Hi all, I brewed my first batch about 9 years ago. Not that I have brewed a lot, but I try to get at least one or two in a year, and in all that time never had anything really not work. I have had some odd flavors (was told over steeping my grains helped/caused with this) and over carbonation, but I have finally hit something I have never experienced before. I was given a True Brew German Dark for my birthday, I haven't done a "box" kit in a while but figured I would do it was it was. Pitched my yeast after re-hydrating, and sealed it up. 72 hours later, I had no signs of fermentation, no airlock bubbles or krausen (didn't even know what that was until today). So I decided to re-pitch yeast, went out bought a fresh packet and pitched it. Now I am almost 48 hours after re-pitching and still nothing. Any suggestions? Before anyone asks, no I don't have any SG readings.... I never took them since the day I started, figuring I would just let things go the way they want, I know an odd way of looking at this... The only thing I can really say I did different was use a new sanitizer. I used Star San as a buddy said it was all he used, and now I own a home so care about my septic and wanted something other then bleach. I was worried about the no rinse side of this, but my friend used it no problem so went with it. Otherwise, I have pretty much the same equipment I have always used (or new things as some buckets/lids/airlocks have been replaced).
Have you opened the bucket and looked inside? Is there a crud ring around the bucket wall just above the liquid level?
Yes I opened it today and there was a ring about one inch up the side, but nothing else really on top of the brew. That was the only thing that made me wonder if something happened that I missed. If I am to take a reading now, I will have to do some serious digging to find my hydrometer...
Ring of crud means it fermented. There was a krausen at one point, may have finished while you slept and had a leak in the gaskets that caused the airlock to not bubble.
If you don't know where your hydrometer is how do you know that it is done fermenting before you package?
Honestly I never started bottling until two days or three after I stopped seeing bubbles in my airlock. Never seen one ferment this fast before. I realize the hydrometer is used for a reason, just never felt like I "needed" to use it.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that these are related issues. Airlock activity isn't a great way to judge fermentation. You should take a hydrometer reading 2 days apart and make sure it hasn't changed. You should also taste the beer to ensure it doesn't have a "green beer" flavors (butter, green apple) that need to be cleaned up before packaging.
Well I will consider using the hydrometer in the future. It is at least good to know my batch isn't trash, even if it acted odd for me. Perhaps a new lid is in my future or maybe it is time to get a carboy.
I like carboys bettering e I can see what's going on. But going pro means I'll never see it fermenting so I'm getting used to it.
I always end up with more color extraction than the kit I was using specified. I didn't know it was possible to over-steep
Don't always trust the airlock. I've had one that had a crack and like you assumed nothing was happening.
I'll bet that 95% of the time an extract plus steeping grains kits produces a darker than expected color it's due to using LME. The stuff is just not stable and darkens pretty quickly. OTOH, extract kit IPAs end up looking like Nugget Nectar, so there's that.
I thought that was what it was the first time so I switched to DME But you can even see it just at the steeping phase before you add the extract. I'm not sure if I am doing it too hot or cold (I shoot for 154deg), too long or with grains crushed too fine.
Yea, the few i made that had off flavors I found I steeped too long (I thought my temp was low so let it steep a little more) and then the next one I stepped too hot, broken thermometer.
As I read the various replies above it sounds like fermentation occurred quickly. A routine cause for rapid fermentation is the ambient temp around the fermentor is too warm. What was he temp for your beer's fermentation? Ideally you should have your fermentor in a location that is around 65 degrees. Fermenting above 70 degrees leads to rapid fermentation as well as potential other issues that can affect the taste of your beer.
The location is 63-66 degrees consistently. Perhaps the 90 degree day bumped it up closer to 70. It is the one good thing about my new home. Looked at carboys, and might just invest in another new lid. Still seems odd that it went so fast but oh well, live and learn.
