Hi I start my first homebrew last Sunday it is now Wednesday fermentation started about 8 hours after pitching the yeast on Sunday the yeast came with the brew extract kit under the lid I pitch the yeast around 76degrees and since Sunday the wort has cooled down and the temp fluctuates between 61 degrees and 70degrees is this a problem with the temp going up and down over the past few days? Since the airlock started bubble it hasn't become more or less active just stayin the same consistent bubbles...the brand of the malt extract I used was Doric Canadian beer mix..... Iv noticed a fruity banana type smell coming from the air lock too is this a problem?
Aairlock smell/fermentation tempurature questions
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ColoHox
Compulsive Hand Washer
In general, that banana smell is due to a warm fermentation. Although, some yeasts tend to produce more fruity esters than others, regardless of the temperature.
Ideally, you should try to keep the temperature stable, somewhere between 60-70F (depending on the style and yeast) inside the fermenter for the first few days. A stick on thermometer will get you close, but keep in mind that the temperature inside your fermenter can easily be 10F higher than your room temperature. Temperature swings can cause the production of off flavors or a stalled fermentation.
It is probably best to ride this out, with ample patience. Be sure to give it enough time to condition before you critique the flavor. While probably still drinkable, this will likely be your worst beer ever (comparatively), because every one after this should get better with the gained experience. Keep reading, asking, and brewing.
Ideally, you should try to keep the temperature stable, somewhere between 60-70F (depending on the style and yeast) inside the fermenter for the first few days. A stick on thermometer will get you close, but keep in mind that the temperature inside your fermenter can easily be 10F higher than your room temperature. Temperature swings can cause the production of off flavors or a stalled fermentation.
It is probably best to ride this out, with ample patience. Be sure to give it enough time to condition before you critique the flavor. While probably still drinkable, this will likely be your worst beer ever (comparatively), because every one after this should get better with the gained experience. Keep reading, asking, and brewing.
Right now (1:27pm)the wort is at 66 degrees this morning when I checked at 7 am this morning it was around 62 is this too much of a temp swing I have the fermenting buckets wraped in blanket since Sunday tryin to maintain a constant temp but the temp drops and rises throughout the day
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If you don't have the means to adequately control the temp, try brewing beers that benefit from temp swings during fermentation. Belgians or Heffes would be a good start. Brew those until you can get a small chest freezer off craigslist. You could use a swamp cooler too...
Swamp cooler is where it's at if you don't have a lot of money or space. Basically a $10 tote from Target and a bag of ice. Easy like Sunday morning.
I live in Wallace Nova Scotia and here there is only 2 homebrew and wine making stores around and the stores don't seem to have much of a variety of malt extract type kits what brand of Belgium beer would you recommend ....I can get a verity of the coopers brand stuff/black stone/morgans.... I don't no enough to get in to all grain brewing yet I would like to be successful with the simple type of brewing before I advance
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I use a tub of water and rotate frozen water bottles. My ales typically range from 63-67* and they seem fine. I'm sure if they were kept at a constant temp they'd be a little better though. I don't think 4* is terrible, and maybe a few more won't hurt too much, but I wouldn't think that 10 or more would be desirable.
Do you think the beer will be fine goin between 61-67 degrees everyday until fermetion is done becuase it's cools down to 60 61 ( temp sticker on fermenting bucket) degrees and night when we get up in the morning we usually turn the fernace on so during the day it's up to 65-69 degrees then at night we turn the fernace back down of it cools off again by the evening .... This is just the temp strip on the outside of the bucket
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GHBWNY
Well-Known Member
You say "the temp drops and rises throughout the day". Are you talking about the reading on the stick-on thermometer? Or are you talking about room temp fluxuations?
I really can't say for sure, and each yeast strain can be a bit different. What yeast are you using?
Yeast will drop out and go dormant if the temp gets too low. I'd guess that 60* is really pushing it. But you did say it's been chugging along.
Regardless, the less the temp swing the better it will be. Try the swamp cooler (tub of water) as it ought to help keep the swing less severe.
Yeast will drop out and go dormant if the temp gets too low. I'd guess that 60* is really pushing it. But you did say it's been chugging along.
Regardless, the less the temp swing the better it will be. Try the swamp cooler (tub of water) as it ought to help keep the swing less severe.
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???..you got this thing sitting by a window or something?
5 gal of liquid swinging 8 degrees a day would have to mean...what...20 degree ambient swings maybe?
5 gal of liquid swinging 8 degrees a day would have to mean...what...20 degree ambient swings maybe?
I'm gonna say exterior temp because I am using the thermontier strip on the outside of the bucket and a heat gun you point and it takes the temp of what ever you point it at... I havnt ha the lid off the bucket since I pitched the yeast on Sunday I'm scared of contaminating the wort to get a internal temp....is it worth sterilizing a themoniter and take the lip off just to get a more accurate reading...... I took ever sanitizing step to try to get this right I don't want to take the lid off to risk contamination or infection
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When I go to bed at night I check the temp on the strip and it is 64-66 in the morning it's usaully right at 60 or 61 and to me that seems to cold so I turn on the fernace until it's up to 65 or 66.....and at night I move the fermenter if on a Heating pad that barley works and in the morning I move the ferment or on top on the fernace register to get the temp back up a couple degrees...... The beer is called Doric Canadian mix I don't no if it's an ale or lager or what it was just a cheap kit buddy at the beer and wine store told me to buy this since iv never made beer before
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The beer kit I bought is called Doric Canadian mix it was a 15$ kit and iv never brewed before so I didn't bother spending the money on a better brand I just fallowed the directions as close as possible and used the yeast the came with it ... I don't even no if the beer is a ale or lager it didn't say on the can
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Don't take the lid off. The fermometer ought to be close enough as long as it's stuck in a location where beer is on the other side.
If it's still chugging along at ~60* I'd not worry too much about it. The greatest impact is in the first few days to a week, and so you're through that. It's made whatever flavors it will. My understanding is the problem with too cold is just making the yeast dormant. I don't think it causes flavor issues, though large temp swings may stress the yeast a bit.
You didn't mention the yeast it came with. I tried looking for that beer but couldn't find it.
If it's still chugging along at ~60* I'd not worry too much about it. The greatest impact is in the first few days to a week, and so you're through that. It's made whatever flavors it will. My understanding is the problem with too cold is just making the yeast dormant. I don't think it causes flavor issues, though large temp swings may stress the yeast a bit.
You didn't mention the yeast it came with. I tried looking for that beer but couldn't find it.
I did find this:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/anyone-ever-try-doric-canadian-light-lager-kit-76411/
Some of these cheaper kits state lager but are actually using ale yeast. But maybe that's why yours is still going well at ~60*...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/anyone-ever-try-doric-canadian-light-lager-kit-76411/
Some of these cheaper kits state lager but are actually using ale yeast. But maybe that's why yours is still going well at ~60*...
I will look for the package it came in if I still have it
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My kit isn't the Doric Canadian light lager it just says Doric Canadian beer mix
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I looked and didn't see it so I'm not sure what you have. It's a bit late to worry about it now.
Give it 3 or 4 weeks and bottle it. Give it another 3 to 4 weeks to condition, and then give it 3 to 7 days in the fridge.
Only drink maybe 2 the first time. My first kit was a Cooper's kit and I didn't maintain the temp at all and created fusel alcohol, which gave me NASTY hangovers from just 2 or 3.
If you find that it does give you a hangover just dump it as there's nothing you can do for that.
Give it 3 or 4 weeks and bottle it. Give it another 3 to 4 weeks to condition, and then give it 3 to 7 days in the fridge.
Only drink maybe 2 the first time. My first kit was a Cooper's kit and I didn't maintain the temp at all and created fusel alcohol, which gave me NASTY hangovers from just 2 or 3.
If you find that it does give you a hangover just dump it as there's nothing you can do for that.
I looked it up again and found it:
http://ebrew.com/light_ales/canadian_ale.htm
It's an ale, but doesn't say specifically what yeast it has as it mentions alternatives.
http://ebrew.com/light_ales/canadian_ale.htm
It's an ale, but doesn't say specifically what yeast it has as it mentions alternatives.
The one I bought is on the right
http://www.brewingcentres.ns.ca/beer-kits/beer-kits-doric.htm
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Yeast will clean up off flavors when allow to sit.
I had an IPA change flavor on me after the normal 3 week/3 week/3 day routine and so I have just given my beers a little longer all the way around 4/4/1 so I know it's done.
I had an IPA change flavor on me after the normal 3 week/3 week/3 day routine and so I have just given my beers a little longer all the way around 4/4/1 so I know it's done.
Sitting longer certainly can't hurt, and might very well be quite helpful. And very cold temps can certainly slow the yeast down. So an extra week may help it along assuming 60* is on the verge of too low.
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I wouldn't worry so much about turning your furnace up and down or anything. If the temp in the house drops to 61, the yeast will be fine. If it drops to mid 50's or low 50's then you might start running into issues. I definitely wouldn't worry about keep beer warm while it's fermenting, the heat it generates should keep it pretty happy.
As others said, banana smells can mean fermentation at warm temps.
I think it'll be tasty, just give it some time and leave it alone for a while.
As others said, banana smells can mean fermentation at warm temps.
I think it'll be tasty, just give it some time and leave it alone for a while.
Well thanks for the help I hope everything works out I'm slowing getting a better understanding of how things work This is my first batch iv tryed to make and I'm goin to keep using this site for advice
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BrianDorry55
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't worry about it getting "too cold"...I did an IPA and fermented it between 52-58 just because it was easier for me to leave it in my wine fridge which ranges between 50 and 60 degrees. It came out great and fermented down to my intended final gravity...I used Wyeast Denny's Ale...can't remember what the temp recommendations are for that yeast but I know it's higher than where I was at. I have a Kolsch going right now in the same fridge and I've had it at 52-55 degrees for six days...the Wyeast Kolsch packet recommends fermenting at temps starting at 65 degrees...haven't taken a gravity reading yet but I can tell that it was cooking along just fine. I'd worry more about high temperatures than low temperatures...but that's just my opinion based on my very limited experience.
GHBWNY
Well-Known Member
Congrats, you're making beer! And chances are, it will turn out OK. I'm a beginner, too, and I'm getting ready to bottle only my 2nd batch. The best advice I have gotten on this site so far from the vets has not been in terms of fine details --- although those things are important and worth paying attention to --- but letting the beer take all the time it needs to do what it needs to do, even if it means going a little beyond the time the directions say. Chances are, it won't hurt a thing and most likely will be beneficial to the final outcome. Hey, I'm convinced from the time you brew to the time you crack that bottle that's a year old, things are still going on in the beer at some finite level.
Take good notes and let 'er ride, son, let 'er ride...
1.002 is a nice low value. No reason to think anything is wrong. I never rack to secondary.
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