Not one single bubble...

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£5 a pint is cheap down in Surrey.
That's why 'spoons is so popular.

I still brew in a 30+ year old boots fermenting bucket that just has a 6mm hole in the lid to let the co2 out & not had a problem.
I recently got a 2nd fermentation bucket with a tap & airlock, but mainly use that for bottling. Didn't like cleaning sediment out from the tap.
 
Welcome to the forum, I have found lots of great advice and help on here from very knowledgeable people.

As everyone else had mentioned it is probably your fermenting vessel is not airtight. I feel your pain, there's nothing like waiting for that first bubble and that happy feeling when it finally arrives.

From a personal perspective, I'm a bit OCD so would get an airtight vessel for piece of mind but you are obviously making beer you enjoy so if you are happy with the lack of bubbles then just continue as you are.

Just out of interest, are you using a hydrometer to determine when your beer is ready ?
Hi. As far as I am aware, the lid is airtight. I does bulge upwards very slightly but I put that down to expansion of the gasses inside in warm weather. However If the lid buges slightly why oh why doesn't the CO2 escape the the hole at the centre of the lid which has an airlock in it? Surely this is just physics.
The airlock is clear of obstructions and and if i push down gently on the lid it bubbles. It sure don't bubble any other time though.
Yes I use a hydrometer to check OG and FG, as there are no bubbles, i.e visual signs I guess and then check FG before bottling, kegging.
 
Sorry for jumping in but I also have the same problem atm. I’ve used my current FV for many brews and all have had airlock activity. My current brew is completely inactive. It’s baffled me.

it’s a saison that I brewed last Sunday and pitched Lallemand Belle Saison yeast at 23c (followed the instructions on the packet, sprinkled in 100ml @ 30c then stirred in after 20 mins etc). No activity at all. I did check after about 48 hours and there was a modest krausen. I’ve since increased to 24c and no activity. Probably stick it to 25c later today….

As mentioned the FV seal is fine. With these temps I was expecting frenetic activity?????????

Cheers in advance for any replies
 
Sorry for jumping in but I also have the same problem atm. I’ve used my current FV for many brews and all have had airlock activity. My current brew is completely inactive. It’s baffled me.

it’s a saison that I brewed last Sunday and pitched Lallemand Belle Saison yeast at 23c (followed the instructions on the packet, sprinkled in 100ml @ 30c then stirred in after 20 mins etc). No activity at all. I did check after about 48 hours and there was a modest krausen. I’ve since increased to 24c and no activity. Probably stick it to 25c later today….

As mentioned the FV seal is fine. With these temps I was expecting frenetic activity?????????

Cheers in advance for any replies
I would sincerely suggest that you leave it 14 days and then take a hydrometer reading. Belle Saison will ferment down to 1.005 or so and if you pitched a viable pack, that is what is going to happen. Where the CO2 goes, to get out, is not a real issue.
 
Bubbles through the airlock is an unreliable indicator of fermentation so lack of bubbles is no big deal. I brewed a batch of bitter yesterday and no bubbles, but the smell is wonderful and there's a half inch of foam.
It did start bubbling the next day then stopped and the krausen fell.
 
If it one off these you don’t see a lot bubbles compared to the U-bend type. I’ve switched over recently with the plan of setting up some sort of CO2 harvest system.
PS. What flavour of Linux do you advocate out of interest. I ran Kubuntu for many years before selling out and buying a MacBook.
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Hi. I live in Saddleworth. Lots of ten bob millionaires! But yes, the average price of a pint of commercial beer is £5.30. Tourist trap prices in Uppermill.
There are pubs that brew their own and therefore, not beholding to a greedy brewery, can charge their own prices. Often less.

Yes, I added water to the airlock.
I have just kegged Some Norfolk ale which both smells and tastes good...just a tiny sample of course, but had a good foam around the barrel and a good low FG so I guess I should just stop fretting and enjoy the brews.
Welcome to the group Linux
I’m down the road in Mossley beers cheaper here.
No such thing as a silly question , you will get great info and advice from the group as I’ve found
Gaz
 
Just activating this thread again as after many many brews I’ve experienced this for the first time. Pitched two packs of very fresh west Coast BR97 onto a 1050 wort Saturday afternoon but still no bubbling.

I always get bubbling. It’s a ss brewbucket and the lid is clamped down so should be airtight. a Quick peek and it’s seems to have developed significant krausen ( not sure though as the original gravity sample which I kept with no yeast has also developed a head and is still 1050)

I guess the only way to tell is to take a current Gravity sample, maybe in a couple of days. This is a first for me though, no bubbling after nearly 5 years of brewing so a bit of a worry.
 
On closer inspection one of the clamps wasnt down. So not air tight. Problem solved.
I’m guessing not an issue as still in mid fermentation so a lot of co2 being produced and any minimal oxygen transgress will be good for the yeasties?
 
On closer inspection one of the clamps wasnt down. So not air tight. Problem solved.
I’m guessing not an issue as still in mid fermentation so a lot of co2 being produced and any minimal oxygen transgress will be good for the yeasties?
Yeah it's no problem. There will be positive pressure from the co2, stopping baddies, and much O2 getting in. I'd only be worried about O2 ingress in that situation if I was brewing a sensitive beer like a heavily dry hopped pale.
As an aside, yeast are perfectly happy to ferment anaerobically. Oxygen is only preferable for the growth phase
 
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