How cold is too cold?

[Danbcha]

I'm in the primary of my first ever brew, an extract English Brown Ale. I've read to keep it between 64°-78° F. It has been around the low 60°s each night and I've lost all activity in my fermentation after just 72 hours. It was never "vigorous", but was continuous. I've read a few threads on here and people considered 1 bubble per second to be finishing. I'm not sure I ever broke over that rate.

Anyone have advice for me?

 

[j1n]

What kind of yeast?

 

[Yooper]

it's probably finished. 72 hours of fermentation is plenty of time for it to finish up- some are much quicker.

 

[lumpher]

edit: they beat me to a reply...

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I am a brand new beginner myself, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but one bubble per second sounds like a nice active ferment to me. With my last batch, I waited until one bubble every two minutes before I thought things had slowed to my satisfaction and then I gave it a few more days. Read about my experience in my introduction thread. Keep in mind that I am using one gallon fermentors, but the Bill Nye in me says that shouldn't make that big a difference. Also, everybody who claims to be experienced says that bubbles per time is a poor measure of fermenting activity. That said, they are usually referring to slow or no bubbles rather than lots of bubble activity.

 

[Danbcha]

OG was 1.044.
Yeast was whatever comes in the brewer's Best ingredient kit.

I know that's not what you want to hear, I forgot to keep all the packaging.

 

[Danbcha]

Also, it's been between 60 and 64 at night. Up to 70° during the day

 

[antony]

you're most likely fine. Sixty isn't low enough to stall the yeast & temperature inside the container is higher than outside. Your fermentation is most likely finished, hopefully you have a hydrometer & can test the gravity before proceeding.

 

[Danbcha]

Ok wonderful. I do indeed have one and will check it within the next day or so. I've been told to do a secondary fermentation. Does this require more yeast?

 

[Dixon9717]

Secondary fermentation isn't necessary. I'd just let it sit in primary for a couple weeks

 

[shorestyle]

Don't judge your ferm on how many bubbles are in your airlock. Especially if you're using buckets (they leak). Trust your hydrometer instead.

 

[j1n]

OG was 1.044.
Yeast was whatever comes in the brewer's Best ingredient kit.

I know that's not what you want to hear, I forgot to keep all the packaging.

OG is pretty low. check the FG with a hydrometer. as Yooper said its probably done.

 

[Danbcha]

So an update. I used the hydrometer (HM) today and the FG was 1.011. That's exactly where the kit said it should be, so I pushed it to secondary fermentation. I know someone said it's not necessary, but I need the bucket for my second brew this thursday anyways, so moving to the carboy as planned just seemed easier.

I tasted the sample that I pulled to use with the HM and the beer tasted perfect.

I'm not really sure where to go from here. I didn't add any more yeast due to lack of info about whether or not that was a good idea.

So, as it sits, I have a completed fermentation just sitting for 10 more days (I assume this is why people say secondary ferm is not needed), which will allow me time to purchase some bottles.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

if your worried, don't open it up and after 3 or 4 days bring it up to room temperature and it might start fermenting again, as long as a layer of co2 is on top its fine for as long as you need it...I regularly get 3 to 5 gravity points lower this way

 

[Shooter]

Yeah, secondary fermentation is generally not necessary. You can normally leave it in the primary for a little longer and let it clear and clean up there. You don't need to add yeast in secondary. It's not really another fermentation and is actually a poorly chosen word used to describe what is happening there.

 

[Yooper]

So an update. I used the hydrometer (HM) today and the FG was 1.011. That's exactly where the kit said it should be, so I pushed it to secondary fermentation. I know someone said it's not necessary, but I need the bucket for my second brew this thursday anyways, so moving to the carboy as planned just seemed easier.

I tasted the sample that I pulled to use with the HM and the beer tasted perfect.

I'm not really sure where to go from here. I didn't add any more yeast due to lack of info about whether or not that was a good idea.

So, as it sits, I have a completed fermentation just sitting for 10 more days (I assume this is why people say secondary ferm is not needed), which will allow me time to purchase some bottles.

Bottle it when it's clear, or clearing. That's all that is left to do.

 

[Cider123]

Bottle it when it's clear, or clearing. That's all that is left to do.

I would recommend buying a couple more buckets

 

[Danbcha]

I would recommend buying a couple more buckets

I'm having trouble deciding on buckets or carboys. I always thought glass was the way to go, but I sure wouldn't want to have to clean all that trash out of that little hole. Cleaning the bucket after a primary ferm was easy. I'm hoping to get out of extract brewing after bout 8-10 beers, and at the same time start aiming for high ABV stouts and such. Maybe this will make my secondary ferm a little more necessary and make having two extra carboys worth the money.

 

[Danbcha]

You've all been a great help. I'll be starting my Oktoberfest and deciding between a wheat beer or cider this coming Thursday. I'm sure I will run into plenty of questions.

Thank you all.

 

[shorestyle]

I'm having trouble deciding on buckets or carboys. I always thought glass was the way to go, but I sure wouldn't want to have to clean all that trash out of that little hole. Cleaning the bucket after a primary ferm was easy. I'm hoping to get out of extract brewing after bout 8-10 beers, and at the same time start aiming for high ABV stouts and such. Maybe this will make my secondary ferm a little more necessary and make having two extra carboys worth the money.

I use plastic carboys for everything. I've never had to use a brush to clean them. Fill it with water and oxyclean when you're done, let it sit for a couple hours and that crusty krausen ring will disappear.

 

[shorestyle]

I'm having trouble deciding on buckets or carboys. I always thought glass was the way to go, but I sure wouldn't want to have to clean all that trash out of that little hole. Cleaning the bucket after a primary ferm was easy. I'm hoping to get out of extract brewing after bout 8-10 beers, and at the same time start aiming for high ABV stouts and such. Maybe this will make my secondary ferm a little more necessary and make having two extra carboys worth the money.

I use plastic carboys. Never had to use a brush. Fill it with oxyclean and water when you're done, let it sit for a couple hours and it'll take care of that crusty krausen ring