Second batch issues

I think you have a volume issue with your hydrometer being off.

Don't trust the marking on the bucket for your volumes, but that doesn't look close to 5 gallons, despite the amount of headspace in there. I know pictures can skew it, but next time I'd try to make sure you get the 5 gallons in there for sure.

If thats not it and your sure, then you just read it wrong or didn't get it mixed well. Happens with partial boils.

 

i have TERRIBLE depth perception, but that looks like wayyyyy less than 5 gal.... i know you checked, but....really?........... really?(like that Arbys fish commercial lol)

 

Okay then, just wasn't sure how you checked the volume then, since the markings are generally wrong.

Don't bother with airlock activity to tell you. Just look in there and see. Pitching US05 cool will make it start slow, but it'll finish the job, and it'll be nice and clean if you keep those nice cool temps. I regularly use 1056 around 63-65 and it starts and finishes fine, usually within a week for a middle of the road OG beer. I do pitch plenty of yeast, and I do hit the wort with pure O2, but those are just extra steps to make it easier on the yeast.

Your bucket probably leaks a bit. I have one like that. I can push on the lid and make bubbles come out, but the beer will ferment away in the fermentation freezer and not push a single bubble in the airlock, but has filled the freezer full of Co2 , and I'll have plenty of krausen and activity.

 

+1 to Your bucket probably leaks a bit. (which I posted previously).

Cheers!

 

Why don't you make sure you can read a hydrometer by placing it in 60 F water, to start? It should read 1.000.

 

What Jack said.