yeast gone dead

garypee

hi looking for info my cider mix seems to have gone dead in the fermentation bucket after only 3 days no bubbles in airlock as yet any ideas anyone plz

carl_s

3days it might have stoped bubbleing because its done yeast normaly dont die after fermenting its usaly dead before you put it in maybe the its stoped bubbleing beause theres no more suger to turn into alc 

HBO_Staff

If it started fermenting then it does sound like you have had a rapid start and it is now slowing down. It will continue to ferment much more calmly, the best way to know what is happening and to monitor the progress of the ferment is to use a hydrometer to take reading. Temperature plays a big part and can affect the speed of the ferment too, as well as the amount of sugars in the brew

STOPASKING4USERNAMES

My wine kit hasn't fermented but apart from that it looks good. Can I just add more yeasty and another 3.5 kegs of sugar or should I try a restart yeast, if so, will it need more sugar. Ta

HBO_Staff

If your wine has already had the sugar added and definitely hasn't fermented, then a re-start yeast may well do the trick. Just make sure it's warm enough to help it ferment, at least 20 degrees C should be fine, and we recommend you use a hydrometer to check on it's progress, as it may be slowly fermenting without much froth etc, especially if it is cooler

beevz

HI, this is my first time brewing beer and I was bought the kit as a present - typical me jumped straight into brewing it and I believe I have dropped a bit of a nut with the temperature.
it is FAR colder than 18 degrees in my house, so I thought I would simply leave it for longer. my beer has been in primary fermentation for just over 8 days now (the kit says 4-8) but the beer still isn't within the "beer finish" zone on my hydro and after a couple of hydro readings doesn't seem to be fermenting at any noticeable rate.
unfortunately I have the added inconvenience of not being able to access my brew between 8:30AM on fridays right the way through to about midday on Monday - I travel a lot.
This is why it has been left so long - i took a reading before i left on Friday and it was still a way off so left it to monday, figuring that would be 8 days and it would be ready upon my return, but i still don't think it is. The "yeasty" smell that it had when first fermenting is now gone, too. Does this mean the yeast is dead?
Any help would be great;y appreciated, Cheers!

Edit, the hydro reading as of now is 1.016, the kit says wait till the hydro says below 1006 on 2 consecutive days to assure fermentation is finished before putting in the barrel

HBO_Staff

The temperature will undoubtedly increase the fermentation time, and if it gets too cold will stop it all together, but many people do end up brewing at lower temperatures so this is usually nothing to worry about. You just need to keep an eye on the readings, if it has stopped try giving it a gentle stir which can help it along, and ideally move it somewhere a bit warmer to help speed it up and keep it fermenting. It does need to get lower and as close to 1006 as you can, before moving it over into the barrel, if it is cooler you just need to be patient and allow it longer and it will get there. Before barrelling it is important to get the hydrometer reading as low as possible, and make sure there are no small bubbles rising to the surface of the liquid. Cooler temperatures increase fermentation times, and warmer temperatures can sometimes speed them up.

There are a number of heating devices available which might be worth considering if it is quite cold in the house, either BrewBelts or heater trays are the best options, we use heater trays here;

http://home-brew-online.myshopify.com/collections/all/products/brew-belt-heated-brewing-belt
http://home-brew-online.myshopify.com/collections/all/products/25l-fermenting-vessel-heater-tray

beevz

Right okay, thanks for the help.
Think I may have to invest in a heating aid.
Is there any advantage between the two methods?

Also, to be clear, leaving my brew in primary fermentation for longer than advised by the kit won't spoil it, will it?

Cheers

HBO_Staff

It is quite common for brews to remain in the fermenting vessel longer and it is important to let it finish fermenting, you should try not to leave a brew on the dead yeast in the vessel as it could potentially affect the flavour, but for short periods this is unlikely, and plenty of people have forgotten about a brew or left it in there too long with no problems.

If leaving a brew for a while and not checking it, the heating trays are quite good as they will heat the brew to around 8 or so degrees above air temperature, then thermostatically turn off, whereas the Brew Belts are on constantly. It is advisable to keep a check on the temperature, whichever you use, they are more expensive but we use the TE25 heater trays here. An LCD themrometer adhered to the outside of the vessel allows you to see the guide temperaure at a glance, as you don't want it to go the other way and start getting too hot either

beevz

thankyou for your help 

beevz

Next question (sorry about this, haha!)

After 17 (yes, seventeen) days, the primary fermentation is finally complete!
I siphoned off the beer last night and put it in the keg.
What I realised today, is that I didn't lubricate the seal.

What can be done at this stage when secondary fermentation is underway?
Was I supposed to lubricate the seal on the inside of the cap, or am I supposed to lubricate the outside of the cap?
What should  use? Just petroleum Jelly?

Thanks

HBO_Staff

It is recommended to use something like Vaseline or similar by putting just a bit on the thread, this helps ensure it seals properly and make sure it is airtight. It is not always needed, if the barrel is holding pressure then it may be OK without, but if you have very recently primed the barrel, then it may be a good idea to remove the lid and lubricate the thread a little. The main thing though is that the barrel is airtight and stays airtight whilst the brew is in it

Gerry

To Beevz,

                You don't need to spend a lot of money on these upmarket things to get you brew to the correct temperature, Use a older electric blanket wrapped around the brewing bin. It should be o.k. on low setting. you can check the temperature after a day or two. I have always found 25 Deg Celsius an ideal temperature. The brewing recommends 18deg to 28.  Best of luck. 

Gerry

Add to post to Beevz'

                               You can pick up a second hand electric blanket at a flea market or ask friends etc or if you get offered a double and one half dose not work ,cut off the half that does not work and use the half that does work.