Beer brewing can be bewildering, and no matter how much you read about the procedure, you still have some questions that go unanswered.

The questions in this article are not unique but the common questions experienced by brewers, both newbies and those with experience.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my beer not fermenting even after waiting for hours?

This question is common among first-time brewers. It’s pretty a valid question considering you’ve invested time and money on ingredients and the brewing process. The fermenting process takes patience – sometimes it could go up to 7 hours or even 72 hours and no signs yet. After that time, fermentation will start, and if that doesn’t happen, you may need to find out where the problem could be.

Here are simple things that may have led to such a scenario:

How Airtight is your fermentation vessel?

That’s the first thing you check. If the lid fits poorly, it means CO2 is leaking from the bung or bucket. Always check to ensure the lid is tight so that no air escapes.

What’s the beer temperature?

Yeast works in a specific temperature range, and if the fermenting vessel is in a cold room, then the yeast will hibernate, and nothing will happen. Your beer should be in a place conducive to yeast. These are temperatures between 17° to 24°, and you need to confirm from the package. You have to wait for the beer to warm, and that could be a day or so. 

Add more yeast

If you’ve tried regulating temperature and things don’t seem to work, you may need to add more yeast. It could be because you pitched less yeast, and therefore, you should add more. It seems there weren’t enough yeast cells sufficient for the quantity of beer undergoing fermentation. 

There’s funny-looking stuff floating in the fermenting beer; what could that be?

If you’re a first-time brewer or an outsider, then fermenting can be pretty disgusting. It produces a weird sludge and some blobs that look congealed. What you see is just a consequence of fermentation. Don’t worry; take it as usual, as it should tell you that your brewing process is going on well.

Is my beer infected?

Most of the starters in beer brewing will think that when something is floating, it’s some infection. 99.9% of the time,  this is not true. It’s usually crud that occurs naturally during fermentation. 

It’s nothing to worry about; leave the beer to ferment.

The easiest way to identify infected beer is through taste. It will taste sour if infected, and if you’re not sure, you can ask an expert in the beer brewing business or invest in beer testing supplies to help you out. 

My brew is ruined; what do I do?

Don’t be too harsh; there’s no reason you should pour out the beer unless something is grossly wrong. Take your time – yes, you may have gone wrong in making the beer but give it time, often things sort out themselves naturally. 

When it comes to beer brewing, patience is the common denominator. Never be in a rash, give it time, and even if something went wrong, don’t make decisions until you’ve confirmed it’s the right thing to do.