Help! 1.5 days and stuck? My first all grain fermentation

[steveno]

For a day and a half I've had my first all grain fermenting. First it was with us in the top story condo first day and night and then I moved it to the basement fearing that the warmth was less than ideal for the safale 04 (it was smelling very malty and was high 70s upstairs when I moved it downstairs). The basement is 68º and I'm concerned that I may have shocked the yeast because the bubbling rate has decreased from >1/sec to 1 every 15 seconds or so. When I just checked on it I pulled it off the cold cement floor and put it on a folded towel .
I'm concerned that the shock has stopped the yeast in its tracks. I've read that rice hulls can bring back a stuck fermentation. Any suggestions?

Also of concern was the method of mashing. I tried a brew in a bag method and overshot a lot of my step temperatures. I never got it above 165º but I definitely didn't stay at the recommended 138º, I shot up and then struggled to bring it down. Next time around I'll control this. I don't have any gravity readings as my sample was taken off the trub covered bottom of my brew pot and the hydrometer was slowly sinking, and sinking, I blame this on the sample though.

Thanks for your suggestions. 5 gallons of sweet stout are on the line

 

[Yooper]

Well, even 68 degrees is pushing too high for S04! So it's better there than in the main floor. I'd get a stick-on thermometer, like an aquarium thermometer, for the outside of the fermenter for next time. It's not uncommon for a fermenting beer to be as much as 8-10 degrees higher than ambient temperature, so my guess is the beer simply fermented out fast at such a warm temperature and is just about done. The cold floor is probably the best place for it.

I'm concerned about your mash, though. It must be an error, but you said your mash temp was supposed to be 138. I assume you mean 150-154, but it's a weird temperature so I wanted to make sure that is what you meant.

 

[Dynachrome]

What recipe/style were you brewing?

...I'd say it could be near done also. I use S04 a lot. It is fast.

Did you check you specific gravity? That is a more sure test of where your beer is at regarding being finished.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Rice hulls help a stuck mash, not stuck fermentation.

Gravity readings are the only way you will know if fermentation is ongoing. I'm not even sure why you're concerned about fermentation being stuck if you're relying on the airlock but it's still bubbling. Fermentation is naturally slower at lower temperatures.

 

[steveno]

The recipe was a clone for left hand brewing's milk stout (only I skipped the irish moss and substituted the lactose sugars for maltodextrin so my owmbo can enjoy it) by Tess and Mark Szamatulski. Their all grain recommendations were for keeping the grain and all water at 151º for 90 minutes then boil for 90 minutes.
I used the ingredients that this mash called for and used Charlie P's recipe for Dusty Mud Irish Stout for a step-mash guide. The guide calls for 133º for 30minutes then 158º for 45minutes, then upping it to 168 and sparging and then boiling.
I didn't sparge it I just kept adding the hot water and cold water trying desperately to lower the temp. Then I did a 90 minute boil as was called for with a 90 minute and 15 minute hop addition. I let it sit in the basement overnight (7 hours) where it cooled to just under 100º then bathed it in cold water to bring it down to the 70s before pitching.
The croisin developed over the course of yesterday to only about 1inch at its most with vigorous airlock activity. All the while the smells coming from it were very malty

I need a stick-on thermometer for the next batch this is true,
As far as taking the hydrometer readings from the first carboy transfer.. Is it recommended to take it from the top? The cold break precipitated quite a sludge for me. And for the present hydrometer readings to determine if it's done.. any suggestions on popping the lid and getting a sample?

 

[pabloj13]

And for the present hydrometer readings to determine if it's done.. any suggestions on popping the lid and getting a sample?

Yes. Turkey baster. Pop the lid and take a sample.

 

[Dynachrome]

As far as taking the hydrometer readings from the first carboy transfer.. Is it recommended to take it from the top? The cold break precipitated quite a sludge for me. And for the present hydrometer readings to determine if it's done.. any suggestions on popping the lid and getting a sample?

Sorry, I may have missed it, what was the original reading before you pitched yeast. You need that value to gauge how far you have made it through fermentation.

If you mashed hot, you mat end up with a tidge higher final gravity due to unfermentables.

 

[Denny]

I know it sounds harsh, but get rid of that book. It's really bad IMO. A step mash, epecially a protein rest, is totally unnecessary for that beer and could actually be detrimental.

 

[steveno]

Dynachrome, initial gravity reading was scrapped due to sample being taken from the trub covered sludgy bottoms. Any suggestions on where to get an accurate gravity reading after a cold break? Top?

 

[Dynachrome]

...I just dip off the top. The bucket isn't that deep. I wouldn't want to stir up the goo.

 

[homebrew44]

Is it possible thet the fermentation is done after only 2days as someone stated earlier in the thread? I have a batch of Wit with a similar problem, started out bubbling away 8 hours after pitching and 2 days later its almost stopped...1 bubble every 30 seconds or so with T58 yeast.

 

[Denny]

Don't even look at the bubbles...that's a poor way to gauge fermentation. The only way to know what's going on is to take a gravity reading.