ckohtz

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Hey everyone, I'm a first time home brewer and I started on my first batch of beer Sunday. Since I'm very new to this, this question may seem silly. I feel somewhat like an over protective parent taking their kid to the doctor for something that experienced parents would just ignore. BUT...

So, on Sunday I followed all the instructions in a beer kit I got for Christmas. I steeped the grains, added the malt extract, hops, boiled, more hops, added water, etc. When everything was ready, I measured the specific gravity, added the yeast and put the lid on my bucket. Everything went really well. I added the airlock as well, and moved the bucket into a closet. The next day, the airlock was bubbling away.

The directions said to keep the beer in an area where the temp was 68 to 72 degrees. Well, it turns out the closet the beer was in was getting up to 78 degrees. So, after about maybe 36 hours, I moved the bucket to the basement. Once I did that, the bubbling stopped (or has greatly reduced, I haven't seen it bubble once). The temp in the basement is 68 degrees.

Did I do anything wrong by moving the beer? Will disturbing it during this period screw anything up?

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Craig

ckohtz

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Thought I posted this in the wrong place for a sec. Guess not. Ignore this message.

JeepGuy

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Sometimes a ferment will go pretty fast. I've had a beer ferment out to nearly complete in 36 hours or so before. So it could have been slowing anyway. Also, the fermentation will slow with a cooler temperature (like in a basement). I'm sure it's fine with the move. I'd leave it another several days and take a gravity reading. If I'm wrong, I'm sure someone can straighten me out.

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"Fermentation and civilization are inseperable." -John Ciardi, poet

sirsloop

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If it was a small beer, the yeast ate all the sugars already. Keep in mind for the future that the wort will generate heat as the yeast eat through it. Most ale yeast does great in the low 60's...and will have less off flavors than if you ferment it hot. Your batch isnt ruined or anything, but it may have some off flavors from being fermented at high temps.

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MikeFlynn74

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wilserbrewer

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At a temp of 78 your batch most likely fermented quickly. Just because you don't see any bubbles in the airlock dousn't mean it isn't still fermenting slowly. have patience and let it sit at least 2 weeks.

Next batch try and keep the temp of the beer in the mid sixties. Try and cool your wort a few degrees cooler than the basement (low sixties) because fermention will aso heat things up.

ckohtz

Recipes 

Thanks for the advice. Next batch will start in the basement and I'll try not to worry about it. I just didn't know if sloshing it around a little would disturb the process at all. Sounds like it shouldn't hurt it.

Danek

Recipes 

Given that your choice was move the beer or leave it somewhere hot, I think you did the right thing. Let us know how it turns out.

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Bottle conditioning: Pliny the Elder clone; Tramp's Overcoat Barley Wine
Next up: Vanilla Porter