What is to cold for fermentation?

Started a batch of Blonde for my wife, this is only my third batch of beer and is a kit from my local brew shop. I checked on it this afternoon after finishing yesterday and I see no bubbling. The thermometer reads 68 degrees f. I'm not sure what other info you might need to answer this question. Thanks for any help.

Visual signs do not indicate fermentation. Given that you pitched yeast it should be fermenting fine. 68 is fine. I ferment my blondes cooler around 62-65.

I can't see 68 ambient being too cold for any brewing. Too warm, yes, but not too cold. Hydrometer reading is the only way to know if it's done though.
The kit should list the expected final gravity. If your at or within 1 or 2 points it's probably done fermenting, but if you only made it yesterday, leave it in the fermenter for a couple weeks yet.

what yeast are you using?

68 could turn into mid 70's if the yeast really takes off.

my christmas beer was at 68 for a day then when fermentation reached it's peak it was at 76. too warm for what i was going for.

i like my ales to ferment 60-65.

Thank you for the responses. Here are the details.

Blonde Ale
7lbs light malt extract liquid
8oz crystal 15L steeping grains
1oz cascade hops
Whirlfloc tablet
California WLP-001

Estimated ranges
OG: 1.045
SRM: 8
IBU: 15
ABV: 4.5

Currently temp is at 66 degrees. I will check the gravity tonight.

Oh yeah. The temp in my house right now is pretty cold, around 62-68 throughout the day. Warms up a little when I get home. It also looks as dark as molasses.

Did my reading and it was 1.052 and the temp was 64. I didn't do an initial reading so I won't be able to figure out the final ABV.

COMABEER said:

Did my reading and it was 1.052 and the temp was 64. I didn't do an initial reading so I won't be able to figure out the final ABV.

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Is this reading correct? If so your gravity is higher than when you started.

whitehause said:

Is this reading correct? If so your gravity is higher than when you started.

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I believe it to be accurate. I checked it twice. The 1.045 is the recipes estimated gravity. I didn't do an initial reading so I don't know if it is lower or higher. Thank you.

The 1.052 would be your original gravity if fermentation hasn't started yet.
Did you make a starter? I see your using liquid yeast, so if you just pitched the tube, it can take a while(up to 72 hours) to start enough fermentation to get your air lock bubbling.
Your ABV will be calculated when you hit your final gravity ( same reading for 2 or 3 days in a row)
Did you end up with 5gal after the boil? If it was less, that might explain the gravity reading being higher than the recipe called for. Most extract kits get pretty close to the listed OG.

whitehause said:

The 1.052 would be your original gravity if fermentation hasn't started yet.
Did you make a starter? I see your using liquid yeast, so if you just pitched the tube, it can take a while(up to 72 hours) to start enough fermentation to get your air lock bubbling.
Your ABV will be calculated when you hit your final gravity ( same reading for 2 or 3 days in a row)
Did you end up with 5gal after the boil? If it was less, that might explain the gravity reading being higher than the recipe called for. Most extract kits get pretty close to the listed OG.

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I did a 3 gallon boil and than added then added the 2 gallons after a cool the wort. The yeast was not liquid though. It was a packet and I followed the directions of mixing it with 90 degree water than adding it to the wort and oxygenating it all. I wonder if I killed the yeast?

COMABEER said:

I did a 3 gallon boil and than added then added the 2 gallons after a cool the wort. The yeast was not liquid though. It was a packet and I followed the directions of mixing it with 90 degree water than adding it to the wort and oxygenating it all. I wonder if I killed the yeast?

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Sorry, would I usually see the gravity rise or fall during fermentation?

As some of the wort is turned to alcohol during fermentation and alcohol has a lower SG, the overall SG falls.

Ok....I'm a bit confused now. The recipe you listed says WLP001 which is a liquid yeast that comes in a test tube looking vile with a screw cap. You said it was a dry yeast from a packet? What was the name of the yeast?

The gravity will become lower as the sugars in the wort are converted to less dense alcohol.

You said a 3 gallon boil...did you start your boil with 3 gallons? How long did you boil?

whitehause said:

Ok....I'm a bit confused now. The recipe you listed says WLP001 which is a liquid yeast that comes in a test tube looking vile with a screw cap. You said it was a dry yeast from a packet? What was the name of the yeast?

The gravity will become lower as the sugars in the wort are converted to less dense alcohol.

You said a 3 gallon boil...did you start your boil with 3 gallons? How long did you boil?

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I started with a 3 gallon boil and boiled it for 30 min with the grains and another hour with the hops. After digging through the trash I found the yeast packet. It was Safale US-05 ale yeast.

I'd check gravity again at 48 hours. If no change sprinkle another packet in. Was the yeast dated as fresh?

Yea....you shouldn't have boiled the grains, and if you boiled 3 gals for an hour and a half you probably only had 2 gals left.(or less) Did you bring your total volume back up to 5 Gals with the cold water?

whitehause said:

Ok....I'm a bit confused now. The recipe you listed says WLP001 which is a liquid yeast that comes in a test tube looking vile with a screw cap. You said it was a dry yeast from a packet? What was the name of the yeast?

The gravity will become lower as the sugars in the wort are converted to less dense alcohol.

You said a 3 gallon boil...did you start your boil with 3 gallons? How long did you boil?

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I don't know if my last post went through. After digging through the trash I found the yeast packet and it was a Safale us-05. I started with three gallons and boiled for 1 hour after steeping the grains for 30 minutes.

I saw you used 05, 90 deg to rehydrate shouldn't have been too hot, but you could have just sprinkled the dry yeast on the wort. Many on here, including myself, don't rehydrate dry yeast.
Did you have 5 gallons total when you pitched the yeast? And what was the temp of the wort you pitched into?

5gallons total and it was at about 80 when I pitched the yeast.

carltjones said:

I'd check gravity again at 48 hours. If no change sprinkle another packet in. Was the yeast dated as fresh?

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maybe i'm impatient but after 48 hrs without any gravity change i'd repitch. certainly wouldn't hurt anything. the temps that you mention are not likely to cause slow fermentation.

i do not rehydrate my 05 simply because the directions say it's ok to sprinkle on top. it is also just another step that i can eliminate.

the recipe was not overly complicated so i would imagine that it would take off without any problems. keep us updated....

I agree completely with whitehause that california yeast is a slow starter and not real crazy fermenter either.. but good yeast if you dont want the flavor at all.... and aiming for exactly the 5 gal. mark finished product will take practice so no worries if you were alittle low... practice makes perfect and thats the best part to brewing.. is the practice

COMMABEER,

COMABEER said:

It also looks as dark as molasses.

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I'm sorry if I missed something, is this regarding the color of your fermenting beer??