Second Batch Fermenting

Hi all,

Started on my second batch this weekend. It is a special bitter kit from the Austin Homebrew shop. It started fermenting about 24 hours after pitching the yeast. The temp rose to 74 at this time. I put the fermenter into a container with cold water and 2 frozen 2 liter coke bottles. The temp dropped to about 56 after about 1/2 hour. I took the fermenter out and wrapped a damp shirt aroud it and it has been steady at 64-65 since. Are these temp fluctuations going to hurt the beer and is 65 a good temp to keep it at?

65F is a good temperature, the fluctuations probably slowed the yeast down a bit. Not enough to keep it from starting up again.

I think the airlock did slow a little when it got in the 50s but once it was back up to 65 it was bubbling about every 1-2 seconds again.