Temperature change stopping fermentation??

Ok here is my tale

Boiled the wort etc. Making 5 gallons in a bucket fermenter

I pitched the yeast at 70 degrees, it was a "slap pack" not sure the exact yiest but the local brew store suggested it for an IPA

Put the fermenter in my kitchen at about 72-74 degrees. My airlock was bubbling away within probably less than 12 hours.

I wake up morning of second day and the fermentation was so vigorous it came all through the airlock and on the floor.

No problem, i take the airlock off (the 3 piece kind) clean and sanitize it and put it back on where it proceeds to bubble away.

It gets really hot in the afternoon though and I notice the thermometer (stick on indicator thing on side of bucket) says my wort is almost 80 degrees!

So I decide to put it in my basement where it is a very constant 65 degrees.

Check on the beer the next morning and the airlock is not bubbling at all and still isn't 24 hours later.

I know the airlock is not to be trusted. But i didn't take any initial gravity readings...

So what should i do?

Do i take a reading now then wait a period of time take another and see if it is getting lower (which would mean alcohol is being produced right?)

I am just concerned because I read something in a thread that large temperature change can stall fermentation.

How should i proceed?

Help me Obie beer canobies, your my only hope

yes, take a reading now and then another in a few days. and the lower gravity readings do indicate an increase in the volume of alcohol.

it wouldn't be surprising if the initial fermentation is complete. with those warm temps, i bet it was rockin'. you might get some extra fruitiness from the esters, but i'm sure it will be fine.

let me begin by saying I am a noob.

But my beer was fermenting at about 80 degrees, the first day and like yours it was a vigorous fermentation ( i was scared it would blow). It only lasted that long for about 2 hours and then i like you cleaned the airlock and it slowed down considerably. However it has turned out fine, and the hydrometer readings are right on. I had the same worries and just sat it out looks fine and taste amazing for being only a week and a half old! I CANT WAIT!

Thanks guys for the advice.

I just did a wort sample and the gravity is 1.018

I suppose i am going to wait 2 days and do another.

oh yeah and it tasted DELICIOUS!!!!

so let me get this straight. It may have fully fermented in 2 days because it was at a higher temperature. So if the gravity doesn't change over the next 2 days, that means I could go ahead and bottle it? But letting it sit for awhile even while not fermenting won't hurt it?

Assuming the gravity doesn't change how do i know i didn't kill the yeast because of the temperature change? vs. it's just done fermenting... because if the yeast are dead it won't carbonate in the bottles right?

or should i just stop over thinking the matter and just follow the normal wait times and procedures of a normal batch

Follow your last statement. RDWHAHB.

just by moving your bucket down into a cooler air space didn't stop the fermentation, five gallons of beer has a big thermal mass and the plastic is a pretty good insulator so it would take a long time for the cooler air temperature to cool the fermenting beer down. The fermentation process can at 10* to the temperature. I recently had a Wee Heavy that was headed into high temperature ranges so I put the fermentor into a swamp bucket and cooled it down to 66*

RDWHAHB!

thanks guys but what does RDWHAHB mean?

don't be too quick to bottle that puppy. Just because the primary phase of fermentation may be over doesn't mean the the yeast don't have work to do! Wait 2 or 3 weeks and you'll have a cleaner tastier beer!

RDWHAHB!

woollybugger2 said:

don't be too quick to bottle that puppy. Just because the primary phase of fermentation may be over doesn't mean the the yeast don't have work to do! Wait 2 or 3 weeks and you'll have a cleaner tastier beer!

RDWHAHB!

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I was told that too long in the fermenter before BOTTLING can mean that one will have to repitch the yiest because it has all settled out and what not. I am told this doesn't matter for kegging because of pressurizing with CO2 but is what is the length of time that I can keep fermenting before I will have to repitch for bottling?

long is a relative term... 2-3 weeks is a short period of time as far as beer goes....

awielan said:

thanks guys but what does RDWHAHB mean?

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Rest Dat Wort Homie, All's Hella Bitchin

Rudimentary Dog Walkers Holding A Hot Baggie

thebigo said:

I was told that too long in the fermenter before BOTTLING can mean that one will have to repitch the yiest because it has all settled out and what not. I am told this doesn't matter for kegging because of pressurizing with CO2 but is what is the length of time that I can keep fermenting before I will have to repitch for bottling?

Click to expand...

6 months, maybe longer. From what I've heard it is only a factor in really big beers that ferment for a really long time.