Too Warm?

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abbysdad2006

abbysdad2006

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I brewed a batch last night and failed to cool the wort quick enough. I got it down to around 80-85 degrees and pitched yeast. That was at about 11 pm last night. This morning I checked it out and no bubbles in air lock. Granted that was at 6:30 this morning when I checked. My question is, do you think I killed the little yeasty guys, or do I just wait and see? And, should I pitch more yeast? It was the safeale us-05 yeast that was in the kit. Thanks guys.
 
You probably shocked the yeast a bit especially if the yeast was colder than the wort but it was not hot enough to kill them off. Fermentation can take up to 72 hours to begin but that being said, yeast thrive in warm temps so they will probably take off sooner once acclimated.

For the strain you are using you want to ferment at 65-68 so you need to get your temperature down. If you have a swamp cooler set up use it, if not, search it and set one up or you will develop off flavors at those temps for sure.
 
duboman said:
You probably shocked the yeast a bit especially if the yeast was colder than the wort but it was not hot enough to kill them off. Fermentation can take up to 72 hours to begin but that being said, yeast thrive in warm temps so they will probably take off sooner once acclimated.

For the strain you are using you want to ferment at 65-68 so you need to get your temperature down. If you have a swamp cooler set up use it, if not, search it and set one up or you will develop off flavors at those temps for sure.
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Thanks. I'm sure by now it has cooled of to room temp where I have it, I hope?!
I'll have to check out the swamp cooler thing u talk about. :mug:
 
relax, don't worry, have a homebrew.... / RDWHAHB

But, seriously, If I were you put that sucker in a water bath with some bottles, and let it cool for the entire ferment time.........Good luck.
 
I've never done the water bath thing. What would that do? I don't have anything big enough to put the bucket in.
 
abbysdad2006 said:
I've never done the water bath thing. What would that do? I don't have anything big enough to put the bucket in.
Click to expand...

It helps to cool the fermenter, it is referred to as a swamp cooler by some. Also some people just cover the fermenter with a wet towel allowing evaporation to help cool the fermenting vessel.
 
res291que said:
It helps to cool the fermenter, it is referred to as a swamp cooler by some. Also some people just cover the fermenter with a wet towel allowing evaporation to help cool the fermenting vessel.
Click to expand...

Oh, ok. Is that just because I pitched the yeast to warm?
 
abbysdad2006 said:
I've never done the water bath thing. What would that do? I don't have anything big enough to put the bucket in.
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Any old cooler would work, even a cheap styrofoam one from a dollar store, just drop the bucket in, add some water, iced water bottles, and drape a wet towel over it.
 
Probably not because of the warm pitch temp...

Do you have/or can you buy, a thermostrip? One of those temperature strips that run along your fermenter.

It gives you a darn accurate idea of what the temp of your fermenting beer is. If you set a fermenter in a 72* room, it would not surprise you to find out you're actually fermenting 5 or more degrees above ambient temp.

Some folks submerge their fermenter into a water bath, as in like a Walmart laundry tub with rope handles for around $6. The water, combined with some frozen water bottles, makes for a bit of a 'cooler' fermentation. :)

I can't remember what fermentis US05 likes, but find out and try to keep the fermentation temps within their suggested range.
 
Actually the yeast will love 80-85 degrees. The beer will not. When fermentation is occurring it will produce its own heat raising the temperature of the wort. Fermenting at too high a temperature will create undesirable off tastes and fusel alcohols. A swamp cooler will control those temperatures.

If the pack was at room you will not have shocked the yeast too badly.

You will want to keep the wort near 70 degrees or even lower. If your temperature stays low the beer will be fine. I try to keep my temperatures in the low to mid sixties.
 
abbysdad2006 said:
The room stays about 62-64 degrees right now. Should I put it in my garage?
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During active fermentation the temperature in the fermenter can actually be 5-10 degrees higher because the process of active fermentation generates heat.

Do you have one of those stick on fermometers, they are pretty accurate at telling you the temperature of the vessel. If active fermentation has slowed then keeping it in a room that is 62-64 is perfectly fine.
 
abbysdad2006 said:
I've never done the water bath thing. What would that do? I don't have anything big enough to put the bucket in.
Click to expand...

I found a plastic storage tub at kmart and put water in it... and about 2 scoops of ice a day to keep it around 65. It worked real well. Now its about 60 in my basement... winter is coming.
 
duboman said:
During active fermentation the temperature in the fermenter can actually be 5-10 degrees higher because the process of active fermentation generates heat.

Do you have one of those stick on fermometers, they are pretty accurate at telling you the temperature of the vessel. If active fermentation has slowed then keeping it in a room that is 62-64 is perfectly fine.
Click to expand...


Thank you. I plan on hopefully getting one of those tonight.
 
So I moved it to the garage and stuck a thermo strip on the side of the bucket and its reading about 70-72 degrees. I opened the lid and peaked inside, I know I shouldn't have but it was killing me. I'm getting no bubbles from the airlock at all but I do have foam on top. Now there is about 4-5 inches of head space in the bucket. Do think its because of the space in the bucket that I'm not seeing any bubbles. It's been two days since I brewed it. Thanks guys.
 
70-72 isn't terrible, 66-68 would be better. As far as bubbling, give it another 24 hours. Sometimes fermentation can take a little longer than 2 days to start. (And stop opening the lid!!!)........
 
dstranger99 said:
70-72 isn't terrible, 66-68 would be better. As far as bubbling, give it another 24 hours. Sometimes fermentation can take a little longer than 2 days to start. (And stop opening the lid!!!)........
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks. The fermenter is in my garage right now so I'm hoping the temp drops a little more. I only opened it a little and only once. :D:mug:
 
res291que said:
You may not get any bubbling threw the airlock if you have a leaky seal on the bucket ....
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:eek::eek:Leaky seal?!?!?!? OH NOOOOOO!!
LOL. It's a old bucket so maybe the lid doesn't seal great. It went on hard. Made a nice snap when I put it on. I was actually thinking I had a leaky lid but it's too late now to do anything. Hopefully in a few days I'll be able to rack into secondary and it will be ok.
 
ncbrewer said:
A lot of bucket lids don't seal well. I even leave mine loose (with a weight on top) during active fermentation to prevent blow-outs.
Click to expand...

Ok cool. So it's no big deal if the lid is leaking. Good to know. Thanks.
 

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