Fermenting Advice

[ImShero]

So I just did my first batch. I did a brewer's best kit for imperial nut brown. My starting gravity came in perfect. I put my carboy in the basement to ferment and it went buck wild for a day or two. The temperature really dropped off and now my basement is holding at the low end of ale fermentation temp.

I don't have a final gravity but based on the finish alcohol range of my beer and some math I should have a drop of about 60 points... I've dropped about 40 over the course of a week.

Should I move the whole carboy upstairs to get the temp up? This will result in a lot of jostling around. Do I just wait it out and let it keep goin? Should I rack to secondary and let it keep going so I can start another kit? Just lookin for some advice.

Thanks

Shero

 

[Slurm]

Just let it sit as is and wait a few weeks. As long as it doesn't get too cold it will finish in its own time.

I racked my first brew to a secondary too soon (following the directions that came with the kit) and regretted it. It was still beer, just not very good beer.

 

[Golddiggie]

As long as the wort is within the yeast's listed temperature range I would leave it alone... Let it ride 2-4 weeks before you even think about pulling a hydrometer sample. Even once you've established the FG, taste it before you bottle it up.

Leave it on the yeast cake for the duration... I wish I had done that in my first two batches. Since I learned about the method (especially for ale yeasts) my brews have been coming out MUCH better. Give the brew the time it needs to really become the best it can be. A few extra weeks on the yeast can be the difference between a pretty good brew and a GREAT brew.

 

[kcold0403]

I agree with slurm, just wait it out as long as it is in the right temp range....while you wait RDWHAHB

 

[ImShero]

I agree with slurm, just wait it out as long as it is in the right temp range....while you wait RDWHAHB

That's my concern.. I may be flirting with under 60 degrees or very close. When it was really churning away after I added the yeast the temp was probably up in the mid to high 60's. Since it has slowed down the temp has come down and that's why I'm worried I might be too far out of range now.

 

[Golddiggie]

Without knowing what yeast you used, it's rather impossible to say if it's too cool or not... I've used ale yeast that has a range of 55-75F...

 

[ImShero]

Safale S04 I've done some research and it says it has a range of 59 to 75. I'm going away next weekend so I'll just let it sit till I get back and check it then. That should give it 3 weeks in primary.

 

[o4_srt]

Instructions for the kit say 64 to 72. Just let it go for a few weeks, then take a sample. If it has stalled after a few weeks, warming it back up should fix it.

For what it's worth, I'm fermenting a cream ale right now at about 61. White labs recommends about the same temperatures. Everything is fine so far, just taking longer to ferment than previous beers.

Fermenting at a lower temperature should yield a less fruity finish to the beer, once complete.

 

[ImShero]

Instructions for the kit say 64 to 72. Just let it go for a few weeks, then take a sample. If it has stalled after a few weeks, warming it back up should fix it.

For what it's worth, I'm fermenting a cream ale right now at about 61. White labs recommends about the same temperatures. Everything is fine so far, just taking longer to ferment than previous beers.

Fermenting at a lower temperature should yield a less fruity finish to the beer, once complete.

Thanks