Fermentation question - weird one

[bbell21]

Hey all! I have a weird question to ask you, I brewed up an Oberon clone (all grain) on Saturday. I pitched my yeast (my OG was a lot lower than expected and of course I didn't have DME on hand) anyways I waited 36 hours with no activity and my temp was sitting around 62-64 degrees with US-05 dry yeast. So I moved my bucket upstairs where it reached 72 degrees and the fermentation kicked up very actively within 6 hours. I don't mind the tad banana off flavors for this brew. Long story short, it was active for 24 hours and stopped bubbling in the blow off completely. I noticed some even escaped the tightly sealed lid (just a tad). I decided maybe it was getting too warm with ambient temps nearing 73 degrees so I moved the fermenter as calmly as I could downstairs again. When I reached the basement I could hear it bubbling while I was moving (probably from the movement of wort forcing gases out) but once I sat it down no real movement happened and I decided to adjust the blow off tube because it was sitting pretty flush with the pitcher I use and as soon as I moved it toward the center the thing started going crazy, 2 bubbles a second.

My weird questions are, did I re start a very active fermentation by moving the bucket? Or maybe my blow off tube was sealing itself off against the pitcher which ceased the bubbles upstairs?

Also, how big of a no no is adjusting the temps that drastically mid fermentation? I wrapped it up with a blanket and sleeping bag and left it in the bathroom near the heater because my basement gets really cold (60 degrees) so will probably see a 5 degree change by morning, hopefully this won't slow the yeast down seeing how active they currently are. Any advice is apprecied and I know bubbles don't mean squat just need some opinions on what's going on, I'm trying to learn more about the process

 

[Kerrbrewer]

IME US05 gives strong peach esters if fermented below 65. I try to keep it up above 70, and have had good experience in the 73 range. It is best to hold a stable temp during the beginning and strongest part of primary fermentation. This is when the yeast is most subject to stress that can cause problems like poor floccing and esters. I have found that moving ale yeast beers to warmer temps after the rigorous part of the ferment is over helps it finish. Bubbles do tell a tale, just do not trust them to tell you it's completely done. As far as your blow off it was probably not in the pitcher like you think.

 

[bbell21]

IME US05 gives strong peach esters if fermented below 65. I try to keep it up above 70, and have had good experience in the 73 range. It is best to hold a stable temp during the beginning and strongest part of primary fermentation. This is when the yeast is most subject to stress that can cause problems like poor floccing and esters. I have found that moving ale yeast beers to warmer temps after the rigorous part of the ferment is over helps it finish. Bubbles do tell a tale, just do not trust them to tell you it's completely done. As far as your blow off it was probably not in the pitcher like you think.

I wake up this morning (7 hours later) temp is showing 72 degrees still so hardly moved and not a single bubble again

 

[splyn]

is your bucket lid sealed?

 

[bbell21]

is your bucket lid sealed?

Yes

 

[bbell21]

I just switched my blowoff hose and rammed it down into the airlock to see if maybe there was a weak seal there but when I pulled the tube out it seemed to be pretty darn secure

 

[bbell21]

Holy smokes so I read on this forum that sometimes too much water in the blowoff can cause the gas to not properly escape so I took my pitch of water and dumped half of it out and now it's bubbling like crazy again!!! Could this of really been the issue?? And if so how is it going to affect my beer in the long run if at all since the gases couldn't escape if at all?

 

[Kerrbrewer]

Chances are it was slowly leaking out elsewhere. If not it was just staying in the beer. It will outgas. It wasnt until I started washing yeast that I really got a grasp of fermentation by watching my yeast starters. Make some starters watch em work and lots of mystery disappears.

 

[bbell21]

Chances are it was slowly leaking out elsewhere. If not it was just staying in the beer. It will outgas. It wasnt until I started washing yeast that I really got a grasp of fermentation by watching my yeast starters. Make some starters watch em work and lots of mystery disappears.

Yeah I said screw it and took out the blow off and put on the airlock and it return to a bubble every 5 seconds or so, typical to this stage I'm just hoping nothing negative happened the last 2 days, assuming no oxygen was able to get it with an active fermentation