Accidental fermenter cool down after 3 days

[homer383]

Hi,

I started to ferment an ale at regulated 20 degrees C. Unfortunately my regulator got stuck after 3 days of fermentation and the fridge started to regulate using its own thermostat which kept the temperature at 10C.

So the first 3 days of fermentation was at 20C, following 4 days were at 10C.

I wanted to ferment the beer at 20C for 2-3 weeks. After this fail, I do not know what to do - bottle it now? Or let it warm on 20C and continue fermenting? What do you think?

 

[ncsuwerewolf]

Warm it back up and let it finish.

 

[balrog]

The cold may have caused the yeast to go to sleep. Allow the batch to warm up again and see if things don't just take off. After 3 days at 20°C the lag phase was probably well along, and simply allowing it to warm up is all you need to do to let it continue.

Definitely do not bottle. There is no way things are finished quite yet. Hydrometer will let you know.

 

[myndflyte]

Definitely don't bottle now. By cooling it down, the yeast have slowed down so there is more left yet to ferment then there normally would at this time. Warm it back up and let it ferment for the full 3 weeks. It'll be fine.

 

[Steveruch]

Which yeast?

 

[homer383]

I used 2 packages of Danstar Nottingham Ale yeasts. The amount of wort was ~25 litres. OG: 1.057

 

[DaWhip]

Warm it up. You'll be good, especially with Notty. I have done 50F on purpose with notty and it works, just a little slower. Honestly, you probably helped your beer taste better. Slow and low with notty is a good thing.

 

[homer383]

Thanks! So I kept it there warming up slowly and will keep it for total 3 weeks in the primary.

 

[RM-MN]

Fermenting Nottingham at 13C is quite slow but very clean tasting. Give it a week, then warm it to 22 of so.

 

[homer383]

Fermenting Nottingham at 13C is quite slow but very clean tasting. Give it a week, then warm it to 22 of so.

Unfortunately it is already over the temperature. I will not experiment with it and keep it now at regulated 20C for further ~12 days.

 

[RM-MN]

Unfortunately it is already over the temperature. I will not experiment with it and keep it now at regulated 20C for further ~12 days.

That info I posted is for the next batch. After 3 days or so at 20C your initial fermentation is probably settled down enough that raising the temp to 22 to 24C might be beneficial.

 

[ncbrewer]

Thanks! So I kept it there warming up slowly and will keep it for total 3 weeks in the primary.

I suggest checking gravity 2 - 3 days before bottling day, and checking again on bottling day to be sure it's finished. It really should be, but that check is for safety. If it wasn't finished (indicated by gravity dropping in between samples), you could get bottle bombs. Look for gravity being the same both times to be sure it's finished. I do this on every batch, but especially since the fermentation was a little irregular, I think it would be a good precaution.

 

[oakbarn]

It may take longer. You need to check the FG for the end, not time.