Had one of my homebrews in secondary for about 3 weeks. I got really busy with work which forced me to leave it in secondary for a little longer that I wanted too. During week 2 I lost power from hurricane sandy for about a week. My house temperature dropped from 72 degrees to 55 degrees for the whole week. I'm wondering if my batch is ruined. Btw I was brewing a honey porter.
Lost power during secondary fermentation
- Thread starter brybrown
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Nope. You're good.
BobbyB029
Well-Known Member
Rdwhahb
buttcord
Well-Known Member
Personally I would dump the batch. Big temp swings cause infections.
LOL
Don't dump it - I'm sure there are homebrewers in the area who can oversee its disposal in a proper, environmentally safe manner. Usually, this involves sealing it in glass containers until later, when it can be recycled, two or three at a time, through the sewer system.
Cheers!
kblankenship11
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I was thinking the same. I hope he didnt take that advice.
stratslinger
Well-Known Member
Really hoping this is sarcasm. If not, it's just plain misinformed.
To the OP - Secondary fermentation is really a misnomer. Fermentation occurs in your primary fermenter. Your secondary vessel would more appropriately be called a bright tank (professional brewers DO call it a bright tank). The fermentation should be done before you transfer it there, and you're just leaving it there to age and condition, and most importantly, to clarify. Temperature isn't really important, since you're just looking for the yeast and any other solids to drop out of solution. In fact, cooler temperatures actually aid in this process. So you're good!
stratslinger said:
Well said. I'd also like to add that large temp swings do not cause infection. Especially once the beer is sufficiently fermented (it becomes too harsh an environment most things to grow). They might be known to make the yeast produce off flavors or fussel alcohols, but that's usually caused by upward temp swings, not downward swings.
You're beer will be fine. Dumping beer is extreme in most cases, unless your beer is literally completely covered with some infection (I've even seen brewers try to rack under an infection to keg and drink quickly before it becomes too sour.
So don't dump it please. I mean, after the hurricane you went through, you certainly need a beer.... A "lights out ale" (if i knew what style it was my names would be better)
buttcord
Well-Known Member
Its not sarcasm I asked my uncle who is a pro brewer and he said it is very true.
stratslinger
Well-Known Member
Hang on a sec. Your uncle, a "pro brewer" told you that letting a beer in secondary get cooler for a few days could lead to an infection?
I call shenanigans.
I call shenanigans.
buttcord said:
An explanation of why would be better than vaguely quoting an unknown uncle/brewer
I understand if a commercial set up loses power, consistency from batch to batch is way more of a concern for them. if they had the beer in a bright tank (secondary for homebrewers) already though, so no more heat was being produced by a 200bbl fermentation, then i can't see any off flavors being produced. And certainly not an infection.
This. Based on his contributions here and in other threads, I think "DNFTT" applies.
amandabab
Well-Known Member
joke?
buttcord
Well-Known Member
Not sure why you people think this is a joke. I wouldn't want to get sick drinking infected beer.
buttcord said:
This has gotta be a joke...... This doesn't even serve a response if it's not. But here it goes:
Nothing that can hurt you can live in beer, hence people used to drink beer and wine because it was the only potable source of water.
Obliviousbrew
Well-Known Member
Look stop trolling or if you are not a troll just trowing unaccurate data around.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sediment-after-bottling-366449/index3.html#post4573229
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/will-yeasts-regulate-there-own-temperature-366531/#post4573069
Those last post are a proof that you have no idea what you are talking about.
PLease stop.
wolfstar
Well-Known Member
Buttcord...
Ask your uncle to elaborate as to what could cause an infection in already fermented beer with a 20 degree temp drop. Perhaps there was a miscommunication there. As long as the vessel is sealed with an airlock, the physics and chemestry part of my brain is struggling to grasp how this is possible with any real liklihood.
Ask your uncle to elaborate as to what could cause an infection in already fermented beer with a 20 degree temp drop. Perhaps there was a miscommunication there. As long as the vessel is sealed with an airlock, the physics and chemestry part of my brain is struggling to grasp how this is possible with any real liklihood.
stratslinger
Well-Known Member
Seriously - now you need to just stop. First telling the guy that his already fermented beer getting cool for a few days would lead to an infection, now suggesting that folks are going to get sick...
If it's a joke, it's not funny. If you're not joking, you seriously need to do some homework and educate yourself, because you're spreading falsehoods and scaremongering. Not cool.
buttcord
Well-Known Member
Well I'll just go ahead and trust my uncle, who is a doctor. Please just be careful with that beer.
Obliviousbrew
Well-Known Member
Wait. He's a probrewer AND a doctor? Holy smokes, he's a busy guy.
Does he know that you make up stuff randomly that is totally wrong, and then attribute it to him? Because if he really is a doctor who thinks that infections come from temperature swings, he's a quack. Infections come from contamination, whether it's in your body (bacteria, fungus, or viral) or in your beer (same, but not viral normally!). And as far as splitting the atom, I'm pretty sure that you've never been able to do that but maybe you are an astrophysicist in your spare time. I mean, like your uncle.
Anyway, stop trolling and get back on topic on this thread. Thanks.
bottlebomber
Well-Known Member
*snicker* trolls gotta troll
Obliviousbrew
Well-Known Member
thanks yoop!
His uncle is a pro brewer AND a doctor???? Is his last name Banzai???
(google it if you don't know.)
1)Temp swings cannot cause infections.....poor sanitization cause infections.
2) Nothing that can harm you can exist in beer. If an infection takes hold of the beer, it can sour it. Or make it taste like crap, but it is IMPOSSIBLE for that crappy tasting stuff to harm someone.
Any REAL doctor, and REAL "Pro" brewer would know this.
(google it if you don't know.)
1)Temp swings cannot cause infections.....poor sanitization cause infections.
2) Nothing that can harm you can exist in beer. If an infection takes hold of the beer, it can sour it. Or make it taste like crap, but it is IMPOSSIBLE for that crappy tasting stuff to harm someone.
Any REAL doctor, and REAL "Pro" brewer would know this.
Ampsonic
Well-Known Member
Please don't feed the trolls 
His uncle is a pro brewer AND a doctor???? Is his last name Banzai???
(google it if you don't know.)
1)Temp swings cannot cause infections.....poor sanitization cause infections.
2) Nothing that can harm you can exist in beer. If an infection takes hold of the beer, it can sour it. Or make it taste like crap, but it is IMPOSSIBLE for that crappy tasting stuff to harm someone.
Any REAL doctor, and REAL "Pro" brewer would know this.
That's awesome....almost choked on my lunch.
I'm glad someone got my obscure cultural reference. It IS only one of the greatest movies ever made afterall.
Obliviousbrew
Well-Known Member
Now I got to see it...
