Fermentation tempature

I brewed a 5 gallon batch of amber ale (a stone levitation clone) the other night. I cooled my wort down to just under 80 degrees. I would have liked it a bit cooler, but a time issue was looming, so I pitched it at about 78 or so. I put the airlock in and called it a night. The question and concern I have is that a front moved through my area the next day, dropping the wort temp to 55 to 60 degrees. When I got back home, I moved the bucket into my house where the temp will be in the normal range. When the wort rises a bit in temp will I start seeing some activity in the airlock or is the yeast shot. I'm assuming the yeast is just dormant and will come alive when the right temp is reached. What should I be looking forward to. Thanks for all the help.

Your yeast will be fine (as long as it was OK to begin with).

I am sure you will be ok, but in general it is best to get your beer fermenting in a consistent temperature environment. High temps bring out unwanted flavors and putting them to sleep and waking them up probably creates troubles as well. When you have the time check out some of the threads on fermentation chambers, etc.

Dos_Locos_Brewery said:

Your yeast will be fine (as long as it was OK to begin with).

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agreed. The cold doesnt really kill them, just puts them to bed so you can store them or rack off them if cold crashing. Or in your case just warm the carboy up to fermentation temps.

also don't be worried if you don't see bubbles coming out of the airlock. buckets are well known for being difficult to seal properly. CO2 from the fermentation may be escaping from other places besides through the airlock. but this is a non issue because the CO2 that is in the bucket will stay in there and protect your beer. an airlock is NOT a fermentation indicator its just a pressure release valve pressure could be escaping in other places.

Thanks for the input everyone. I now have it sitting in my sunroom and it will slowly come up to temp. ( my house usually stays between 70-73) here in the winter. I would like an accurate temp, but I don't want to risk anything by pulling the lid off. (plastic bucket) I may be able to put a stick on thermo to accomplish. Now I just wait for the airlock to start doing its thing. Thanks again.

you can get stick on thermometers that go on the outside of the bucket. you lose accuracy(they come in 2 degree increments) but you don't have to worry about contaminating your beer. also you may want to stick the bucket in a closet not in a well lit room. granted the bucket is opaque and there is no risk of skunking but it is still good practice to keep your fermenters in the dark. also you want to keep the bucket in the mid to upper 60's not the low 70's.

Thanks Tipsy. Sounds like my bedroom closet is the place. No windows and no HVAC duct blowing into that room. Should be right in the 65 to 70 degree range.