2 days - fermentation slowed

[mortong]

I'm 48 hours into my primary fermentation. It started bubbling aggressively about 10 hours after the pitch, and has now slowed to one bubble every five-ten seconds.

Is it okay to pull the top off of the bucket and get a sample for a hydrometer reading? I'm still new at this, and I'm not sure if exposing the batch to oxygen this early will hurt it.

Also, if my hydrometer shows that fermentation isn't near completion, which I expect, am I better off adding more yeast, a yeast energizer or both?

Thanks,
Geoff

[Beerconnoisseur]

...have a beer, and just kick back. People have been making beer literally for thousands of years, long before anyone understood wacky things like "yeast," "microbiology," or "hydrometers."

Just let it sit for 2 weeks, and don't mess with it, and let the yeast do its thing. It will happily eat the available sugars, multiply, and drop out of suspension when it's good and ready.

Unless, of course, you started by brewing a lager. Then it will take closer to 2 months. But even so, there's no reason to get your panties in a bunch yet. :p

[michaewa]

If it is an ale, you're probably fine. I brewed my first batch on a Wednesday, the airlock bubbled pretty much all day Thursday, and by Friday it had slowed way down. I left it another day or two to be sure, then moved to the secondary.

Not sure about if the fermentation is stuck, I have read a lot about people throwing in some champagne yeast, but I'll wait for others to chime in.

[wortchillergoal]

Originally posted by mortong
...Also, if my hydrometer shows that fermentation isn't near completion, which I expect, am I better off adding more yeast, a yeast energizer or both?

Thanks,
Geoff

Unless it is a big beer, wait and do not add more yeast. I often times let my beer set til there are no bubbles berfore transfer to the secondary. I do not have problems with off flavors. If you are going to take a hydro reading, remember to sanitize it or any thing esle you might use into the fermenter.

The hardest part of brewing is the waiting. If you play with your beer too much you may ruin it. As stated before, the yeast have been doing this long before we even knew they were there. Trust us when we tell you they get it right. We are the ones who mess things up. In the mean time, watch the bubbles and imagine how good your first beer is going to taste.

[mortong]

Thanks for the reminder to relax and let it do it's thing.

I've haven't touched a brew kit in two years, and then I only did a few batches. Not I've gotten myself really excited about it, and want to move it to a new level and learn a lot more, so I've gotten myself a few more buckets (just plastic for now - I'll probably buy a glass carboy next week).

I have one more question, though.

I'm now set up with a secondary fermenter for the first time. How long should I let it sit with few bubbles? It's down to 1 bubble every 30 sec to 1 minute now.

Is it better to transfer soon after bubbling slows, or should I just leave it like it is for the next week the siphon it?

Thanks again,
Geoff

[mortong]

Ah, nevermind. When I looked back I realized that Michaewa answered my question.



:D

Thanks for your help
Geoff

[mortong]

Ah, nevermind. When I looked back I realized that Michaewa answered my question.



:D

Thanks for your help
Geoff

[toneyc]

This is a pretty variable subject. Some folks transfer to secondary when the bubbles reach a certain rate, some people may use hydrometer readings, and some people use a set schedule. Me, I'm a weekender. I brew on one weekend, transfer to secondary the next weekend, then keg it on the next weekend. I will sometimes let the beer sit in secondary for another week if it looks like it needs it or if I'm too busy to mess with it. Some folks leave their beer in secondary for 2-4 weeks. I don't have that much room since I brew every other weekend. I have room for three batches to be going at once, but not four.

:)
Toney.