Question about airlock activity

First did you follow all the directions when making the beer?

Second have you checked the lid and see if it is secure?

Lastly, what temperature is the bucket stored at.

 

1) How long ago did you close the fermenter 2) How much extra room (headspace) is there? 3) What was the temperature at pitching?

 

You take any readings with a hydrometer?

 

FG is where your kit said it should be?

 

Wouldn't hurt to take another reading to see where you are at.

 

Yes.

 

I'm a bit confused. Are you saying your gravity reading is showing a starting gravity of 4.33 abv? Or you took an original gravity, took a finishing gravity, and the calculated the abv? I'm hoping the second because the original gravity only shows the potential abv.

 

Just to add to that... the Potential Alcohol Scale on a hydrometer is really only useful for winemakers, because it represents the ABV that will be reached if 100% of the sugars are fermented, which doesn't happen with beer.

 

If you can make 1 gallon of sanitizing solution you have plenty to treat the hydrometer bottleing bucket and bottles

 

RDWDAHB

Airlock activity is not that important, not all fermentations are aggressive enough to see crazy bubbles and your bucket likely isn't airtight. If you followed the instructions and pitched good yeast, it will ferment.

The only way to tell if it has fermented is to open it up, you can see krausen or at least a krausen ring around the bucket. You can take a gravity reading too. I've never had a batch, not ferment.

I would caution you that your closet might be a bit high for temp. Most yeasts want to be in a temp of 65-70, but if you meant your closet temp is that then your wort temp is likely to be 5-10 degrees higher during active fermentation. It won't likely be horrible, but you might develop more fusel alcohols and depending on the type of yeast more ester production. I would consider as you gain more experience and want to tune in your recipes getting a handle on some temp control.

But no matter what you'll have beer and you made it, so it will be good!

 

If your beer has been in the fermenter for 8 days and you've hit your FG/ABV, then your yeast have had an opportunity to clean up after themselves, so you can proceed to bottle when it's convenient.

By the way, did you taste the beer sample when you took your final gravity reading? How was it?