Fermentation question

[Kmcogar]

Brewed a oatmeal stout.

Pitched a not too fresh pack of wyeast Irish ale.
(bought in April)

First 12 hours no activity.

18 hours shows signs of krausen forming.

24 hours 1/4 inch layer of krausen.

32 hours: a little bigger crene colored krausen

40 hours: A thick brown krausen forms. (looks like brownie mix) fermentation appears to be going pretty good.

48 hours: still have active fermentation. Krausen seems to be going away.

56 hours: krausen is looking like aeration bubbles

64 hours: no krausen. A little amount of bubbles on top(very little). It still seems to be active though.

Is fermentation coming to an end? It's almost been 3 days since fermentation began. That's quick right?

 

[mtyquinn]

That's quick, but I bet it's still working. Irish ale yeast is not the most rambunctious yeast in the world. Let it sit a bit.

 

[MZRIS]

air lock activity and krausen can be deceiving if you are trying to figure out if you are still fermenting. Give your carboy a swirl and stir up the yeast cake if you want to make sure your getting all you can get out a the yeast. you should see more activity shortly after kicking it up into the beer again. - also get your self a refractometer - it only takes a drop of beer to check the gravity to see if its moving.

 

[adamjackson]

Only way to know is gravity reading. That was quick but it never hurts to wait a full 7-10 days before taking an OG reading.

 

[Kmcogar]

Will taking a OG reading now hurt the fermentation process?

 

[adamjackson]

Will taking a OG reading now hurt the fermentation process?

Others are always welcome to correct me but I think you can day gravity readings all day every day as long as your turkey baster and other equipment is santized and you spray starsan (diluted) on the bung and airlock before closing it back up.

Every time you mess with it, you risk infection but I wouldn't worry.

Rule of thumb...let fermentation run its course and don't mess with it. At day 7-10, take an OG reading if you want then take one a day or two later. No change? Then, it's done.

I usually always keep my beers in for 3 weeks because I like clear beers and usually don't transfer a beer to my keg until a keg is empty.. So, feel free to check daily but until 7 days out, you probably are just wasting time.

My opinion, we all have one

 

[Double_D]

The OG is the reading before fermentation. It's the Original Gravity. You're looking for the Final Gravity. It doesn't hurt to take a reading if you suspect it's done, just keep it sanitary.

 

[duboman]

IMO it doesn't even pay to bother with a reading until the krausen drops. Then I add at least a week for the yeast to clean up and the beer to clear.

 

[Kmcogar]

IMO it doesn't even pay to bother with a reading until the krausen drops. Then I add at least a week for the yeast to clean up and the beer to clear.

The krausen has dropped

 

[Hang Glider]

and.......




What was your fermentation TEMPERATURE?

 

[duboman]

The krausen has dropped

Great!.....now take a gravity reading, take another one in a day, if they are the same then fermentation is complete but then you need to let the beer clear so you can leave it where it is until then or rack to secondary vessel if you choose to.

IMO you leave the beer alone for another week.

 

[nickelmcgee]

No need to wait on an Oatmeal Stout since clarity is not an issue. Package once the FG is steady as mentioned. You may want to condition a stout for a few weeks in bottle (keg). Stouts will "mellow" over time and can be a little harsh at first.

 

[Kmcogar]

and.......

What was your fermentation TEMPERATURE?

It was high. I don't have a means to control it. Ambient temp was 69 F. You do the math.

I will def let it sit in the secondary for a while. (yes, I know it's not necessary, but I like it)

 

[twilbrew247]

I just made an oatmeal stout too. Mine fermented out quick, but I wait at least 7 days before taking gravity reading. I had an OG of 1.043 and FG of 1.013. I started cold crash last night and will rack to keg tomorrow and condition for two weeks. +1 on letting stouts age in the keg/bottle.

BTW what was your OG?

 

[Hang Glider]

yes, if ambient was 69, likely it fermented at 79 or 80, so it will be over in 3 days. It will also not be your best beer - not to worry, I didn't do anything about temp control for my first year of brewing...

You could put that bucket/carboy in a tub of cool water as you pitch the yeast (at 65F ?) and keep it cool by swapping out frozen water bottles. Many folks still do this, it's easy and inexpensive, and it works.
Wally world sells rope-handle tubs, or you could get a large ice-chest and dedicate it to that function.

 

[Kmcogar]

I just made an oatmeal stout too. Mine fermented out quick, but I wait at least 7 days before taking gravity reading. I had an OG of 1.043 and FG of 1.013. I started cold crash last night and will rack to keg tomorrow and condition for two weeks. +1 on letting stouts age in the keg/bottle.

BTW what was your OG?

My OG was 1.060. I wanted a 6%er. I'm going to check my FG tonight and probably transfer to my secondary. I can't wait to taste it.

 

[twilbrew247]

My OG was 1.060. I wanted a 6%er. I'm going to check my FG tonight and probably transfer to my secondary. I can't wait to taste it.

That's what I'll shoot for in my next brew. I got sidetracked while fly sparging so I ended up fairly low on my OG.