after 2 days in the fermenter...

azaj · Post by **azaj** » Thursday Oct 26, 2006 5:17 pm

hello, just seeing if everything is going ok with my brew.

i mixed all ingredients and started just over 2 days ago, at since then the fermenter has been at a steady 22 degrees. there is a little condensation in the lid, but i have not seen the airlock bubble or anything, and the water is still level on both sides. do i have a problem?

cheers

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Thursday Oct 26, 2006 5:22 pm

Leave it till tomorrow, on the odd occasion some of mine dont start to quick but its showing signs so should be ok, id be worried if it hasnt started by tomorrow though

Noodles · Post by **Noodles** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 9:14 am

Condensation on the lid is a good sign. What temp did you pitch the yeast at?

Ignore the airlock, if you've got a coopers carboy there's a fair chance it's not sealed 100%. My first brew had no airlock activity at all and still turned out fine. Did you take a gravity reading before you pitched? The best way to make sure your brew is fermenting is a drop in the gravity reading.

Welcome to brewing and just as South Park Saddaam always says "relax guy!".

atropine · Post by **atropine** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 10:26 am

I used a SEX LUBRICANT with my coopers fermenter seal. It's called WET STUFF, but you could use any sex lubricant.

I find it's much easier to put the Lid on now and provides a much better seal, it should increase the life of the seal too as it doesn't constantly grip when you put the lid on tightly

azaj · Post by **azaj** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 11:09 am

hey noodles. i pitched the yeast at 22 degrees, and since then it has basically stayed the same temperature the whole time, except just not i checked it and it has gone down to 20. there is still no activity in the airlock, except there is a little more condensation than yesterday i think.
i didnt take my reading before the brew started, but i can take one now will that be helpful still? cheers

Noodles · Post by **Noodles** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 11:15 am

Your temperatures are spot on. The increase in condensation tells me everything is ok but take a gravity reading anyway then take another 24 hours later, i'm sure you'll find your reading has dropped.

If you're really worried about no air-lock activity try twisting your lid a fraction tighter and making sure your air-lock is pushed in properly.

atropine · Post by **atropine** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 11:38 am

azaj wrote: there is still no activity in the airlock, except there is a little more condensation than yesterday

Believe me azaj, the SEX LUBRICANT is what you need for your LEAKY RING.

You will then see bubbles in the airlock.

azaj · Post by **azaj** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 12:05 pm

i dont have a leaky ring

Colexis2 · Post by **Colexis2** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 12:12 pm

The reason atropine is suggesting sex lube is they are water based.
I have a coopers fermenter and "SURPRISE" the seal is crap, but I've never worried. The way I see it is that there is a postive pressure difference, so nothing is going to get in.

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 12:15 pm

Actually, the water-based lubricant is a good idea, as it won't perish the rubber seal.

Tipsy · Post by **Tipsy** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 12:46 pm

I used wet stuff on my coopers fermenters before I pitched them for pails.

atropine · Post by **atropine** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 12:56 pm

I have an underwater camera for diving. Everytime it's used you need to clean and relube all the rubber seals to keep the rubber healthy and waterproof. I started with the Nikon lube (it's a nikon camera) but it was insanely expensive so I switched to WET STUFF. Never had a problem with the seals in the 5 years that I've been using it.

azaj · Post by **azaj** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 2:36 pm

thats unreal thankyou for that handy hint. i just took the SG reading and it was about 1012. does this mean anything? when i poured some brew from the carbon into the test tube, some of the water from the airlock got sucked in or something like that, there is still water in it tho..

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 3:44 pm

I normally take out the airlock before taking SG readings so as to avoid sucking the airlock water back into the wort, as this can be a source of infection.

Noodles · Post by **Noodles** » Friday Oct 27, 2006 5:30 pm

azaj wrote:thats unreal thankyou for that handy hint. i just took the SG reading and it was about 1012. does this mean anything? when i poured some brew from the carbon into the test tube, some of the water from the airlock got sucked in or something like that, there is still water in it tho..

If the SG reading is 1012 your brew is defintely fermenting, it would have started around about 1038. So relax and let your brew do it's thing. After 6 or 7 days take a reading and then another 24 hours later, if the readings are the same, it's bottling time.

As rwh said, always take the air-lock out when getting samples, you don't want your air-lock water sucked into the wort. Anyway, i'm sure your brew is fine.