UselessBrewing said:
Air lock activity is not a gauge of fermentation
I don't know how to respond to that.
I've always use the bubbles of CO2 as a gauge. I like to shine the beer too. I put a light on the far side of the Glass carboy and watch the bubbles going up and the yeast sediment falling down.
If the Air lock is not a guage of ferment activity then what is happening if it's bubbling? Is that not fermentation in full tilt?
When I racked it off and dry hopped it I observed the brew becoming very active with a full head of sudsy krausen and aggressive energetic activity in the fluid volume. I know I warmed the brew by maybe 8 or 10 degrees in this process which might speak to the sudden activity.
It's mostly Marris Otter with some wheat and oats, lots of different hops, Mashed for a couple hours at 151F, mashout at 175, batch sparged, and an 80 minute boil. Yeast is Wyeast London Ale #1028
I'm thinking of warming the brew to about 70 Degrees in a water bath to let it finish what it's doing.
As for taking a reading:
I'm a big fan of not opening a carboy fermenter any more than I have to (including for Hydrometer readings) on the thesis that there are bugs in the air and I might let one in.
This "Exposure to the Wild Air" issue is a major driving force for my lust after a Conical. With a Conical I can use a HEPA filter to screen the air entering the fermenter during any extractions. With Glass carboys I don't have that luxury.
Of course it's not exactly small potatoes to eliminate hauling 5-gallon glass carboys around either. Every time I wonder if this'll that time when I have a hell of a mess to clean up.