2 Day fermentation?

[DixonBeer]

I pitched my Red Ale at 2 PM on Friday, by 9 PM i had my airlock clogged and CRAZY fermentation, after i put the blowoff hose on it was bubbling like crazy, now its monday morning...no more krausen, no foam on top, BARELY any bubbling....could fermentation be done?

 

[McHandbag]

Yup could be. Did you use a starter? How big was the batch? How much yeast did you pitch? Have you taken a gravity reading?

 

[DixonBeer]

i didnt use a starter because i used dry yeast, but i he-hydrated it before pitching it. It's a 5-gallon batch and i didnt get the OG reading..

 

[kevmoron]

It's probably through with the high krausen phase of fermentation. Most of the sugars have been metabolized, but you still need at least two weeks to let it condition, clean up, and clarify.

 

[McHandbag]

well ****. i had a big reply written and then the computer crapped out.

i'll sum up. Dry yeast goes to work very quickly. I've used Safale and had similar results.
You usually don't need to reconstitute dry yeast unless specifically stated in the package.

From now on, for the love of god, take an OG reading. Muy Importante.
You could also guesstimate your OG by adding up your grain-bill and dividing it by your efficiency. Or by looking at the recipe if you made a clone.

If you're at 1.030-1.020 you can move to the secondary. (id still give it a few days to settle out of solution first. Racking may "wake up" the yeast again and you may reach terminal gravity faster.

But long story short. Not unusual.

 

[petep1980]

Yeah, let it continue to age. I pulled a fermentation off the yeast too quickly once and the beer just stayed green through the 2 weeks it took me to drink the 5 gallons.

 

[greenleer]

Based on the vigorous fermentation that you described, I'd give the yeast a chance to clean up after itself. Some people say a diacetyl rest isn't necessary unless you're brewing lagers. But given how fast and furious your beer fermented, I'd give the yeast a few more days to do its thing.

 

[DixonBeer]

OK sounds good...another thing i forgot to mention...i posted on friday because during the brewing process, i was being a ******* and force cooled and pitched without realizing i forgot my 2 oz. of cascade finishing hops, so i just dry-hopped them in. I'm just making sure the fermentation is done so i can rack to secondary without a crappy grass flavor!

that post:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/i-know-im-leaving-myself-open-being-ribbed-here-but-131349/

 

[DixonBeer]

practiced patience, and still no activity....i'm thinkin maybe a gravity reading without the OG?

 

[Hang Glider]

Well, even without the OG, an FG will tell you if it's done - when you get 3 consecutive days with the same reading, it's done fermenting - however patience - (2-3 weeks) allows it to clean up and settle out. Then more patience after bottling or kegging - for carbonation to occur to an acceptable level - (2-3 more weeks)...ours is a hobby of wait-wait-wait...

 

[DixonBeer]

Yeah i plan on conditioning it in the carboy for a while, i'm just wondering when to rack it to my secondary so my dry hops don't ruin my red. I Plan on maybe giving it 2 months or so to refine.....just don't want another geiser in my secondary

 

[Hang Glider]

i'm just wondering when to rack it to my secondary so my dry hops don't ruin my red.

Ahh, good point.
Okay, you can actually rack anytime - carefully, to avoid oxidation - if you're concerned about too much dry hop profile, get them off those hops. Just suck plenty of yeast off the bottom (not all of it) so it can finish it's work, let it all swirl nicely, then park it for a month...

 

[DixonBeer]

Perfect! So should i take the red stopper off the bottom of my racking cane to get more slurry into the secondary?

 

[homebrewer_99]

DO NOT RACK IT YET!!!

True,it could be done fermenting, but you need that diacetyl rest even with an ale.

I tried a Speed Brew a couple of weeks ago. It was brewed on Sunday, done on Tuesday, racked on Wed, kegged on Sat...per the instructions.

I placed it in the keezer for a week and returned to "Butterbier"...ARGH!!!

Not sure what to do I dropped the pressure, removed the lid and added more yeast (yes, even after carbonating).

Right now I'm on the road again and will try it again come next Saturday after I get home.

I've never been an impatient brewer, but I wanted to give this brew a try out of curiosity.

Overall I should have waited the usual 1-2 weeks in the primary.

Lesson learned: No more "Speed Brews"...

 

[Hang Glider]

DO NOT RACK IT YET!!!

True,it could be done fermenting, but you need that diacetyl rest even with an ale.

Homebrewer_99 - the OP is concerned about too much hop profile -

if he carefully racks OFF the hops, and proceeds to let it "rest" plenty more, he should be fine - He's not bottling/kegging immediately (like you did) - just wants it off the hops.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

if he carefully racks OFF the hops, and proceeds to let it "rest" plenty more, he should be fine - He's not bottling/kegging immediately (like you did) - just wants it off the hops.

+1 Totally agree. Even if you don't suck up some yeast from the bottom (you'd probably mostly get trub anyway) there will be plenty of yeast in suspension to clean up after the party in a secondary.

 

[ekranzusch]

DO NOT RACK IT YET!!!

True,it could be done fermenting, but you need that diacetyl rest even with an ale.

I tried a Speed Brew a couple of weeks ago. It was brewed on Sunday, done on Tuesday, racked on Wed, kegged on Sat...per the instructions.

I placed it in the keezer for a week and returned to "Butterbier"...ARGH!!!

Not sure what to do I dropped the pressure, removed the lid and added more yeast (yes, even after carbonating).

Right now I'm on the road again and will try it again come next Saturday after I get home.

I've never been an impatient brewer, but I wanted to give this brew a try out of curiosity.

Overall I should have waited the usual 1-2 weeks in the primary.

Lesson learned: No more "Speed Brews"...

Don't feel bad, I just pretty much did the same thing. I pretty much was getting my process nailed down and wanted to test my limits for lack of a better word. Bottom line is I learned the same lesson, although I think I learned it in time to probably save the batch, should still be OK, but probably not awesome like it should have been. Oh well, live and learn =)

 

[DixonBeer]

Alright....update...its been about 6 days since brew day and no activity for 4 days now...i racked it to secondary to hopefully get it off the hops and lower the profile. Racking was a breeze and everything went good...tasted a little bit and it was actually horrible haha, super bitter with a charcoaly aftertaste...but i'm attributing that to only have been brewing for 6 days, the yeast haven't finished their job...so i'm gonna leave it in the secondary for a good couple months.

Practicing RDWHAHB!!!!!!!

 

[homebrewer_99]

Homebrewer_99 - the OP is concerned about too much hop profile -

if he carefully racks OFF the hops, and proceeds to let it "rest" plenty more, he should be fine - He's not bottling/kegging immediately (like you did) - just wants it off the hops.

I hear you, but I think his post was this:

"I pitched my Red Ale at 2 PM on Friday, by 9 PM i had my airlock clogged and CRAZY fermentation, after i put the blowoff hose on it was bubbling like crazy, now its monday morning...no more krausen, no foam on top, BARELY any bubbling....could fermentation be done? "

...with no mention of too many/few hops, just asking if the fermentation was done which is why I recommended what I did as a lesson learned...

 

[Hang Glider]

homebrewer - no harm, no foul - you're absolutely correct according to original post - I was responding to his later post:

Yeah i plan on conditioning it in the carboy for a while, i'm just wondering when to rack it to my secondary so my dry hops don't ruin my red.

Not fond of a too-hoppy red myself -

 

[Vuarra]

Practicing RDWHAHB!!!!!!!

Good idea... I had a disgustingly hoppy brew that mellowed after a few months -- by disgustingly, I mean wrong hops for my taste buds. Anyways, aging seems to help beer... I don't know why

 

[homebrewer_99]

Right...no harm, no foul...