Has it stuck or just slowed?

[matt76]

With hindsight, I think my first ever brew (a kit) a few weeks back suffered from a stuck fermentation... Last weekend I did brew #2, my first AG brew following the guide on here...

I got about 11L wort, OG 1.056, into which I pitched a full pack of Wyeast 1275 Thames Valley on Saturday night - between Sunday morning until Monday bedtime it way bubbling along at a good old rate, but as of Tuesday morning little or no action. It's sitting happily at about 20degC by the way...

What gives? I gave the wort a good old whisking to aerate it. But as a newbie I've no experience to go on. Is this behaviour to be expected? I'm not panicking yet and I've read the initial part of fermentation can be very brisk and I'm happy to leave it to do it's think for another 2 weeks or so...

What sort of behaviour should I be looking out for? Surely there should b some bubbling now and then? For now I'm keeping an eye on the airlock to see if the level is changing, indicating intermittent bubbling when my back is turned.

Any advice?

 

[Harbey]

I'm pretty new to this too - 6 all grain brews in. I find exactly the same, lots of action for a couple of days then slow or nothing. Just leave it alone for a couple of weeks and, assuming you've got a constant temperature, it will be fine. You could take a gravity reading for a few days but just being patient is probably the best thing.

 

[divrack]

We all understand the anxious worrying of first time beerfather's, but there should be a big banner on forums saying IF IS YOUR FIRST BREW IT'S PROBABLY DOING QUITE FINE...
so you don't post the same questions everyone does.. only joking. I don't mind doling out pearls of wise wisdom to novices. It makes me feel superior.
Bubbles are no indication of activity. Plastic buckets leak. If you're really worried look inside and chances are there will be Bubbles and yeast visible indicating it's still doing stuff, but no good will come of it and bad might.
Better is to leave it for the expected two or three weeks then bottle. Oxygen is not your friend, although I was a cronic wine thief abuser when I started out.
In the unlikely event it did stall then nothing will be lost by leaving it alone, but if it did then you can always add some enzyme or some other yeast later, but again highly doubt it. 40 percent of all posts are "is my baby ok?????!" 39.9 percent of answers is Yes.

 

[GerritT]

Don't whisk fermented beer. No oxygen to add after it's been bubbling for days!
Next time a stern stir without any splashing!
And it will become beer, don't worry.