On Saturday I did my first batch of homebrew in a long time. Just making a pale ale I am using a bucket as a fermenter with an airlock but as of this morning so approximately 36 hours after sealing there are still no bubbles in the airlock. Is this normal? And if not at what point should I open it to make sure it is fermenting? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Don't worry about bubbles, many buckets/airlocks aren't airtight and the CO2 may be leaking out elsewhere. Also sometimes you just can't see it on small beers with light fermentation. You could take the top off and see if there is Krausen but in my experience if you pitched good yeast, it will ferment. RDWDAHB
I agree the CO2 could be leaking out elsewhere, so I suggest that you wait until the 5th day and then take a look inside to see if you had krausen form that left a ring around the side of the bucket. Be prepared to take a gravity reading if you have evidence of krausen, and then let that reading tell you your next step.
