Stalled ferment due to temp

[dozer217]

Being in Southern California this is a problem I haven't encountered before. I brewed 2 batches last Friday and cooled one to pitching temp and pitched and the second bach I left to cool until the morning. Well it's been getting down to the low 50's/high 40's here at night and not going above 62 during the day. I've seen no airlock activity and the stick on therm on the buckets show mid 50's.

Is it okay to move them to the house where it's warmer and then shake them to re-suspend the yeast or should I warm and re-pitch?

I used 2 vials of WhiteLabs liquid yeast, Irish Ale for the Stout and Cali Ale for the APA.

 

[Revvy]

Being in Southern California this is a problem I haven't encountered before. I brewed 2 batches last Friday and cooled one to pitching temp and pitched and the second bach I left to cool until the morning. Well it's been getting down to the low 50's/high 40's here at night and not going above 62 during the day. I've seen no airlock activity and the stick on therm on the buckets show mid 50's.

Is it okay to move them to the house where it's warmer and then shake them to re-suspend the yeast or should I warm and re-pitch?

I used 2 vials of WhiteLabs liquid yeast, Irish Ale for the Stout and Cali Ale for the APA.

Airlock activity is not a gauge of whether or not fermentation is happening, so don't go by that...ever. Your hydrometer is the ONLY way to confirm that.

Now having said that, yes moving it to a warmer place will help, but you don't need to do any excess shaking, just moving it carefully will do that job for you. Remember, Oxygen and fermented (even partially fermented which yours is) beer do not mix... Oxygen + Beer = Liquid cardboard.

So you don't need/want to shake the heck out of it..........

When you get it in the house please take a hydromter reading...then in a few days take another reading THAT will tell you whether fermentation has started again, not whether your airlock bubbles which it may do the minute you put it down from bringing it inside because you disturbed it.

Airlock bubbling and fermentation are not the same thing....Airlocks can bubble or not and fermentation can be happening or not, especially after you do something like move the fermenter, which will disturb the nice layer of co2 in there and make the airlock bubble.

 

[Rusty2192]

I'ma going to piggy back onto this thread instead of starting a new one since I have a similar problem. I just brewed my first batch yesterday. I have been planning on fermenting in the closet of my spare bedroom and I have been checking it periodically over the past few days and it has held constant around 68 degrees F. So we brewed yesterday and placed the fermenter in the closet. Then last night, the temperature dropped to 8 degrees F outside and when i checked the fermenter it was down to around 54 F. I'll take another hydrometer reading today. I have since moved it to a different part of the house that is a bit warmer. Do I need to worry? Like I said, this was in the first 12-24 hours of fermenting.

Sorry, I guess I should mention that it is an IPA with Ale Yeast (nothing fancy as this is my first batch and it was from a kit at the local liquor/brewing supply store). Thanks.

 

[pkeeler]

Dozer: Yes, move in the house. Those temps are too cold for the yeasts you used. Further, you don't want 20 deg. temperature swings where you are fermenting. Find somewhere stable (like your basement).

Rusty: Same thing, find a place between 65-72 that doesn't change much. Temperature stability is as important as the actual temp.

 

[Revvy]

As long as you move the beer above the yeast dormancy temps. they will wake up and start getting back to work.

 

[Rusty2192]

Dozer: Yes, move in the house. Those temps are too cold for the yeasts you used. Further, you don't want 20 deg. temperature swings where you are fermenting. Find somewhere stable (like your basement).

Rusty: Same thing, find a place between 65-72 that doesn't change much. Temperature stability is as important as the actual temp.

Thanks for the quick reply. I've already moved it to a warmer and more stable place. I thought the closet I had it in fit the bill, but then this recent cold spell just hit with temps about 20 degrees lower than it had been.

Anyway, should i be worrying too much right now, or should I just let it go for a few days and see what happens and then maybe be worried? Would i need to re-pitch if the yeast doesn't get started, or will the batch be a loss? Thanks, and sorry about all of the newbie questions.

Edit: Sorry, as soon as i clicked reply i saw that Revvy had replied also. Thanks.

 

[Revvy]

Anyway, should i be worrying too much right now, or should I just let it go for a few days and see what happens and then maybe be worried? Would i need to re-pitch if the yeast doesn't get started, or will the batch be a loss? Thanks, and sorry about all of the newbie questions.

You shouldn't worry about ANYTHING...you didn't hurt the yeast, just put it to sleep. They know what they need to do, they want to eat all that sugar they are swimming around in. They want to pee alcohol and fart co2, it's their nature. New brewers tend to think their beer and yeast is frail, when in truth they've been doing this for 40,000 or more years, you just have to relax and realize that.

 

[Rusty2192]

You shouldn't worry about ANYTHING...you didn't hurt the yeast, just put it to sleep. They know what they need to do, they want to eat all that sugar they are swimming around in. They want to pee alcohol and fart co2, it's their nature. New brewers tend to think their beer and yeast is frail, when in truth they've been doing this for 40,000 or more years, you just have to relax and realize that.

I really like your analogy there! I really did laugh out loud. Thanks for the tip. I'll just sit back and let the little guys do their magic now that they have a warmer and more stable home.

 

[jetmac]

You shouldn't worry about ANYTHING...you didn't hurt the yeast, just put it to sleep. They know what they need to do, they want to eat all that sugar they are swimming around in. They want to pee alcohol and fart co2, it's their nature.

:rockin:

 

[dozer217]

Checked the gravity tonight and it's still not done, was at 1.030 and shooting for 1.015. We are supposed to have a warm spell starting tomorrow, should be in the 70's for a week or so, I'll see if that is enough to get them started again or will move into the house, SWMBO permitting.