chemist308

Recipes 

Well, I've had some minor temperature fluctuations even with 3 weeks of oil heat to stabilize temps for fermentation. All I can figure is that with the extreme cold this week and the drafty house, the furnace doesn't always keep up. But these aren't extreme fluctuations--maybe 5 degrees. Two of my three airlocks have gone back down.

I'm scared now. Does this mean my yeast went dormant on me. I'm planning to bottle--three weeks in the primary and then into bottles for three to four weeks seems to work well for my 1.05ish og brews. Do I need to do anything different? Should I consider a bottling yeast, or an I still fine?

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Primary Fermenter 1: Beer

Primary Fermenter 2: Empty

Secondary Fermenter: Empty

Bottled: ESB Stout

Drinking: Nothing

reim0027

Recipes 

As Revvy is quick to point out, airlock activity is not an indicator of fermentation. Hydrometer readings are your best indicator. I'll let the experts advise you on what to do. My incliniation is to wait, take a few sequential readings and go from there.

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"Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof." ~V

chemist308

Recipes 

Not really worried about airlock activity. I always make sure I'm at target gravity before I bottle. Based on time, I'm guessing those two are, but will of course confirm that--I don't like cracking the seal until I'm ready to do something about it. And as for the stout, that may be going into a secondary for while.

But I have to take all factors surrounding this into account. The airlocks dropped when we were getting some chilly drafts in the house. Based on a bucket thermometer, the bucket temps may have dropped 3 or 4 degrees, but stayed with within the 60 to 70 degree range.

So I'm wondering, is a three degree change enough to affect my yeasties, and if so, what might I do to ensure they're active enough to bottle? One was Safeale (american ale style yeast) the other was Nottingham (british ale style yeast).

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Primary Fermenter 1: Beer

Primary Fermenter 2: Empty

Secondary Fermenter: Empty

Bottled: ESB Stout

Drinking: Nothing

ArcaneXor

Recipes 

RDWHAHB. Yeasties don't like temperature fluctuations, but they'll cope. Chances are that the stoppers simply didn't seal perfectly, allowing the air pressure within and outside the carboy to equilibrate.

If the yeast did go to sleep, they'll wake back up as temperatures increase. It's not ideal, but you have so much yeast in there that some of them being fussy is not going to significantly compromise your beer.

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The Fiesty(sic) Goat Brewery est. 2007 & Clusterfuggle Experimental Ales est. 2009
Planned: Fat Man Brown Porter (Pro-Am #2), WLP 351 Hefeweizen, WLP 860 Munich Helles
Primary: Centennial Falcon IPA (Pro-Am #1), sLambic I
Secondary: Flanders Red
Kegged:Himmel un Ääd Kölsch #8, Farmhouse Session Saison Pilot Batch, Chocolate Milk Stout, Pale Ale, Chili Smoked Porter, Berliner Weisse w/ Brett #3

reim0027

Recipes 

Again, I am no expert. But from what little I know, low 60's is not going to kill the yeast. They are still there. Fermentation is exothermic, so it is typically warmer in the fermentor than the ambient temperature. A 3-4 degree temperature drop in the temperature (even the sticky tape thermometer on the outside of the bucket) doesn't always equate to 3-4 degree drop in the fermentor. Water also resistant to temperature changes (because it's specific heat is high). That is why it takes so much energy to change the temperature of water.

Regarding what you should do, I'll let a more experienced brewer answer that.

EDIT - looks like someone beat me to the answer.

__________________
"Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof." ~V

ifishsum

Recipes 

It's fine, probably just finished with the active fermentation. I've been fermenting my ales at 62-65 and so far I've yet to have one crap out on me, although I do try to bump them up to 66-68 as the activity decreases just to be sure. You won't need to add yeast for bottling and even if they did go dormant they will wake back up once they warm up and have some priming sugar to munch on.

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"If you're gonna be an ape, be a hairy one" - Spyder

Primary 2: Edwort's Robust Porter
Secondary 1: LW Pale Ale
Secondary 1: Blackened Soul RIS
Kegged: Dead Guy Ale
Kegged: Rye Pale Ale
Kegged: Haus Pale Ale
Kegged: Nut Brown Ale
Kegged: Afrikan Amber
Kegged: Jock Scott Ale
Kegged: Afrikan Amber

nosmatt

Recipes 

i have cold crashed in the primaries, my last few batches in the ~ 25-29* range, all have carbed up fine! this is with us05 and notti yeast. you will be fine.
in fact, im testing a 7 day in the bottle IPA from last saturdays bottling. all carbed up, and slightly green, but damn! i have never made something so close to SNCA! and i have tried three times. this stuff is GOOD!



good luck!

The Blow Leprechaun

Recipes 

I would kill for only a 5 degree fluctuation in my house. My central heat is incapable of running properly and subjects me to 10 degree swings constantly. I've yet to experience any problems. You can swirl the fermenter gently to rouse the yeast when the temps get back into where you want them and that might wake them up, but I doubt it's necessary.