Good idea?

[mixmasterob]

I was thinking about starting a new batch as I just bottled my second. This semester is about to end and I will be going home for the Christmas break. Should I start this new batch and let it ferment while I am gone? I will be gone for ~3 weeks give or take a few. It is a Simcoe IPA in which I plan to dry hop when I got back for another week. So, that would be 4 weeks in the primary. Temp in my apartment shouldn't be an issue as we don't have a cap. I will keep it at 70-72. Good idea?

 

[bce22]

Sounds good to me. I'd put a blow-off tube on your fermenter just for the piece of mind of knowing you won't come home to cleaning a 3 week old mess off the ceiling and floors too.

Other than that should be fine.

 

[mixmasterob]

I haven't had that problem in the past but this IPA is a bit bigger than my previous two batches. I will look into that. Also, I think I will stick around just to make sure it starts fermenting before leaving it on its own.

 

[Pappers_]

Will your place be empty and can you control the thermostat? If yes, turn the heat down to 66 and you'll save energy and brew better beer (with a lower fermentation temperature).

 

[A4J]

70-72 is the ambient temp? That's a bit on the high side. Keep it cooler in the apartment or keep it in a water bath.

 

[bce22]

I haven't had that problem in the past but this IPA is a bit bigger than my previous two batches. I will look into that. Also, I think I will stick around just to make sure it starts fermenting before leaving it on its own.

If your around for the first few days, you'll be able to monitor it like usual so no problems there.

I just know that if it were me and I left right after pitching yeast lets say and I was going to be gone for three weeks, I'd be anxious upon opening my door upon return, crossing my fingers.

Think of the smell of 3 week old krausen caked to the ceilings.....

 

[mixmasterob]

If your around for the first few days, you'll be able to monitor it like usual so no problems there.

I just know that if it were me and I left right after pitching yeast lets say and I was going to be gone for three weeks, I'd be anxious upon opening my door upon return, crossing my fingers.

Think of the smell of 3 week old krausen caked to the ceilings.....

Well, if I waited till the airlock stopped bubbling, then left. Would I have a better chance of not coming home to a mess? I know that this doesn't mean fermentation is complete, but it does mean that the heavy fermentation is done right?

 

[ChshreCat]

Well, if I waited till the airlock stopped bubbling, then left. Would I have a better chance of not coming home to a mess? I know that this doesn't mean fermentation is complete, but it does mean that the heavy fermentation is done right?

If you wait until the krausen starts falling, you should be about 95% safe at least.

+1 on setting the thermostat to 60 as well.

 

[rico567]

If you wait until the krausen starts falling, you should be about 95% safe at least.

+1 on setting the thermostat to 60 as well.

When I started brewing, the only convenient place to ferment is in our basement. When Winter arrives, it gets around 60 down there. Accordingly, I bought one of those "brew belt" electrical appliances to put around my bucket. It did OK- but I had a few batches foam out of the airlock. After reading some threads on this forum, I just started pitching <70F and discarded the brew belt. There's no more excitement during fermentation, and I think the beer is better.

 

[ChshreCat]

60 is a good ambient air temp for most brews to sit in. Actual fermentation temp would be around 65 and it'd cool down on it's own as the fermentation slows.