So I was going to bottle my first ipa later today but I came home and the beer is fermenting again with a small layer of foam over my dry hops. Its gone from 63 to 73 degrees in my basement in the past few days due to the weather. I dont think its contaminated since I dry hopped 2 weeks ago. Before this the beer was nice and clear and ready to go. I cant detect any warning flavors. It actually tastes great. What should I do at this point. If I were to bottle today, what would be a safe method of filtering out some disturbed cell/hop debris?
Beer started fermenting again the day before bottling....
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jkreuze
Well-Known Member
My theory is that the foam you see is CO2 coming out of solution because of the jump in temperature.
If you fermented for 2-3 weeks in primary and dry hopped for two weeks more it's unlikely your beer is still fermenting. You could take hydrometer readings for a few days to make sure it is finished (but it's probably all done, five weeks is plenty of time for most ales), see if the gravity remains steady.
When you rack to bottling bucket just try not to siphon the trub and hop debris along with the beer, should be fine.
If you fermented for 2-3 weeks in primary and dry hopped for two weeks more it's unlikely your beer is still fermenting. You could take hydrometer readings for a few days to make sure it is finished (but it's probably all done, five weeks is plenty of time for most ales), see if the gravity remains steady.
When you rack to bottling bucket just try not to siphon the trub and hop debris along with the beer, should be fine.
bernerbrau
Well-Known Member
Take a hydrometer reading. If it's not fully fermented, put the top on the fermenter and walk away until it's finished, or you'll risk overcarbonated beer at best, and bottle bombs at worst. It's usually finished when the gravity has reached 20% or less of the original gravity and multiple hydrometer readings over several days remain constant.
If it is finished, you can do a few things:
1. Leave the fermenter alone for a few days and the debris will settle out naturally
2. Siphon the beer off the hops into another container and allow the debris to settle out for a few days (may want to do this since an extended dry hop may impart stale flavors)
3. Just bottle it - the debris will settle out in the bottle during conditioning, but you may also fashion a sanitized filter for the business end of the siphon out of a new sock, hop/grain bag, etc.
If it is finished, you can do a few things:
1. Leave the fermenter alone for a few days and the debris will settle out naturally
2. Siphon the beer off the hops into another container and allow the debris to settle out for a few days (may want to do this since an extended dry hop may impart stale flavors)
3. Just bottle it - the debris will settle out in the bottle during conditioning, but you may also fashion a sanitized filter for the business end of the siphon out of a new sock, hop/grain bag, etc.
Airlock bubbling starting suddenly doesn't necessarily mean fermentation has started, nor does airlock bubbling stopping suddenly mean that fermentation has stopped. You really need to grasp this fact and seperate airlock bubbling in your mind from fermentation.
Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2. To keep your beer off your ceiling. Nothing more.
That's why you need to take a gravity reading to know how your fermentation is going, NOT go by airlocks, or size of krausen, or a calendar, the horoscope or the phases of the moon (those things in my mind are equally accurate).
The most important tool you can use is a hydrometer. It's the only way you will truly know when your beer is ready...airlock bubbles and other things are faulty.
The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....
Thinking about "doing anything" like repitching, or bottling, or racking, without first taking a hydrometer reading is tantamount to the doctor deciding to cut you open without running any diagnostic tests....Taking one look at you and saying, "Yeah I'm going in." You would really want the doctor to use all means to properly diagnose what's going on?
Sorry but that really is the only answer that is accurate or consistant, the numbers on the little stick. I have had evrey airlock bubbling/non bubbling/slow bubbling/fast bubbling/little krausen/big krausen/slow forming krausen/krausen staying 3 weeks after the hydro showed terminal gravity scenario imaginable in nearly 1,000 gallons of beer, and none of that stuff is as sccurate as 30 seconds with a hydrometer.
Your airlock is not a fermentation gauge, it is a VALVE to release excess co2. To keep your beer off your ceiling. Nothing more.
That's why you need to take a gravity reading to know how your fermentation is going, NOT go by airlocks, or size of krausen, or a calendar, the horoscope or the phases of the moon (those things in my mind are equally accurate).
The most important tool you can use is a hydrometer. It's the only way you will truly know when your beer is ready...airlock bubbles and other things are faulty.
The only way to truly know what is going on in your fermenter is with your hydrometer. Like I said here in my blog, which I encourage you to read, Think evaluation before action you sure as HELL wouldn't want a doctor to start cutting on you unless he used the proper diagnostic instuments like x-rays first, right? You wouldn't want him to just take a look in your eyes briefly and say "I'm cutting into your chest first thing in the morning." You would want them to use the right diagnostic tools before the slice and dice, right? You'd cry malpractice, I would hope, if they didn't say they were sending you for an MRI and other things before going in....
Thinking about "doing anything" like repitching, or bottling, or racking, without first taking a hydrometer reading is tantamount to the doctor deciding to cut you open without running any diagnostic tests....Taking one look at you and saying, "Yeah I'm going in." You would really want the doctor to use all means to properly diagnose what's going on?
Sorry but that really is the only answer that is accurate or consistant, the numbers on the little stick. I have had evrey airlock bubbling/non bubbling/slow bubbling/fast bubbling/little krausen/big krausen/slow forming krausen/krausen staying 3 weeks after the hydro showed terminal gravity scenario imaginable in nearly 1,000 gallons of beer, and none of that stuff is as sccurate as 30 seconds with a hydrometer.
i dont have a hydrometer yet revvy. I can see a layer of foam that was not present as of a few days ago. I can also see debris moving around, small bubbles actually forming and adding to the top foam layer and the solution is very cloudy. The beer also tastes a lot stronger than before. I mean a lot. This has been going on for a couple of days without me moving the fermenter or opening it or anything like that. These things tell me it has started fermenting again even without a hydrometer.
jkreuse is probably right.
Revvy's definitely right.
You're not right.
You can't tell squat w/o a hydrometer (or some other method of measuring SG or fermentable sugar content).
When was the last time you tasted it? Before you dry hopped? Doesn't really matter what the answer is. Because whether it's the effect of the hops, the reduced yeast sediment, the 'sting' of co2 on the nasal passages, or extended conditioning... your perception of alcohol content by taste alone is easily fooled.
Buy a hydrometer. It's 5 bucks for Christs sake.
Revvy's definitely right.
You're not right.
You can't tell squat w/o a hydrometer (or some other method of measuring SG or fermentable sugar content).
When was the last time you tasted it? Before you dry hopped? Doesn't really matter what the answer is. Because whether it's the effect of the hops, the reduced yeast sediment, the 'sting' of co2 on the nasal passages, or extended conditioning... your perception of alcohol content by taste alone is easily fooled.
Buy a hydrometer. It's 5 bucks for Christs sake.
ok youre right. but no, thats not how it went. I dindnt secondary ferment so i dry hopped in primary 2 weeks ago. I was going to bottle today but the past few days have been really warm and I noticed this was happening. I have a sample valve on the fermenter so I can take taste samples every few days or so. Past few weeks, solution has been clear with hop leaf bed on top of liquid. Now theres foam covering even over the leaf hops. The beer tastes at least 2% higher in alcohol based on testing it every 3 or 4 days. This has been going on for more than 24 hours so im just not sure whats going on. Im not saying im right im saying the evidence is pointing towards a second fermentation cycle in my tank.
Gropo
Well-Known Member
Somehow the C02 that was in suspension in your carboy was disrupted, and therefore is now releasing through the airlock....either the dry-hopping, or temp change, or moving the carboy. Don't worry; fermentation has not magically started up again. Proceed as normal.
This more than likely casued like Gropo said the co2 to be released from the trub. But it could also have started fermentation. The problem is that without a hydrometer reading, neither you, NOR THE REST OF US KNOW. We can't tell you what's going on. My brewing psychic ability only works on the 5th Tuesday of the month and barely extends past my own brew closet let alone looking into yours.
All we know is that your airlock is bubbling...Not why, or what it means.
And the problem is that since it could be either just off gassing or a re-start to fermentation. If it is off gassing it is fine to bottle, but if fermentation has restarted then you definitely don't want to bottle. Because of this, not knowing is the difference between everythign being fine and bottle bombs. And I don't think you want that do you?
So either you get yourself a hydrometer and take a couple of readings, or if you won't get one, then to walk away for 2 more weeks to give it time to finish fermenting is that is indeed what it is doing.
But can't you see how much easier it would be to get a hydrometer and take 2 readings over 3 days to let you know what is going on?
And almost as importantly can you now see how a bubbling airlock can't really tell you Sh@t beyond the fact that your airlock is bubbling?????? It won't tell you what your beer is doing, just what your airlock is.
Gropo
Well-Known Member
I'm guessing that it's been beaten into your brain by this point. Go spend $5 on a hydrometer and remove all doubt. My $$ would be on a spontaneous release of C02, but like Revy said, you can't be 100% sure without a gravity reading.
Skaggz
Well-Known Member
I wish I had your super sensory ethanol-detecting tongue.gusty83 said:
Plus one more for go get a hydrometer. If you didn't live across the country I'd give you one of my spares.
edit: Just need some clarification. When you say that your taste-buds indicate that alcohol is 2% higher, do you mean it jumped from, say 4% ABV up to 6% ABV? Or are you saying the already present alcohol level went up by 2%, meaning 4% ABV went up to 4.08% ABV? Inquiring minds want to know.
jkreuze
Well-Known Member
If you had a standard ale yeast fermenting a standard ale recipe in the mid-60s it's unlikely you had a stuck fermentation.
If you didn't have a stuck fermentation then your yeast attenuated the way it's supposed to.
If your yeast attenuated the way it's supposed to then the "foam" on top of your fermented beer is probably CO2 released by the temperature change.
There are all sorts of variables here that you know and can control and we don't know and can't control. If you are convinced that your beer re-fermented and you know something I don't, well, I think you ought to know more about your own beer than a guy punching keys several states away, so I trust your assessment.
But a hydrometer reading would remove the uncertainty. That's why Revvy is giving you the chapter and verse (heh reverend puns) on the hydrometer.
It is possible I suppose that you can taste a change of one or two percentage points in alcohol concentration over the malt and hop flavors of your beer. Ideally, though, you should not be able to do so.
If you didn't have a stuck fermentation then your yeast attenuated the way it's supposed to.
If your yeast attenuated the way it's supposed to then the "foam" on top of your fermented beer is probably CO2 released by the temperature change.
There are all sorts of variables here that you know and can control and we don't know and can't control. If you are convinced that your beer re-fermented and you know something I don't, well, I think you ought to know more about your own beer than a guy punching keys several states away, so I trust your assessment.
But a hydrometer reading would remove the uncertainty. That's why Revvy is giving you the chapter and verse (heh reverend puns) on the hydrometer.
It is possible I suppose that you can taste a change of one or two percentage points in alcohol concentration over the malt and hop flavors of your beer. Ideally, though, you should not be able to do so.
Skaggz
Well-Known Member
I suspect few people can. It's all relative too. For instance, take a cheap malt liquor and a well made barley wine. The barley wine will have less of an alcohol burn than the 40, even though it probably has a higher alcohol by volume.Revvy said:
It's too late in the process and if he is correct in temperatures to suspect fusel alcohols to have been formed. My guess on this subject is that since he dry hopped in the primary, and did not rack onto hops, that he simply stirred up some of the beer that was in contact with the hops and is tasting a sample with heavy hop compound concentration.
In unrelated news, I just got to the bottom of my glass of Alaskan Brewing Company's White (Described as, "Wheat ale brewed with spices") and there is a lot of sediment in the bottom. However, doesn't appear to be a product of bottle carbonation. No yeast in the bottle.
Brewenstein
Well-Known Member
How does one begin brewing and not have a hydrometer?
Mermaid
Well-Known Member
dude.. run out to modern homebrew in Cambridge or Beer Wine Hobby in Woburn (or whoever is closest) and get yourself a hydrometer. Best tool a brewer can own.
You can always leave it sit for a few more days, the temperature is supposed to drop into the 50s on Friday... so you can probably just hang out a few more days, take your hydro readings and bottle over the weekend.
You can always leave it sit for a few more days, the temperature is supposed to drop into the 50s on Friday... so you can probably just hang out a few more days, take your hydro readings and bottle over the weekend.
Strangebird
Well-Known Member
Listen to the folks on here, especially Revvy. Buy a hydrometer. He must preach that so many times a week he's tired of hearing himself quote his blog.
If you want science behind what's happening take a look at this. I'm in Boston as well. Yup, it went from the 50s to the 70s two+ days ago. Look at the solubility of CO2 as temp increases. It goes down dramatically as temp goes up. That's why your seeing bubbles.
You've got roughly 1/3 the solubility of CO2 at the current temps around Boston than you had just three days ago. So unless you're controlling your ferm temp, that gas is going to come out of solution. Just buy a hydrometer and take any guesswork out of when to bottle. 
If you want science behind what's happening take a look at this. I'm in Boston as well. Yup, it went from the 50s to the 70s two+ days ago. Look at the solubility of CO2 as temp increases. It goes down dramatically as temp goes up. That's why your seeing bubbles.
Code:
It went from roughly here to here in the past three days.
| |
V V
Temperature (oF) 32 50 68 86 104 122
Temperature (oC) 0 10 20 30 40 50
Solubility 1.8 1.3 0.88 0.65 0.52 0.43
(cubic cm CO2 / gram water)Strangebird
Well-Known Member
C'mon, that's got to be in the running for Geekiest Reply of the Month Award, right?
I like jkreuse's answer. The temperature change is releasing co2 from the mixture. I know what I put in here, and I doubt fermentaton would be thriving like this weeks later. strangebird is from boston and has also commented on this. I am getting a hydrometer as we speak youre right. thanks for the info and strangebird/mermaid represent lol.
Once you confirm, with a hydrometer, that fermentation has completed.
Strangebird
Well-Known Member
What Wiezer said. If it's just off-gassing CO2 and fermentation is complete, as soon as you can sanitize your bottling equipment.
Strangebird
Well-Known Member
Seriously. I've only been on here for a few months, but I think you'll be hard pressed to encounter a situation that hasn't already been covered somewhere on here.
C'mon, that's got to be in the running for Geekiest Reply of the Month Award, right?
I was in bed, but yeah!!!
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