1St All grain brew - fermentation slow down?

[tekkydave]

Despite a few minor catastophes, my first AG (American amber) seemed like it was going great. I transferred the wort to a PET carboy, pitched the yeast, and all was good. I went to cap the carboy, and then realized I didn't have a cap. So I topped it with tinfoil, and left it in a slightly cool location. After about 12 hours I had a nice krausen forming, and I was happy.

The next day I went to my LHBS and picked up a univeral carboy cap. I removed the tin foil, capped the carboy and put in an airlock. Within seconds it was bubbling happily, and all was good.

This morning, I checked on my carboy before leaving for work, and the airlock was not bubbling. I got worried, so I gave the carboy a shake to wake the yeast a bit, but I am worried that I am screwing something up.

The storage location is behind the door that goes from my main living room, above the stairs to the basement. We keep the house at 71F, but the basement is probably 10 degrees cooler. Since the carboy is at the top of the stairs, right behind the door to the rest of the condo, it is warmer, probably close to the recommended 68F of the recipe.

What should I do? I used wyeast 1056, and the site says the temp range is from 60-72F. Should I move it? Should I wrap the carboy in a blanket? Should I DWRHAHB?

Help me beer Jedi! You are my only hope!

 

[ForummotoX]

Try moving it to a warmer place and see of that makes a difference. That's where I'd start anyway

 

[kh54s10]

If the ambient temperature was 68-70 your fermentation probably raised the temperature to 75 to 80 degrees. At that temperature the active fermentation might have already passed.

Bubbles in the airlock don't really mean anything. The beer could be fermenting properly without producing constant co2 in amounts to make bubbles. You might also have a small air leak. This should not be a concern, the co2 in the carboy will protect from oxygen.

I would not warm it any. If anything tape a thermometer to the side with a cloth over it and get the temperature into the low sixties.

Wait 3-4 weeks and take gravity readings to determine when to bottle.

 

[tekkydave]

If the ambient temperature was 68-70 your fermentation probably raised the temperature to 75 to 80 degrees. At that temperature the active fermentation might have already passed.

Am I screwed? What happens when the active fermentation passes? How long should that period last ideally?

Also, are the LCD thermometers that you tape to the side accurate? What temperature would you store your fermenter to hit the ideal 68F temp?

Thanks for responding so quickly guys. I'm at work, so I can't RDWHAHB, so I'll just worry for the rest of the day till I get home.

 

[RM-MN]

What happens when the active part of the ferment has passed is that you now have beer instead of wort. Your yeast have made alcohol. They have also made a bunch of other compounds that they will go back and take care of if you let them have time to do so.

Active fermentation lasts from when the yeast discover that there is sugar to eat until the sugar is almost all gone. In warm temperatures it might last 2 days or less. I put my beer into a 62 to 65 degree room and it will be active for 4 or 5 days but much less active which causes fewer of the esters and fusel alcohols that will give off flavors and a hot alcohol taste.

 

[PoppinCaps]

Without knowing the actual dates, I'd say that fermentation is finished. Take a hydro reading if you're really curious, but I'd just wait out the 2 weeks and then see. I've had some beers complete fermentation in 48 hours from pitching. If you had a strong krausen, it's a pretty good sign that the temp was not a problem. Might impart some fruity flavors, but otherwise it sounds like a good fermentation.

 

[tekkydave]

I pitched the yeast at 2pm on Sunday, swapped the carboy cap out on Monday night, tuesday morning was when I saw that it wasn't bubbling.

Also, it was only a 2.5gallon batch, and i used a full smack pack of liquid wyeast (4.5oz), with no starter.

So if fermentation is complete, is the remaining two weeks just time for the yeast to clean up?

 

[kh54s10]

Not screwed. I don't think your temperature was too high.

At a higher temperature you may get esters or fusel alcohols that are undesirable. When you take your gravity readings take a taste. It will not be the taste that you will end up with but if it is "off" age the beer longer. I had the same with my first brew. An Irish Red Ale. I called the taste "sour" which can indicate an infection. I didn't have an infection. So on advice, I did a 2 week primary 3 week secondary and 2 weeks in bottles and it turned out fine.

You will get differing opinions but I find the LCD strips are accurate enough. They do give about 2 degree range right off the bat so I err on the cool side of what it says. I also think that it is reading an average of both the inside temp and the outside temp.

I use a large storage box with 4-6 inches of water in it and control the temperature by adding or taking away bottles of ice. Search "swamp cooler".

 

[kh54s10]

I pitched the yeast at 2pm on Sunday, swapped the carboy cap out on Monday night, tuesday morning was when I saw that it wasn't bubbling.

Also, it was only a 2.5gallon batch, and i used a full smack pack of liquid wyeast (4.5oz), with no starter.

So if fermentation is complete, is the remaining two weeks just time for the yeast to clean up?

This really sounds like you had the proper amount of yeast and that they have finished. And yes, continue for 2 or 3 weeks and let the yeast do their cleanup.

I think you will have a very good beer.

 

[stamandster]

One word of advice, never shake a beer that has started it's fermentation.

 

[tekkydave]

Update: the Krausen has subsided substantially since this morning, and no bubbles coming out of the air lock. Commence finger crossing.

 

[tekkydave]

Just an update, that no body probably cares about, but for any noobs out there like myself...

Two weeks in primary, two weeks in bottles at room temp, 24 hours in the fridge...I had to try one, b/c the wait was killing me, and it tastes like beer! No off tastes at all! Just pretty damn good beer. Genius!

 

[RM-MN]

Congratulations on joining the crowd. Can you really believe you made beer and it was good? The next one is likely to be even better. WooHoo!:rockin:

 

[kh54s10]

Congratulations!

I for one DO care. I started brewing in July and have found this site VERY helpful. I have been helped and like to help others when I can.

I hope you have started at least one more batch since that beer. I missed a brew date because of the Xmas holiday. I hope that I don't end up with a gap in my supply.

I do have 3 finished beers, 2 more in bottles conditioning and 1 more in primary. Going to my LHBS on Thursday for brew day on Saturday. I will be getting enough for a couple of beers. Variety is the spice of life!

 

[tekkydave]

I agree, this site rules. I've done so much researching on this site over the last few weeks.

I have another batch in primary (brewed last week), and I went to the not-so-local HBS and got ingredients for another two batches. Hopefully Saturday or Sunday I will be brewing as well!

 

[stratslinger]

Congrats on making beer Dave! I see you're in Danbury - which not-so-local HBS are you using? There's a pretty good, if pricey, one in Monroe, a much better one (price and service wise, from my experience) in East Hartford, and a new one that I know very little about in Southington. Depending on your willingness to drive a bit, they're all worth a look.

Also - I know someone suggested it above, but in case you missed it: On future brews, try to place your fermenter somewhere that's 5 degrees or so cooler than your desired temperature. Fermentation creates heat, so your fermenting beer is going to be warmer than the ambient temperature. Once primary fermentation has passed, then it's a good idea to move it somewhere closer to your desired fermentation chamber to keep the yeast from going to sleep before they get done cleaning up after themselves!

 

[tekkydave]

My inlaws live in NY, so I stopped by a place in Croton-on-hudson called the Green Growler. It was a pretty cool place, they have a good amount of home brew stuff, plus they have some specialty stuff on tap that they offer with their Growler service.

I picked up an additional better bottle, and some grains. This should help to build my pipeline. So stoked the last batch came out good.

I'm so pissed though, when I brewed the batch that's in my primary, I was careful, I did everything right, I got everything cleaned up an put away, and then I realized that I never sanitized my racking cane or my carboy!!! How I overlooked that, I do not know, but I'm going to let it set anyway, and hope for the best.

 

[stratslinger]

Funny - I did almost exactly the same on my first brew. I sanitized the heck out of everything except my carboy.

That beer turned out about as good as its kit was capable of - kind of a cheapo kit, but it definitely wasn't infected or screwed up in any way from my gaffe. Chances are yours will be the same; people made beer for thousands of years before starsan or iodophor were invented!