I pitched my yeast on a Sunday. I saw a little activity in the airlock that night. The next day, it bubbled quite a bit. Then today, Tuesday, I look and there is no activity. Is this usual or should I be concerned? It is my first batch and am nervous that I may not have done something right.
relax, don’t worry, have a brew. I’d say its normal, although its a bad habit to judge fermentation by bubbles. what was the fermentation temp, yeast, and original gravity?
the only way to know if anything is happening/has happened is to take a gravity reading.
Not sure. I will check when I get home. I am making the Pre-Prohibition Lager. First batch since I made my equipment. I put it in the coldest room in my house. The primary was 1-2 weeks. The secondary I am going to do cold. I researched and it said roughly 50 degrees F.
how cold is the coldest room? did you make a starter?
The room is roughly 70. The yeast I had was dry. I read in a book to put it in 100 degree water, covered, for 15 minutes. It said to add it to the wort at 50-57 degrees. I did that and then closed it up. I opened it for a second today to see if there was anything going on ad saw that there was a line of film above the top of the wort. So I assume that it had bubbled up.
Yup line of film indicates where the high krausen was, perhaps you should primary for 3 weeks or even more. Leaving your beer in primary for an extra bit of time never harms it, if anything it enhances the flavor. It gives the yeast more time to clean up any off flavors. On this forum many of the brewers leave their beer in primary for perhaps 4 weeks to a month. If you want to lager your beer go for it, but just out of curiosity what are you going to use to lager it?
I am still really new to this. What does “Lager it” mean? Do I need more ingredients or equipment?
Lagering is cold storage. You would need a place to keep the temperature at 32*F.
Oh. Yes I do have that. If I do not see any activity, should I add more yeast? I know someone said bubbles are not the only measure, but I haven’t seen any in a day.
Take a gravity reading as Scoggin suggested. If you have reached terminal gravity then the yeast have finished fermentation.
Your best bet for now is to be patient. The gravity will tell you when the beer is done. If it’s done after 3 days, then wait a week before you lager it.
Thank you
If I’m reading your posts correctly, you miss understood some items in your research.
A “lager” beer needs to be fermented at colder temps. Mid 50’s vs. mid 60’s for an “ale” beer.
Then there is a “lagering” phase that is at a temp as cold as you can get it.
Fermenting it in a 70* room it could have finished in 1 day. Take a gravity reading to find out. This beer may need a long aging time to smooth out some possible off flavors.
Should I keep it in lagering longer?
Have you checked the gravity? Do you recall the OG and what is the gravity now.
If it is done fermenting, you should “lager” it for 3-4 weeks.
It was done. I have it lagering now.
