Fermentation temp massive changes...

[hilljack13]

I am trying a new lager fermentation. I have issues with diacetyl. One recommendation was to ferment below 50F for 28 days.
Of course upon trying this, my garage refrigerator goes sh** on me and will not cool below 65F. I have been fermenting for 6 days. Now I see the brewfather app (based off tilt readings) shows I went from 48F fermentation to 52F. I moved the 1 gal batch to the freezer side of the unit, now I get reports of 40F temps!!!

Have I ruined this batch? It was specific to ferment cold and now that is not possible. Brewfather app shows 70% complete. I want to keep this under 50F until the end of February. What should I do??

 

[Snuffy]

Keep a record of the temp swings and durations. If this turns out to be a great beer, you may want to reproduce the process in the future.

 

[fluketamer]

big swings but still not too hot . should be good beer.

 

[VTMongoose]

Warm it back up and fermentation should resume. You'll be fine.

 

[hilljack13]

It's still moving. Down to 1.026, was 1.028 when temp dropped. Up to 41F now.

 

[Jag75]

I am trying a new lager fermentation. I have issues with diacetyl. One recommendation was to ferment below 50F for 28 days.
Of course upon trying this, my garage refrigerator goes sh** on me and will not cool below 65F. I have been fermenting for 6 days. Now I see the brewfather app (based off tilt readings) shows I went from 48F fermentation to 52F. I moved the 1 gal batch to the freezer side of the unit, now I get reports of 40F temps!!!

Have I ruined this batch? It was specific to ferment cold and now that is not possible. Brewfather app shows 70% complete. I want to keep this under 50F until the end of February. What should I do??

When you lager you should start increasing the temp once fermentation is approx 70-75% complete . Bump it up each day until your mid to high 60's . Then let sit for 3 days for the D rest .

 

[hilljack13]

OK, so tonight I poured a glass. ZERO diacetyl. It isn't quite as oktoberery fest as I have had, but it isn't bad. This was done with S-189. Second time I have used this yeast and I think it does better (for me) than 34/70. I still have a ton of 34/70 so I'm going to give it another (many) try. This brew didn't go as planned so I am going to try it again. For now, a drinkable lager in somewhat quick fashion.

Cheers!

 

[hilljack13]

So....I am not sure if what I taste is diacetyl or not. Tonight I pour another of this O-fest and it has that taste again, when the other day it did not. Same bad taste I have had just after fermentation that I thought was the D. It has been off the yeast a few weeks now. Only thing different is I did a burst carb.

Is there anything else that I might be tasting that isn't deacetyl? I can't explain it because I can't describe beer tastes, ie grapefruit, pine, etc. It is either good or bad to me

 

[wepeeler]

Take a sample, degas it by pouring it back and forth between 2 containers, then heat in the microwave. Allow it to cool back to room temp and smell taste. If you get butter popcorn or butterscotch you have diacetyl.

 

[Skeeter686]

Take a sample, degas it by pouring it back and forth between 2 containers, then heat in the microwave. Allow it to cool back to room temp and smell taste. If you get butter popcorn or butterscotch you have diacetyl.

I assume the microwave step is to complete the degassing. I didn't know that degassing helped to identify diacetyl. Learned something today.

 

[hilljack13]

I forgot about that. Gonna give it a whirl.

 

[wepeeler]

I assume the microwave step is to complete the degassing. I didn't know that degassing helped to identify diacetyl. Learned something today.

Degassing just gets rid of the CO2. Heating it up makes the compound much easier to smell and turns any α-acetolactate to diacetyl. Just don't heat too hot. Might be better to do it in a warm water bath, than the microwave.

 

[Ramjet]

There's a you tube channel called lady fermenter she has a video on doing a forced diacetyl test