to sleep.. It has been 4 days now.. still no bubbles..

What is happening?

Thanks in advance for your help.

z.

Being a noob myself dont take my word as gospel but i thought that lager's tended to take weeks to ferment, the lower the temp the longer to ferment?

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

A hydrometer reading will tell you if your wort is fermenting. Do a reading a day apart and see if the readings are heading south. May be you dont have a real lager yeast either, hence it dont like the cold.
GB

 

[Zipster]

The shop dealer did not tell me it would take longer. I call him later on and he said it would take about 10 days before bottling..

 

[TmC]

The shop dealer did not tell me it would take longer. I call him later on and he said it would take about 10 days before bottling..

What yeast did you use?

 

[Milky11111]

Most kits use ale yeast mate, not the real lager yeast, your yeast is probably going into hibernation at ~15*C. However fermentation can still be happening even if your airlock is not bubbling, check your SG with a hydrometer, if it is steadily falling your brew is fermenting. If your SG is staying the same over time at 15*C then kick it up to 18-22*C and brew at that temp.

 

[[email protected]]

Hi,

Ale yeast seems the most likely option, but another possibility is its finished fermenting. A lager yeast at 22 can finish fermenting in a day or two. A hydrometer reading will tell you wants happening. If you don't have one of those get one, but if you need to know straight away take a little taste to see if its sweet or tastes like beer. Also look to see if theres a ring around the top of the liquid.

Hi there,

I bought this Czeck Pilsner kit from countrybrewer last week. It's my first batch.

I have poured 70degres water on my yeast extract and the next day added the lager yeast that was provider with the kit and let the whole thing in a room at 15degrees (the shop said 12 was best but 15 works too). 36 hour later there was no bubbles whatsoever so on the advise of a friend I brought the fermenter up to 22degrees in order to actvate the yeast, I gave it a stir just in case the particles would have been sitting on top. It worked good, was bubbling happily once every 5 seconds then put it back to 15 degrees and nothing again.. It seems that the yeast went back to sleep.. It has been 4 days now.. still no bubbles..

What is happening?

Thanks in advance for your help.

z.

 

[manticle]

Hi there,

I bought this Czeck Pilsner kit from countrybrewer last week. It's my first batch.

I have poured 70degres water on my yeast extract and the next day added the lager yeast that was provider with the kit and let the whole thing in a room at 15degrees (the shop said 12 was best but 15 works too). 36 hour later there was no bubbles whatsoever so on the advise of a friend I brought the fermenter up to 22degrees in order to actvate the yeast, I gave it a stir just in case the particles would have been sitting on top. It worked good, was bubbling happily once every 5 seconds then put it back to 15 degrees and nothing again.. It seems that the yeast went back to sleep.. It has been 4 days now.. still no bubbles..

What is happening?

Thanks in advance for your help.

z.

As Gryphon Brewing suggested, you need to use a hydrometer to find out if the gravity is dropping. Forget bubbles. Bubbles (or lack thereof) mean much less than signs of foam on the brew or gravity dropping points. I am presuming you have a hydrometer, can use it correctly and took a gravity reading at the beginning for comparison.

I'm not sure why everyone else is guessing what yeast you have used. What yeast have you used?

 

[kelbygreen]

it could be that the fermenter has a small airleak and when its fermenting at 15 the air is escaping before it can bubble but when you raise the temp the fermentation will produce more c02 and the pressure in the fermenter will make it bubble. Just ignore the bubbling only a hydrometer can tell you if its fermenting as said many times here

 

[Zipster]

nono its lager yeast the shop reckons 12deg works. no air leaks.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Go buy a hydrometer and an accurate thermometer then tells us whats happening. Its the only way !
We have all been there before :icon_cheers:
GB

 

[adryargument]

Go buy a hydrometer and an accurate thermometer then tells us whats happening. Its the only way !
We have all been there before :icon_cheers:
GB

I would like to add that if you follow the link in GB's signature you cant go wrong :icon_cheers:

 

[Zipster]

I have a hydrometer, now what?

That link on GB's is just an online shop btw

I'm going to get a hydro reading now. brb

 

[Zipster]

The meter reads 13. It says beer finish on the back.

Tastes really bitter but..

 

[TmC]

Hmmm 13, i presume thats 1013 its well and truly fermenting. Like everyone else has said once you get the same reading over a few days you should be sweet. I like to leave it in for 10 days before taking a reading but thats just me. My first brew wasn't fully fermented and i had really bad gas

 

[Zipster]

It reads 11 on the picture.. or is it 1011?

And, mate.. its so bitter.. undrinkable. Even after the yeast dropped down to the bottom.

 

[barabool]

Definitly 1011.
See the 1000 above it.
1000 is approx water. You can only go below 1000 if you have serious alcohol and no fermentables (the nice tasty stuff). e.g. if you are doing spirits.
I would bottle it as some of the bitterness is lost during bottle fermentation - have another check and decide whether the taste is 'bitter' or just 'off'
Dont leave it anymore, bottle or chuck - If its a lager? - put a fork in it.... its done.
Cheers

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

If its a extract/sugar beer it may well go lower than 1010 so dont be tempted to bottle her up till that hydro reading has been stable for a few days, other wise you may get a big surprise and a trip to hospital.
GB

 

[TmC]

I did a coopers goo lager that was undrinkable for two weeks, had one just then and its not too bad. I prefer my pale ale though

 

[Zipster]

I would bottle it as some of the bitterness is lost during bottle fermentation - have another check and decide whether the taste is 'bitter' or just 'off'

Nah. Just super bitter.

Dont leave it anymore, bottle or chuck - If its a lager? - put a fork in it.... its done.
Cheers

Chuck? Fork? Don't understand, remember its my first batch...

Can't bottle it tonight anyway only have raw sugar and its too late the shops are closed. Will get white sugar tomorow morning after another reading.