Not sure if I have a problem

[Teamsterjohn]

By noon time today, it will be 48 hours that my wine kit RJS cellar classic w/skins has no bubbling in the airlock. But I am using a rubbermaid brute 10 gallon bucket. The lid on these bucket's just snaps down in 2 places. There is no rubber seal. So im thinking that maybei t's easyier for the carbon dioxide to exit from the side's of the lid, then from the airlock??? When I look into the primary, it does look like foam is there. The room temp is 68.5 and the wine temp id near 70.00 from the floating thermometer. Maybe everything is ok? I have a brew belt also if you think that's what I need to do?

 

[summersolstice]

Everything's fine. As you suspected, the seal isn't tight enough to force the expelled gas through the airlock. In fact I never use a tight lid or airlock during a primary. I simply cover with a t-shirt and secure with a bungee cord.

 

[rawlus]

the airlock may never bubble on the brute. the gravity-fit lid will allow gasses to escape fine. rack to carboy and under airlock when the instructions tell you to and you should be fine. wine temp is slightly on the cool side which could account for the 48 hrs to get started. visual signs of fermentation are not always reliable.

 

[MN-winer]

Use your Hydrometer to know if something is happening.

 

[wyntheef]

if it's in a somewhat quiet area, you can rest your ear against the side of the primary and HEAR it working.

 

[Tom]

and when it gets going you can SMELL it. LOL
Ah the smell of the yeasties doing their work !

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Thanks guys, I was hoping thats all it was. Tomorrow morning I will get an SG reading and post it here. I will also put my ear next to it, and can I put the belt on it with a timer to say turn it off for a few hours at night?

 

[Julie]

and when it gets going you can SMELL it. LOL
Ah the smell of the yeasties doing their work !

.... I will also put my ear next to it....

If you lift the lid and stir, you can see it foam, hear it working and smell the yeasties ALL AT ONCE

 

[arcticsid]

I'd do what Julie said, but instead of stiriing round and round, whip it, with a slotted spoon or an actual whip, you most certainly will see some foam, and I would leave that lid ajar and forget the airlock during the primary ferment. As I'm sure you know temperature is important, especially until it gets going and then a little cooler wont be to bad. if you can get it around 70 is what you want. Measure the temp of the must, not the ambient room temp.

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Thanks to everyone for your help. The room does have that nice smell of wine, thats good. I will take a SG in the morning, then after gice it a good whiping. I have been sturing it around with that plastic paddle that comes with the wine making equipment kit But m thinking that the hole problem was with me worrying for nothing.

 

[Wade E]

First signs are always the sound of sort of like a soda pop crackling!

 

[arcticsid]

no worries I can see John. There is this ongoing discussion about airlocks on the primary. I by no means am an expert but if the yeasties like oxegen as they propergate, than why deny them ? Give the must some airspace, cheesecloth is cheap, even an old shirt, clean of course should be enough to stretch over the top. If the top of this Brute is to big, go in the street and go up to a big person and ask them for their shirt. LOL. If you are successful in getting it, you will have one big enough to cover your container.

 

[cbw]

Where did you get a Brute lid with a bung hole? Drill your own? I've never seen one before! Doesn't make a lot of sense since Brute lid is loose fitting anyway.

 

[Teamsterjohn]

This morning my SG is the same as it was 3 days ago. 1.094 wine temp:70 I put the brew belt on it. This is starting to not look so good here I guess??? As for the lid, your right, I didn't need a hole in it, but I didn't no how loose it was going to be, so on the safe side, I drilled a hole in it and put a rubber garnet in there for the airlock. No harm done for the lid.P.S. Also I didn't notice any foaming and it tasted sugarely...

 

[summersolstice]

This morning my SG is the same as it was 3 days ago. 1.094 wine temp:70 I put the brew belt on it. This is starting to not look so good here I guess??? As for the lid, your right, I didn't need a hole in it, but I didn't no how loose it was going to be, so on the safe side, I drilled a hole in it and put a rubber garnet in there for the airlock. No harm done for the lid.P.S. Also I didn't notice any foaming and it tasted sugarely...

I replied to this in the other thread. This isn't a temperature problem - 70F is perfect -, it's a yeast problem. After three days you'd think there'd be at least some activity, even from wild yeast if nothing else. Just repitch another packet and you'll be fine.

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Thanks, I made a new tread to get faster replys. Ill will hve to pay for one day shipping to get it here by tomorrow morning

 

[Runningwolf]

Where did you get a Brute lid with a bung hole? Drill your own? I've never seen one before! Doesn't make a lot of sense since Brute lid is loose fitting anyway.

You can get them at Lowes. Just ask them for it. They keep them next to the board stretchers.

 

[arcticsid]

I remember looking for prop wash, they told me it was next to the board stretchers. Walked out of there with nothing but a plan to get back the person who sent me in there looking for both!

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Hi guys, well this morning my wine SG was 1.080 it started at 1.094 4 or 5 days ago, and the wine temp is 71.3 I can see foaming noow and I can hear it cracklin sound coming from it. So it seems like its starting to work now? Do you think that I should still add a packet of yeast, or just leave it alone for now?

 

[Racer]

Since you do have a measurable difference in SG now I would leave it alone and not add any more yeast. Just follow the instructions that came with the kit now.