# fermentation bubbling?



## BJ (Sep 11, 2006)

Started my first batch sunday.

Monday morn saw a patch of foam about 2'' dia with spots of evident yeast activation surrounding.

Monday night checked : top had foam across pail about 3/4'' thick. I've got plastic wrap on top and it dipped down and touched foam. That night i added more nutrient and gave a small roll stir. ( found out i didn't give enough nutrient).

Tuesday night came home smell coming from pail was a strong ferrmentation smell but upon inspection no large amount of foam.... but do have a mild lite bubble. I figure it's still working but is this how it will bubble for the next 2 weeks or should i have a vigerous bubble evedent at the top?

i know the hydrometer should level off later...just worried about a stuck ferment!!!

Am i parinoid?:s


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## Jack Grimshaw (Feb 10, 2001)

Why no airlock?


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## BJ (Sep 11, 2006)

Primary ferment for 2 weeks then rack to carboy


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

BJ said:


> Started my first batch sunday.
> 
> Monday morn saw a patch of foam about 2'' dia with spots of evident yeast activation surrounding.
> is this how it will bubble for the next 2 weeks or should i have a vigerous bubble evedent at the top?
> :s


Mead is nearly impossible to contaminate unless you really have terrible sanitation. Your fermentation may continue to age for several more months, bubbling very slowly. Mead making is best left to the senile, because it is best if rack it next month and forget about it for many tides.


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## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

Interesting comments on the senile. The sensible just make it in volume.

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s275/4nursebee/P1010204.jpg

More in the closet, those are just the new ones.


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## BJ (Sep 11, 2006)

Aspera said:


> Mead is nearly impossible to contaminate unless you really have terrible sanitation. Your fermentation may continue to age for several more months, bubbling very slowly. Mead making is best left to the senile, because it is best if rack it next month and forget about it for many tides.


I was extremely sanitary until the plasic touched..no worries i guess.

Cheers


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

J4, you probably know this but for those that don't, those handy handles you have on the neck of the carboys, well if you are not careful when moving the FULL carboys they will snap the neck off the bottle.  Be careful when using the handles on full carboys.


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## Beeboy01 (May 20, 2008)

I stopped using straps on my glass 5 gallon carboys. Instead I have been using plastic milk crates under the carboys. The crates have handles molded into the sides which makes picking them up a lot easier and keeps the glass bottom off the tile floor. They are easy to get and even holds a 7 1/2 gallon jug I bought at my local home brew store. I have found that some meads won't bubble fast but finish just fine. If you rack to a glass container you can see the small fermentation bubbles run up the inside of the neck, kinda cool and an easy way to track what is going on. I try to use an air lock or water trap when brewing but have used plastic wrap and a rubber band on some smaller one gallon batches with no problem.


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## Zane (Mar 28, 2008)

Great idea on the carboys!!! I broke one in a tub and I made it out scratch free thankfully! I dont know about mead but other ferminables will give off some foam at first. I jst did a cider and left the top 1/4 empty just in case. I did an oatmeal stout ale once that foamed and clogged up my bubbler and eventually blew the top off my fermenting bucket!!!! scared me right out of bed and made a big mess to boot. I now try to put something under my bucket or jug to prevent a mess under it and aslo dont fill as high anymore.


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## Jack Grimshaw (Feb 10, 2001)

Something about an oatmeal stout makes it want to foam.I also had an explosion! I now do 4 gal in the primary and add water to make 5 gal in secondary.

Funny thing though,when its bottled it seems to vanish at an alarmingly fast rate.


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## Zane (Mar 28, 2008)

Yes it did!!! hmmmm seems to me it might be about time for a honey oatmeal stout brew!!!!


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

nursebee said:


> Interesting comments on the senile. The sensible just make it in volume.
> 
> http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s275/4nursebee/P1010204.jpg
> 
> More in the closet, those are just the new ones.


I stand by my comment. I'm strongly in favor of the senile making mead in whatever quantity they see fit. A note beside: larger volume fermenters seem to mature more slowly.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Aspera said:


> A note beside: larger volume fermenters seem to mature more slowly.


And some of us never seem to mature at all. I only ferment small quantities, on the other hand I weigh 200lbs, so I suppose I'm large volume.....so does that mean I can expect to mature soon or is it likely to take a while?


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

beemandan said:


> And some of us never seem to mature at all. I only ferment small quantities, on the other hand I weigh 200lbs, so I suppose I'm large volume.....so does that mean I can expect to mature soon or is it likely to take a while?


You're definitely going to dry out slowly, a sure sign of slow aging.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Aspera said:


> You're definitely going to dry out slowly, a sure sign of slow aging.


I like your thinking.....now I can only hope you are right.


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## BJ (Sep 11, 2006)

:thumbsup:Aspera,

You were right it's fine and fermenting away nicely and smells great.

Thanks


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