Fermentation temp dropped too low

[jmo88]

So the great PNW is having some seriously cold weather right now and it caused my storage unit where I ferment to drop to 50F. The winter ale is in the primary and has dropped to 1.008 before this weather hit and the temp decreased. Would you let it chill at 50F and wait for the weather to get back to normal in the next week or so or go to the trouble of moving it to 70F inside? The way I look at it now is that it's pretty much done fermenting so the yeast going dormant isn't a problem. What would you do?

 

[Blender]

It sounds like it is done or did you expect to go lower? If it is done it is a great way to cold crash it so it's nice and clear. If it was mine I would probably leave it in the cold.

 

[ifishsum]

I agree, if it's down to 1.008 then it's done, consider the temp drop a nice cold crash courtesy of mother nature. I got pretty much the same thing going on myself here in Portland

 

[jmo88]

Cool. That's what I thought but I was unsure if I'd damage the ale yeast if it continued to get colder. Unless it freezes, it's good, right?

 

[ifishsum]

They will go dormant in the cold but they won't die (well, if you freeze it they might). May want to warm it back up before you bottle.