Help - IPA Not Fermenting?

deanobrfc · Oct 25, 2016

Evening all,

I started brewing a St Peter's IPA kit on Sunday as my first ever brew.

It has been almost 48 hours now and I am seeing no air bubbles in the air lock - I have done absolutely everything by the book and struggling to figure out why there are no air bubbles - can anyone please help with this?

I have just opened the FV slightly and it has white foam on the top of the liquid with what I assume is yeast on top and it is starting to smell more like beer.

Can anyone please help with this?

Thank you.

Budgie · Oct 25, 2016

deanobrfc said:
Evening all,

I started brewing a St Peter's IPA kit on Sunday as my first ever brew.

It has been almost 48 hours now and I am seeing no air bubbles in the air lock - I have done absolutely everything by the book and struggling to figure out why there are no air bubbles - can anyone please help with this?

I have just opened the FV slightly and it has white foam on the top of the liquid with what I assume is yeast on top and it is starting to smell more like beer.

Can anyone please help with this?

Thank you.

If there's a foam (Krausen) on the wort, then it is fermenting. Sometimes airlocks just don't bubble. One of my fermenters has never bubbled. It might be that the lid, or airlock itself isn't a completely tight seal. Nothing to worry about - take a hydrometer reading after 2 weeks and see where you're at.

Chippy_Tea · Oct 25, 2016

As budgie says some seal (bubble) some don't, i have two FV's one seals and bubbles the other doesn't unless i put a heavy weight in the centre of the lid, even then it can be a bit hit and miss.

deanobrfc · Oct 25, 2016

Budgie said:
If there's a foam (Krausen) on the wort, then it is fermenting. Sometimes airlocks just don't bubble. One of my fermenters has never bubbled. It might be that the lid, or airlock itself isn't a completely tight seal. Nothing to worry about - take a hydrometer reading after 2 weeks and see where you're at.

That's a relief! All the material I have read this far seems to state that the airlock is the key sign of fermentation, but there is a fair bit of foam at the top. There's also a layer of 'scum' around the edge - take it this is also a sign of fermentation.

Thanks for your help!

deanobrfc · Oct 25, 2016

Chippy_Tea said:
As budgie says some seal (bubble) some don't, i have two FV's one seals and bubbles the other doesn't unless i put a heavy weight in the centre of the lid, even then it can be a bit hit and miss.

Thanks for your help!

As above - there's also the scum layer around the edge of the inside of the FV - so hoping that's a sign too?

Sandimas · Oct 25, 2016

deanobrfc said:
As above - there's also the scum layer around the edge of the inside of the FV - so hoping that's a sign too?

Yes, it's fine - you have foam and a tide line, all is good. Some FVs just don't seal enough for the airlock to work.

I on the other hand have a beer that's not fermenting, looked inside and no foam at all. Think the yeast maybe a bit old so have pitched another one today.