Muntons IPA kit not started fermenting

HMD

I put on a muntons IPA last saturday but nothing has started. There's gas building up but it's not flowing like it should. The water in the air lock is pushed up but it never bubbles.

Any advice on what to do to get it going or is it dead?

Yawns

Have you tried taking a sample reading? It's the best way to be sure. Take a reading tonight, then another 24 hours. If no change from your OG, then you can try to gently stir the brew with a sanitised spoon. You can add more yeast if required if still no movement say 24 - 48 hours after that.

If the lid is not on secure, then c02 could be escaping through a small gap. Airlocks don't tell much tbh. It could be fermenting fine and no bubbles. I use them myself but they are not needed. Plenty of people brew and just leave a lid covering the bucket loosely. The lid is to stop stuff from falling into your brew.

HMD

Yawns wrote: »

Have you tried taking a sample reading? It's the best way to be sure. Take a reading tonight, then another 24 hours. If no change from your OG, then you can try to gently stir the brew with a sanitised spoon. You can add more yeast if required if still no movement say 24 - 48 hours after that.

If the lid is not on secure, then c02 could be escaping through a small gap. Airlocks don't tell much tbh. It could be fermenting fine and no bubbles. I use them myself but they are not needed. Plenty of people brew and just leave a lid covering the bucket loosely. The lid is to stop stuff from falling into your brew.

Cheers, i was thinking that the gas could be getting out because i took the bung and airlock out the other night to pour some of the water out and there was a smell of fermenting. I took a reading on saturday and will get another tomorrow.

joctcl

Its always a good idea when you are putting on your lip that yo test its airtight by simply pressing in the middle and watching the bubbler.
lift the lid off and have a look in for signs of fermentation, krausen etc.
If it looks just the same as the day you made it then the yeast was dead, which is highly unlikely and you need to pitch again.

HMD

I did a gravity test and it's down to 1017 with no real krausen on the top. I'll probably leave it for a few more days to see if it drops.

joctcl

what did it start at?

HMD

joctcl wrote: »

what did it start at?

It started at 1045. The pressure has built up again but still no bubbling in the air lock so i think the gas is getting out somewhere else.

BeerNut

Sounds like everything is going fine and on schedule. Leave it alone until next week and take another look at the gravity then.

Yawns

Nothing to worry about so, it's fermenting away nicely. Lid is most likely not sealed fully, did it snap on all the way around or maybe the bung for the airlock is not snug in. Either way it's not a big deal. A lot of people don't use airlocks, just leave a small crack when putting the lid on. I have about 8 more fermenting buckets with lids and I'm not gonna bother with airlocks. I haven't been home much in the last 7 months, christ didn't think it was that long, so haven't brewed much. Just one batch. Need to remedy that soon and stick a lot of beer on and finish off the latest additions to the bar.

HMD

cheers, I'll leave it for another week so.

joctcl

Muntons always finish high, would be surprised if you got it to 1010.

HMD

Gravity came down to 1016 so i bottled it today and used coopers carbonation drops. It tasted decent enough so it should be lovely in a few weeks.

tteknulp

HMD wrote: »

Gravity came down to 1016 so i bottled it today and used coopers carbonation drops. It tasted decent enough so it should be lovely in a few weeks.

The muntons yeast is not the best ,1016 still gives you 3.9%abv ,i find danstar or safele good yeasts

HMD

tteknulp wrote: »

The muntons yeast is not the best ,1016 still gives you 3.9%abv ,i find danstar or safele good yeasts

Thanks for the tip. I think I'll try the coopers IPA next.