Brew UK Forum | General Brewing Discussions
Is fermentation taking place??
I am complete beginner to brewing, so please bare with me!!!
I have a youngs brew buddy lager kit that I have had in the fermenting bin for a couple of days now at room temperature (around 20-21).
I have fitted a bubbler air lock to the lid, but there has been no action through it.
Can I remove the lid to check that fermentation is taking place? or will this spoil the brew!!!
Responses
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Hi Drew, yes remove the lid and see if there is any foamy head forming on the top of the brew. It won't do any harm. Hopefully there will be some visable signs.
If not then give us a shout.
Regards
Greg.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
+1 to greg there.
I reckon all will be fine. I remember checking on my fisrt brews like a expectant mother! Im sure it will be fine and remember if you are worried to take a hydrometer reading to see if it has "dropped" at all. (remember to sanitise the hydrometer)
Ta,
Nath
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi,
Thanks for the replies.
I have just removed the lid to discover no foam. the reading on the hydrometer was 1026 original was 1040.
I have just found out that the temperature strip on the side of my fermentation bin is wrong, as i have set an external thermometer to discover the reading is actually 24c rather than 21c, is this enough to ruin the brew??
Is there anything I can do or is the brew ruined?!?!?
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Hi Drew, 24 is a little high but shouldn't be enough to ruin the brew. Its obviously fermenting okay if its down to 1026.
I would move somewhere a little cooler if possible and relax, it will be fine.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi Greg, Thanks for that.
I have moved the bin to the outside shed so hopefully will be a little cooler out there!! now i will try to relax.....!!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Don't want to sound patronising but did you make sure that the lid was snapped fully shut and the airlock has water in? And before you ask, yes it happenned to me on my first brew. Nothing to worry about though.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi Rodders, Yeah i pressed the lid shut and filled the airlock half full (or just over) but i wasnt sure of the lid was fully sealing so i put some duct tape around the rim.
Cheers
Drew
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi drew. Just a small point but your yeast will like a fairly constant temp and there may be quite a variation where you plan to put it. Is there space under your stairs?
As rodders says, it's easy to not get a perfect seal, I've done it myself
(with grateful thanks to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and slightly adapted)
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi Tony, I had the brew under the stairs to begin with but see what you mean about the variation in temperature. Is it best then to bring the brew back indoors?
Cheers
Drew
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Might be a bit cool outside. I'm brewing in my garage at the moment and seem to get a pretty constant 18c which is ideal but depends on how warm your shed is at night. You could wrap a towel or something round it in the evening to keep it more constant.
I normally brew in the house, under the stairs and usually get a steady 20c although its been a bit warm in the past few weeks hence the move to the garage. This is probably the last brew I'll do out there as its starting to get a bit cooler now.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
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