Carbonation during fermentation?

[joshstokes122]

So I brewed up a saison for the first time about a month ago (19 Nov). I used Wyeast 3724 Belgain Saison for the first time as well. OG - 1.065. I didn't realize that I needed a warmer fermentation temp, so I started out at about 67F. Checked the gravity a while later (30 Nov) and noticed the gravity seemed to be stuck around 1.032. I checked out the forums and discovered that I've been fermenting at too low of a temperature for the 3724 yeast. I've since put a sweatshirt over my carboy and moved it to the warmest room in the house. Seems like fermentation is going a bit slow to me but the airlock continues to bubble. I can see little bubbles in the beer that look a lot like carbonation. I've never seen this before and wanted to get some more experienced brewers' take on it. And no, I have not checked the gravity right now. Any thoughts?

 

[bottlebomber]

I don't know why, but a lot of the saison yeasts ferment quickly down to about 1.030, then take their sweet time finishing the job. Any heat you can provide is a good thing, especially if you have a hot pad you can put under the fermenter or secure to the side.

 

[joshstokes122]

No hot pad, but I've moved the carboy to the laundry room with a space heater.

What's your take on the small, carbonation like bubbles during fermentation? I've never noticed this with my other brews before. Is this typical of the Belgian yeast?

 

[bottlebomber]

Its typical of all yeasts that I've used...

 

[GuldTuborg]

What's your take on the small, carbonation like bubbles during fermentation?

That's the yeast making CO2 and, er, carbonating your beer. You should worry if it doesn't happen. Is this your first time fermenting in a carboy, by chance? If not, my guess is warming it up is causing some O2 to come out of solution, and it just happens to be extra easy to see right now.

 

[joshstokes122]

If not, my guess is warming it up is causing some O2 to come out of solution, and it just happens to be extra easy to see right now.

I'm guessing it's just extra easy to see right now. All of my previous fermentations have been in carboys and I never noticed this before. Could also be that I've never had a fermentation take this long, so I never looked at them extra close wondering what's going on in there.

 

[erikpete18]

Yeah, there's always some CO2 dissolved in solution after fermentation, and moving it to a warmer spot is going to force some of that out of solution. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if that is the yeast just working slowly. Keep that carboy warm and check it in a few weeks and see if the grav is dropping to your liking, but knowing that you might have to keep the beer in there for a while to really get everything out of that yeast.

 

[joshstokes122]

So I made a makeshift fermentation chamber with some leftover foam board I used to insulate my garage door. I put it over the carboy and left a hole in it so I could aim a small electric heater into it. Seemed to work pretty well because the bubbles I noticed before are gone. I figure either the yeast got the temperature they wanted and did their thing or I cooked them.