Fermenter got too cold

[FlaNew2Brew]

What should I do? My beer has been fermenting since last Sunday was keeping it at 68 degrees then temp dropped last night and fermenter dropped to 52 degrees. Just wanted to know what if anything I need to do after I get it back to temp.

 

[histo320]

What type of yeast are you using? Why did the temp drop so much in a short amount of time?

 

[Newsman]

Probably nothing you need to do, maybe shake it up a bit in case your yeasties fell out of suspension. That being said, I haven't done enough brewing to know for sure if that would be OK or not. I'd see what someone more experienced said.

 

[jrgtr42]

I would think that a gentle swirl to get the yeast back into suspension should do it.
I had a case that my beer did that (the heater in my place crapped out the night I went away for the weekend, I got home it was down to around 50 in the house) and once warmed back up it started going again, it turned out to be the best batch I had made to that point.
As long as it didn't actually freeze solid, your yeast most likely just went to sleep and probably settled out of suspension. Like I said, once warmed back up, they should wake up and continue what they were doing.

 

[BigFloyd]

The drop in temp probably put the yeast to sleep. If the ferment was winding down, it probably made them drop out to the bottom as well. If you're using Nottingham, there's a chance it may still be active. That strain isn't affected by lower (mid-50's) temps like other ale yeasts.

First, leave the lid on. You need that CO2 "fog" atop the beer to be there for the next step.

After it warms back up into the mid-upper 60's (be patient, it will take at least a few hours for that much fluid to assume room temp) give the bucket a good swirl to re-suspend the yeast. Give it another week after that, then take a gravity reading.

 

[JDGator]

The drop in temp probably put the yeast to sleep. If the ferment was winding down, it probably made them drop out to the bottom as well. If you're using Nottingham, there's a chance it may still be active. That strain isn't affected by lower (mid-50's) temps like other ale yeasts.

First, leave the lid on. You need that CO2 "fog" atop the beer to be there for the next step.

After it warms back up into the mid-upper 60's (be patient, it will take at least a few hours for that much fluid to assume room temp) give the bucket a good swirl to re-suspend the yeast. Give it another week after that, then take a gravity reading.

this is what i would do as well!!

 

[masskrug]

Warm it and swirl the bucket to rouse the yeast. I did this on my first one with Safale 05 and it came back to life and finished with no problem.

 

[FlaNew2Brew]

What type of yeast are you using? Why did the temp drop so much in a short amount of time?

Safale 05 using deepf freezer as fermenter and outside temp got really cold last night.

 

[FlaNew2Brew]

The drop in temp probably put the yeast to sleep. If the ferment was winding down, it probably made them drop out to the bottom as well. If you're using Nottingham, there's a chance it may still be active. That strain isn't affected by lower (mid-50's) temps like other ale yeasts. First, leave the lid on. You need that CO2 "fog" atop the beer to be there for the next step. After it warms back up into the mid-upper 60's (be patient, it will take at least a few hours for that much fluid to assume room temp) give the bucket a good swirl to re-suspend the yeast. Give it another week after that, then take a gravity reading.

Thanks I will give that a try.

 

[Glynn]

One word

brew belt

 

[BigFloyd]

Or one of these if you have a dual temp controller (like an STC-1000) - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XDTWN2/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_M3T1_ST1_dp_1