Should I move my fermenter to a warmer climate?

I brewed my first batch friday afternoon. By Saturday afternoon it was peculating really good. The airlock was flowing bubbles like crazy until this morning. Now it doesn't appear to be bubbling at all. I stared at it for 15 minutes and never saw a bubble.

It's in a basement room at 62 degrees and the stick on thermometer on the fermenter reads 66. Yesterday it read 70. Wondering if I need to move it upstairs which is 68 right now or should I just RDWHAHB.

Btw, I don't have a hydrometer and never took any readings. It's a Brewers Best Red Ale kit.

It could be done. As the fermentation becomes less active, the amount of heat generated decreases. Wouldn't hurt to bring it up, but it will clear faster at lower temperatures.

I'm in no hurry just want it to turn out right so whatever is best for it, 62 or 68 degrees I can do either.

Get a hydrometer, that's the only way you'll know for sure if it's done. If it's not done moving it to a higher temp may wake up some yeast and get fermentation going again. If it is done, then I'd leave it in the cooler area.

BrookdaleBrew said:

Get a hydrometer, that's the only way you'll know for sure if it's done. If it's not done moving it to a higher temp may wake up some yeast and get fermentation going again. If it is done, then I'd leave it in the cooler area.

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+1 to what Brookdale said. I will also add that just because it starts bubbling again after moving it, doesn't mean it's fermenting again. You may have just knocked a little bit of CO2 out of it.

Well I moved it upstairs a few hours ago and it hasn't started bubbling again. It bubbled hard for two days then quit. Normal??

SNPorter said:

Well I moved it upstairs a few hours ago and it hasn't started bubbling again. It bubbled hard for two days then quit. Normal??

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If temperature were the problem, two hours wouldn't change very much.

Buy a hydrometer and check the gravity. It's hard to get by without one and there is no reason to try.

I've had batches ferment out in two days.

osagedr said:

If temperature were the problem, two hours wouldn't change very much.

Buy a hydrometer and check the gravity. It's hard to get by without one and there is no reason to try.

I've had batches ferment out in two days.

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Yes I need one anyhow so I will go get one tomorrow. If I remember right the directions said to leave in fermenter for 5-7 days before bottling so maybe it's a fast fermenting batch.

could just be a fast one. Still, no reason to rush. Let it condition for a while in the primary. I remember when I did my first batches I was always in such a hurry to get to the next phase - now that I've been brewing for years I just kinda forget about it for 2-3 weeks or so and the quality of my brew's have increased.

+1 for a hydrometer. it's the only way to know for sure.

My plan was to leave it for 2 weeks. Again I'm in no rush and if time makes it better I'm willing to wait. Plus the stores are loaded with Bells Oberon now!

SNPorter said:

Plus the stores are loaded with Bells Oberon now!

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+1 on that too.

BrookdaleBrew said:

Get a hydrometer, that's the only way you'll know for sure if it's done. If it's not done moving it to a higher temp may wake up some yeast and get fermentation going again. If it is done, then I'd leave it in the cooler area.

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Well I bought a hydrometer today and checked it. It's at 1.012. The kit said OG to be 1.048 - 1.052 so I would guess it's doing just fine.

Smelled, looked and tasted good too! Going to let it sit for another 1 - 2 weeks before I bottle unless someone tells me that's too long. It's only been 5 days so far. Oh, and found a nice place to keep it, 65 degrees constant and dark.

Can't wait to start my next batch!

Got the opposite problem here in Florida. It's starting to get hot out!

SNPorter said:

Well I bought a hydrometer today and checked it. It's at 1.012. The kit said OG to be 1.048 - 1.052 so I would guess it's doing just fine.

Smelled, looked and tasted good too! Going to let it sit for another 1 - 2 weeks before I bottle unless someone tells me that's too long. It's only been 5 days so far. Oh, and found a nice place to keep it, 65 degrees constant and dark.

Can't wait to start my next batch!

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Good stuff! You have peace of mind being able to verify things are working fine. Couple more weeks before bottling sounds fine.