i just started with brewing and i started with caribou slober, everything seemed to go good and after only 6 hrs i had started to get bubbling from my air lock, the next moring i checked and it was non stop and it stayed that way for another day and a half but now has stopped. did i do something wrong? should i add more yeast? should i shake it? i just really dont want my first batch to be a bust.
Don’t worry about it. I’m sure its just fine. Bubbling is not a good way to judge fermentation, a gravity reading is the only definite way to know if it is done
if the gravity reading is constant for 3-4 days its ready for bottling. But give it some time, 2 weeks minimum
The instructions call for 2 weeks in the primary and 2 weeks in a secondary if the gravity stays the same in the primary should I even do the secondary???
OK what was your OG and what temperature did you ferment at?
Most likely it’s done fermenting and everything is fine. My advise would be to let it sit for 3 weeks and then bottle without bothering with secondary.
+1 to dimik. If you did the extract kit and ended with 5 gallons, your OG should be 1.052. Unless your temperature was in the 50’s, I don’t think you have anything to worry about as far as attenuation goes. Fermenting too warm can lead to problems as well. A secondary is not necessary, but it is an option. You CAN leave it in the primary instead, and bottle (less work, and no ill effects). Like dimik said, 3 weeks in the primary should be good. Check the gravity in a week, then again in another week. If the gravity is the same, then it’s safe to bottle.
You never know what fermentation will look like, sometimes it takes a few days, sometimes it’ll take a week. A gravity reading is the only measurable way to know if anything is happening
thanks for all the help, ill have to let you all know how it turns out!!
I had a similar issue with that beer. The krausen flocculated (spell checker chokes and dies) after 24 hours. It was a very vigorous 24 hours, yeast and gunk was stuck all over the top of my carboy and some had made its way into the air lock.
My beer had good flavors, and was fermented. I did have issues with carbonation. I was thinking the yeast were a little burnt out. I did my standard bottle/sanitizing/priming sugar routine that has been successful in the past, and let them condition at 68-70F for 3 weeks. They are all carbonated, but maybe only 50-75% of what I was hoping for.
Along the same topic, any suggestions if I run into this condition again? Can yeast ferment too quickly and tire out?
Did you use the dry yeast? Lots of posts about this beer report that the Danstart Windsor ale yeast burns fast and furious, particularly over 70*. This was my experience, too. Fermented in about 2.5 days, with low attenuation (60%, ~4% ABV). Left it in primary for 2 weeks, secondary for 2 more, then started drinking it after 1 week in the bottle. It was still pretty green at that point, but at 2 weeks it was very well balanced, and at 3 weeks it was PERFECT. I saved the last one for two more weeks, and that one tasted a little off, but I think it may have been soap residue in the glass…d’oh!
Anyway, I had no bombs or gushers, so I assume the yeast did as much as it could.
Exactly this. I have not ventured into the liquid yeast realm yet.
[quote=“Randall”]I had a similar issue with that beer. The krausen flocculated (spell checker chokes and dies) after 24 hours. It was a very vigorous 24 hours, yeast and gunk was stuck all over the top of my carboy and some had made its way into the air lock.
My beer had good flavors, and was fermented. I did have issues with carbonation. I was thinking the yeast were a little burnt out. I did my standard bottle/sanitizing/priming sugar routine that has been successful in the past, and let them condition at 68-70F for 3 weeks. They are all carbonated, but maybe only 50-75% of what I was hoping for.
Along the same topic, any suggestions if I run into this condition again? Can yeast ferment too quickly and tire out?[/quote]
if youre having problems with carbonation consistency you can add more yeast during bottling along with the sugar. The priming sugar solution you used, probably wasn’t mixed thoroughly enough, which caused some differences in carbonation. it’s rather common really.
to fix this, you can mix your priming sugar solution well; and gently stir ever 10 bottles or so. You can also use a pipette, and administer rehydrated dry yeast and priming sugar to individual bottles - to ensure consistent results. or just the priming sugar without the yeast. ( if your beer is truely finished, more yeast will NOT = more carbonation. Only the amount sugar will change the carbonation)
I doubt the yeast ‘crapped out’ in such a low gravity beer. my theory is, your sugar solution wasnt mixed well enough and some bottles got more sugar than others.
