Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Krausen present but no bubbles...  (Read 5186 times)

Offline SHILLA

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 6
Krausen present but no bubbles...
« on: December 01, 2014, 11:47:23 am »
I just put a pale ale in the fermentor on Saturday (48 hours ago).   I used White Labs WLP051
yeast and did a 1 liter starter.  I've made this beer two times before and never saw anything like this.
I've got about an inch or two of krausen (less than normal), the yeast is very actively moving around in the carboy, but no bubbles.   I replaced the blow off tube this AM thinking I had a leak and put a air lock bubbler on top instead.   Still no bubbles.   

I've read quite a few articles on the various forums and most are saying its fine and just take a hydrometer reading at some point.   My question is… how can this be so different from any other beer I've made?  The temp is spot on 68 degrees and everything else looks good.  The one thing I did different this time was I added some anti-foaming agent during the boil and during the transfer to fermenter.   I've done this a number of times too with no notable effect.   I may have used a bit more this time and was wondering if it could be contributing to the no bubbles?   Arn't bubbles a given since they are an output from fermentation when the sugar is converted to alcohol?

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Krausen present but no bubbles...
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2014, 11:56:36 am »
If you have active fermentation then CO2 is being created. No bubbling means there must be a leak somewhere, but perhaps not the airlock. It could be the lid seal if you're using a bucket. Like you've read, nothing really to worry about.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline SHILLA

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 6
Re: Krausen present but no bubbles...
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2014, 12:08:38 pm »
My thought too… must be an air leak.   I don't really trust the seal with the orange blow off tube caps.  Cheap plastic but has worked well until now.

I'll try installing a stopper in the top of the carboy tonight along with a air lock bubbler and see if that changes things.   Meanwhile, I've got a 1.072 black IPA next to it that sounds like a herd of horses!  Most of my beers are similar and have very aggressive fermentation in the primary with considerable amounts of product ending up in the blow off container… enough to warrant changing out the container with a clean one.   

The other thing about this batch was the yeast viability.   It was relatively old and viability was less than 50%.  I did a 1 liter starter which should have put it back in a reasonable range for fermentation.   The Krausen was present the next day at about 12 hours… a good sign.   Just odd so I wanted to get some comment.    My first thought was I over did the anti-foaming agent.     

Offline Stevie

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6858
Re: Krausen present but no bubbles...
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2014, 12:18:35 pm »
I don't really trust the seal with the orange blow off tube caps.  Cheap plastic but has worked well until now.


I use large worm clamps to make these seal. I opted for the ones below with the wingnut.


http://www.autozone.com/fasteners/hose-clamp/koehler-ez-hose-clamp/862122/?_requestid=5117850




Offline SHILLA

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 6
Re: Krausen present but no bubbles...
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2014, 07:21:17 pm »
I replaced the orange blow off cap with a rubber stopper and airlock.  Sure enough.... Bubbles!
The thing that threw me off was the lack of krausen pushing into the blow off tubing.  I attribute this to the anti foaming agent I added to the boil and later during the transfer to the carboy.

Learned something new.