Tell me more ×
Homebrewing Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for dedicated home brewers and serious enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 2 down vote favorite

Good Evening Folks,

Well...my first batch seemed to go pretty well. Within 24 hours it was bubbling pretty good. Now 72 hours later, the bubbling has become very slow I'm talking one bubble every 15 seconds or so.. I'm a little concerned that it should still be bubbling more. I want to rack it into a carboy this weekend (I brewed Monday night). I was at 1.040 so is it ok to let it sit 3 more days and test it Sunday? If the specific gravity isn't where it should be should I add more yeast and leave it in the bucket?

Thanks!

Mike

share|improve this question
possible duplicate of No Bubbles and No Foam after 3 Days – JoeFish Feb 24 '12 at 20:47

2 Answers

up vote 4 down vote

Sounds like everything is proceeding on schedule. Congratulations -- you've made beer!

Don't worry about the rate of bubbling. If it was fermenting vigourously in the first few days, you've got nothing to be concerned about. I wouldn't touch it right now. In fact, I wouldn't even rack it to secondary. Let it sit another couple of weeks, and then check the gravity. It should be close the the terminal gravity. Check the gravity again in a couple of days. If it hasn't changed, bottle your beer.

In the unlikely event that the fermentation has stalled, I.e. the gravity is not dropping and it's too high, your best bet is to gently rouse the yeast by stirring (try not to introduce too much oxygen) and move the fermenter to a warm place. Wait a week and check the gravity again. If it's still not fermenting add some fresh, rehydrated, yeast.

share|improve this answer
Thanks so much for the advice! Is it okay to rack it to a secondary in about a week? The only reason I am pushing to do that is because I want to start another batch...LOL. – Mike Feb 25 '12 at 2:11
1  
Yup. Just be careful with sanitation. Also, try not to let the beer splash when it's siphoning into the carboy, as you don't want to introduce any oxygen. Take a gravity reading while you're racking to get an idea of where the fermentation is. – Tobias Patton Feb 25 '12 at 3:27
up vote 0 down vote

I'd leave it alone for another 2-3 weeks (depending on style). Let it sit in primary for a while, bottle it, wait another two weeks or so and enjoy!

share|improve this answer
2  
This is so true! Let the beer make the schedule, not the calendar! – Denny Conn♦ Feb 24 '12 at 16:18
Will do...thanks again! – Mike Feb 26 '12 at 16:26
@DennyConn, probably the best homebrew process quote ever! – mdma♦ Feb 27 '12 at 12:16

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.