Fluctuating temps - bottle bombs / conditioning

[ScoobyDude]

I bottled my first brew last week. No bombs here, but I've got questions.

The bottles have been conditioning in my downstairs bathroom. It's normally in the mid-60's down there, which I gather is fine to bottle condition at (even though I've read 70 is ideal). But, my house has terrible insulation and lately I'm sure it's dropping into the 40's with the current cold snap we've had. So, my question is how do fluctuating temps like this affect the conditioning and carbonation? Does it?

And do fluctuating temps increase the possibility of bottle bombs?

 

[unionrdr]

As long as your beer was fully fermented & you primed it reasonably,you won't get bottle bombs. But temps going up to say 65F then down to 40's won't help much. Once bottled,it still takes a little while for the temp of the beer inside the bottles to go up or down. But low temps can make the yeast go dormant when they dip below the minimum temp for that particular yeast.
Higher temps don't really effect the yeast once in the bottle. Save for maybe carbing faster. A place where temps are more stable around 70-80F usually prove better imo.

 

[NervousDad]

A temp increase will not increase the possibility of a bottle bomb, only the amount of fermentables will (priming sugar or unfermented sugars in the beer). Dropping into the 40 can cause the yeast to go dormant, but if it's only for short periods of time it should be fine. I'd try to find a way to insulate them a bit if possible.

 

[Jayhem]

If you are trying to bottle condition in a location with fluctuating temps, try putting the bottles inside coolers, this will insulate them from temperature swings and keep them at the average temperature of the room. If your average temp is more like 60 it might take a month or more to fully carbonate.

is there any way you could condition them upstairs where it might be warmer? A bedroom? Just keep them in coolers if you are worried about bottle bombs.

 

[GreatFermentations]

My guess is that it will probably just take longer to carbonate if its fluctuating that much. Yeast are picky little creatures and they like to be comfortable. Try to get it in a room/closet/oven (just kidding on that last one) where the temp stays relatively stable. If that's not an option, maybe try going down there every other day or so in the morning when the temp is picking up, and gently turn the bottles upside down to get the yeast back into suspension.

As for bottle bombs, as long as you were at your target final gravity at bottling time, and you added the right amount of priming sugar, you'll be fine.

Cheers!
Bryan

 

[ScoobyDude]

If you are trying to bottle condition in a location with fluctuating temps, try putting the bottles inside coolers, this will insulate them from temperature swings and keep them at the average temperature of the room. If your average temp is more like 60 it might take a month or more to fully carbonate.

is there any way you could condition them upstairs where it might be warmer? A bedroom? Just keep them in coolers if you are worried about bottle bombs.

Guests came last night, so i had to bring it all upstairs so they could use that bathroom. Good idea with the cooler. It's much warmer up here, but I didn't want any beer bombs to occur on the carpet. I'll see if I can fit them all in a couple of coolers so if they do make a mess at all it will be contained.

 

[ScoobyDude]

A temp increase will not increase the possibility of a bottle bomb, only the amount of fermentables will (priming sugar or unfermented sugars in the beer). Dropping into the 40 can cause the yeast to go dormant, but if it's only for short periods of time it should be fine. I'd try to find a way to insulate them a bit if possible.

They have been covered by a towel, but I'm not sure how much insulation that provided. The temps here on the central coast of CA only started to drop into the 30's (outside) over the past few nights. So inside that bathroom it may have only been in the 40's those few nights, and probably low-mid 60's during the day.

So now I am curious, if the yeast DOES go dormant, does that result in a flat, sweet beer? Even after a week of more optimal conditions where some carbonation occurred?

Since it was no more than 3 separate 10 hour periods of chilling I'll try not to be concerned.

 

[unionrdr]

You can tip the bottles up & down if you want. sometimes that helps in this situation. But I've also had them restart on their own as well.

 

[fartinmartin]

Conditioning is fermenting the added priming sugar within the bottle, the yeast have to be at the right temp to do this, once they have done their work the priming sugar has been used up and turned into gas. At that point the yeast have done their job and conditioned the brew. As they have at that point finished off the ferment able sugar, that's it. At that point the beer can be stored cold , as the pressure is already in the bottle, conditioned.
Sorry to be long winded, the yeast need their time at their temp, then as cool as you like, how much time, that's up to the yeast and maybe time for a test bottle, cheers.

 

[ScoobyDude]

NervousDad, do you have an idea of how long is TOO long for it to be below 60?

Thanks for the explanation FartinMartin. Sediment is already pretty heavy on most of the bottle bottoms. I gently tipped over most to agitate the yeast a little, but many have a solid cake down there. I've got them in a warmer spot so hopefully that will recharge'em. I'll have to test one tonight

 

[bierandbikes]

I was under the impression that "conditioning," although it encompasses the carbonation process, goes beyond that as well. Does conditioning not also include some further cleaning up and flavor maturation of the beer? Not that all of this should occurr at 70 degrees (think lagering for example) but certainly the yeast are still active, albeit in a far reduced state.

 

[NervousDad]

I'm sure they're fine. I'd do like unionrdr said and try to get the yeast back in suspension.

 

[fartinmartin]

If when you have bottled you quickly see a sediment, you have bottled too early ! Give the brew time to drop out in primary, cold crash, then be really efficient getting it into the bottling bucket, then prime and bottle clean beer. It's time that most of us get wrong.

 

[unionrdr]

Resuspending some yeast should def help,yeah. and yes,I think of carbonation & conditioning as seperate parts of the process. Conditioning is the maturing,mellowing,etc of the flavors & aromas in the beer while they're carbonating. for average gravity beers,it takes another week or so beyond carbonated to condition into the final product.
Others think of conditioning as carbonating & maturing as one total process. I suppose that's not wrong really,but I prefer to think of them seperately,as maturing (conditioning) takes a bit longer than carbonating sometimes.

 

[fartinmartin]

Conditioning and carbonating is one thing maturing is another, I am an old git and still very immature .

 

[unionrdr]

The way I picked it up coming here,maturing is conditioning.

 

[fartinmartin]

Unionrdr, I am still getting better, maturing.

 

[hbtasdfg]

if it had 2-4 weeks at 65F it probably is already carbonated. once it carbonates it stops carbonating more and stays carbonated until you open it

 

[ScoobyDude]

If when you have bottled you quickly see a sediment, you have bottled too early ! Give the brew time to drop out in primary, cold crash, then be really efficient getting it into the bottling bucket, then prime and bottle clean beer. It's time that most of us get wrong.

what's "cold crash"?

 

[ScoobyDude]

Is it a bad idea to rest them on their side for a couple hours as opposed to going through and tipping each one?

 

[fartinmartin]

#19. Cold crash, the brew has been fermenting at your fermenting temp, when it's done, really done, get it cooler "cold crash" to encourage drop out for a clearer brew and greater sedimentation.

I have read that putting the bottles on their sides reduces the chances of oxidation from the air, in the air space in the bottle. I havn,t come to terms with this personally, surface area of the airspace tells me to stand bottles up, but that is not what is recommended by higher authorities

 

[ScoobyDude]

#19. Cold crash, the brew has been fermenting at your fermenting temp, when it's done, really done, get it cooler "cold crash" to encourage drop out for a clearer brew and greater sedimentation.

I have read that putting the bottles on their sides reduces the chances of oxidation from the air, in the air space in the bottle. I havn,t come to terms with this personally, surface area of the airspace tells me to stand bottles up, but that is not what is recommended by higher authorities

I had the same thought. On its side the beer has greater exposure to air, which I don't believe we want. Anyway, they are all tipped up and around and sitting up-right again.

I'll try to keep cold crashing in mind, although it sounds tricky without having a refrigerator set-up. I suppose one could put it in an ice bath the night before bottling day.. I had let it sit in the primary for 4 weeks before racking to the bottling bucket. It looked really clear in the siphon hose (its a steam ale) but then I lost suction and in getting the siphon started up again I churned it up a little, so some bottles have a little extra sediment.

 

[fartinmartin]

some times it don't all go right !

Cold crash needs more than a few hours tho