First batch - did we ruin it?

[NWMashMakers]

After owning a 1995 Costco kit for home brewing and my husband and I attempted to make Scottish Ale this weekend. And, now I don't know if we ruined our first batch. Here's what happened:

6:00pm Got all the way to cooling wort down to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and then aerated in the fermenting bucket. Unfortunately, we forgot the suggestion to use a siphon to fill the hydrometer tube and kinda felt the pressure of the clock to pitch the yeast. So, we used a glass we sanitized in the starsand/water pail and doused the hand used too! drunk: ). Took a couple of dips out and filled the tube that way. Then pitched the yeast (White labs liquid Edinburgh with use by date of 12/14/2014)

Settled the fermenter bucket in the den for safe keeping with a room heater to cover any cold spots in the room. Our safety minded teenage son turned in last after a video game session and heard the heater going and turned down the heater off. My husband got up at 3:30am (with concerns for his beer baby) and and found the cold room had dropped the fermenter bucket temp reading down to 62 degrees.

We moved the bucket 20 yards away into our family room and have the space heater back on it.

Temp is back up to 64-ish and no sign of airlock bubbles. Suggestions?

 

[grimzella]

Just give it a little time. It should come around. Some beers start out cooler.. Then get ramped up. You'll be fine.


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[JohnSWA]

You didn't ruin a thing. Just monitor your brew. It should be bubbling soon! Cheers! It's a fun hobby and very forgiving. This is your first and you will be just fine.

 

[Subdivisions]

62 degrees is a fine temperature. Don't get it too high. When it starts fermenting the liquid can be many degrees above room temp.

 

[elsphinc]

Ah..i remember my first beer baby

 

[schokie]

The thermal inertia of 5 gals of wort should have prevented much of a temp swing if it was only a few degrees over a couple hours. I wouldn't worry about the minimal effect it caused.

Also, keep in mind the lack of airlock bubbling is not a sign of fermentation. I've had multiple beers that fermented just fine with no airlock activity. If your bucket or airlock has a loose seal it'll let CO2 out without bubbling. If in doubt, crack the lid, or shine a flashlight against the side, to see if there's any krausen. I've had lag times of around 24 hours with no problems.

 

[NWMashMakers]

We have bubbles!!

Thanks for all the replies. We needed the reassurance! Temp got up to 70 degrees. After close inspection, my man decided to reset the plug in the lid. He thought it was not snug enough (rough cut in the lid caused plug to need a firm sitting). After resetting the plug and airlock, we saw bubbles! Happy days!