COVID Pause in my Fermenters! Too long?

[alphakry]

So I have two batches of beer that I had to leave and won't be able to get to for who knows how long... might be 2+ months? One is a Porter entering it's 4th week of primary fermentation while the other is an APA that was moved to a brite tank with 2nd addition dry hops...

I have them maintaining their normal fermentation temperatures with help of my glycol chiller and thanks to having WiFi enabled Inkbirds, i can adjust that remotely to bring it down or up as needed...

I fear I won't be able to actually move them out of the fermenters and into kegs for an additional 8-20 weeks...

The hope is to leave them at low enough temps to keep them safe but high enough that the glycol chiller isn't cycling every couple hours, eating up power (which is expensive where i am).

I'll also be able to get the help of someone to dump the yeast and dry hop sitting on the bottom of the cone, to help minimize the off flavors that may happen from such an extended period... but that person is in no way comfortable to actually move them from fermenter to keg, so it'll fall on me and the delay till I can get back to this location.

Are there other concerns or suggestions from any of you that may of been in a similar scenario?

 

[Jag75]

Sounds like you have no choice really . If someone is able to do the trub dump I think it will be alright. Your brite tank and fermenter being chilled is basically like a keg . It be nice to have some co2 to fill the headspace though.

 

[CodeSection]

So I have two batches of beer that I had to leave and won't be able to get to for who knows how long... might be 2+ months? One is a Porter entering it's 4th week of primary fermentation while the other is an APA that was moved to a brite tank with 2nd addition dry hops...

I have them maintaining their normal fermentation temperatures with help of my glycol chiller and thanks to having WiFi enabled Inkbirds, i can adjust that remotely to bring it down or up as needed...

I fear I won't be able to actually move them out of the fermenters and into kegs for an additional 8-20 weeks...

The hope is to leave them at low enough temps to keep them safe but high enough that the glycol chiller isn't cycling every couple hours, eating up power (which is expensive where i am).

I'll also be able to get the help of someone to dump the yeast and dry hop sitting on the bottom of the cone, to help minimize the off flavors that may happen from such an extended period... but that person is in no way comfortable to actually move them from fermenter to keg, so it'll fall on me and the delay till I can get back to this location.

Are there other concerns or suggestions from any of you that may of been in a similar scenario?

I have a CF10 fermenter and a bright tank. Can you clarify "APA that was moved to a brite tank with 2nd addition dry hops"? Did you 2nd hopped in your fementer and then later racked the beer into the bright tank, thus leaving the hops behind in the fermenter?

Do you have CO2 going to the bright tank?

 

[alphakry]

Sounds like you have no choice really . If someone is able to do the trub dump I think it will be alright. Your brite tank and fermenter being chilled is basically like a keg . It be nice to have some co2 to fill the headspace though.

luckily i was able to get them both sealed up and under about 10psi co2. Still, they're sitting around 60-64F - so not quite chill, but i agree - it could be worse. and yes, thankfully I was able to get help dumping the yeast. Couldn't cold crash first, so im guessing there's still more to be done but at least a bulk of it was removed!

I have a CF10 fermenter and a bright tank. Can you clarify "APA that was moved to a brite tank with 2nd addition dry hops"? Did you 2nd hopped in your fementer and then later racked the beer into the bright tank, thus leaving the hops behind in the fermenter?
Do you have CO2 going to the bright tank?

The American Pale Ale is no longer in the 1st fermenter, it was racked off into the bright tank. However a 2nd addition of dry hops were added into the bright tank, which I normally keg out of after 3 days of those sitting in there. So my concern is it sitting on those hops too long and it becoming very bitter... or worse. thankfully there is 10-15psi CO2 already in the bright tank as well, but no connection from CO2 into it.

 

[CodeSection]

....a 2nd addition of dry hops were added into the bright tank, which I normally keg out of after 3 days of those sitting in there. So my concern is it sitting on those hops too long and it becoming very bitter... or worse. thankfully there is 10-15psi CO2 already in the bright tank as well, but no connection from CO2 into it.

I never have dry hopped in my bright tank. I would think once the hops settle in the bottom, they will really stop adding anything to the beer. If you do find the bitterness higher, over time that will fade. At this point you have no choice with the bright tank but to leave everything in place and not disturb the hops on the bottom. I'm curious, do you use a stand pipe inside the bright tank to keep the hops in place when you transfer to your kegs? Or are you using nothing to keep the hops in place when transferring to your keg?

As @Jag75 pointed out, I would have someone try to perform a yeast dump if possible. It sounds like the fermenter is under CO2 so there would not be a suck back with any starsan in a blowoff container, correct? If you dump the yeast, I believe you will be fine.