Couple of questions regarding fermentation/temperature

Question 1: I just went and purchased a whirlpool mini-fridge to one brew at a time while it is fermenting. Ive got a Nut Brown Ale fermenting right now in a plastic tub in a bathtub that I am trying to keep in the 60s with ice. Well, im growing very tired of putting ice in it all the time so I got a mini fridge today.

The mini fridge will hold one 5 gallon bucket with airlock attached, with about 1-2 inches to spare, so a decently tight fit. The fridge will not allow it to be set at a constant temperature higher than 57 degrees Fahrenheit. I was hoping it would allow me to go higher, but it wont.

Im thinking about putting the fermenting batch in the fridge for the next 3 days and then take a gravity reading. Is 57 degrees too cold for a Nut Brown Ale to be fermenting? The kind of yeast was whatever packet comes with the Muntons Extract packages.

Question 2: Ive taken a gravity reading on the Nut Brown for 3 days in a row and it has been constant at 1.021, which I know is too high...my local store tells me it should be down to 1.012-1.014 before bottling. This is its 6th day fermenting. Should I give it more time then consider adding more yeast if it still isnt budging, or go ahead and add more yeast now since there is no movement for 3 days?

Thanks

If you are going to ferment in a mini fridge, you should get a temp controller, then you can hit any ferm temp you want.. I think that 57° is a touch too cold to ferment at personally.

1. if it's already been fermenting at a higher temperature, lowering it to 57 might cause the yeast to stop working. but it also might work, although it probably won't have ideal results. i would strongly advise getting/buying a temperature controller for that fridge, it will be a HUGE help.

2. i would try to rouse the fermenter somehow, or let it warm up a bit if you've been fermenting cool. as long as the bulk of fermentation is done, it doesn't hurt to warm up the beer and let the yeast finish out. after hearing the second part of the question, i definitely wouldn't put it in the fridge. it would be helpful if we knew exactly what kind of yeast you had.

I dont know the yeast you are using but I am willing to bet that 57 is a little too cold. I may be wrong but I believe you will need to get a temperature controller to plug the fridge into and that will let you keep it at whatever temperature you want (that is below the temp outside the fridge, obviously it can't heat anything up.)

android said:

1. if it's already been fermenting at a higher temperature, lowering it to 57 might cause the yeast to stop working. but it also might work, although it probably won't have ideal results. i would strongly advise getting/buying a temperature controller for that fridge, it will be a HUGE help.

2. i would try to rouse the fermenter somehow, or let it warm up a bit if you've been fermenting cool. as long as the bulk of fermentation is done, it doesn't hurt to warm up the beer and let the yeast finish out. after hearing the second part of the question, i definitely wouldn't put it in the fridge. it would be helpful if we knew exactly what kind of yeast you had.

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How would you suggest rousing the fermenter?

It was Muntons Dry Yeast, dont know if that helps. Ive got a packet of Nottingham in the fridge right now.