Looking for verification of what i know to be true...

[brewkinger]

I hesitate to post this because I think I know the answer, and I have read MANY posts similar where the forum community tells the poster to RDWHAHB.

Regardless, I have to ask the question.

I did my first AG last weekend, an Irish Red which started fermenting about 24 hours afterwards.

I started out with a blow-off assembly because the fermentation on my last extract batch was quite vigorous, so I decided to always start my brews off with blow-off because I am of the "set it and forget it" school of thought when I know my beer is fermenting.
The fermentation was quite steady on this new batch for a couple of days and I put the airlock in after 3 days when the krausen settled.

Last night I checked on the beer and I discovered that fermentation had really taken off and it was almost up to the neck of the carboy, so I put the blow-off back on.

Is it normal for ferment to start, settle and then REALLY take off after 4 or 5 days?

Does the fact that I went from blow-off(where a lot of CO2 is able to be released) to an airlock (less) contribute to the ferment increase?

It has been COLD in northern Vermont since brewday (around 0 degrees during the day and well below freezing at night) and I have kept an eye on the temperature on the carboy and the fermometer has indicated a steady 60-ish degrees (which I felt was good since internal temp is usually higher)

The temp last night when it was really fermenting was actually down to 58 degrees on the carboy.

I wish now that I had taken a picture of ferment before and after because to me it looks like krausen (light brown and very bubbly) but I just want to be assured that it is all OK.

I seem to remember having read on these forums that AG fermentation is more vigorous because there is that much more "stuff" in the carboy.. CORRECT????

Could the low temperatures have caused the fermentation to be slow in really getting going? The WYEAST 1056 yeast says the temp range is from 60 to 72, so that is what i am thinking might be the culprit.

So essentially I need verification that all seems to be OK in your opinions, and I ultimately am waiting for the inevitable......... (wait for it.......)

RDWHAHB!!! Cuz I know it is coming.

Thanks again to the forum for helping out.

 

[seabass07]

The slow start is most likely due to the low temps. Definitely nothing to worry about! It will be beer, and probably with a pretty clean yeast profile.

 

[kh54s10]

Well yes, RDWHAHB.

Now, I don't think the blowoff tube/airlock had anything to do with the change in fermentation. I suspect that it got cooler, thus slowing the fermentation then got warmer activating it again'
I have not had any myself that did what yours has but I doubt there is any problem.
I also don't think that AG necessarily is more vigorous. It depends on the recipe, yeast used and temperature among other things.

 

[DonLiguori]

RDWHAHB, indeed! Or, FTFOWHAHB. Either way, have a brew. Always the best place to start.

Changing airlocks does have an effect on the yeast as you are changing the pressure in their environment, and I have seen this occur (though not as hardcore as you saw). Depending on your blow-off tube set-up, sometimes people have the tube submerged pretty deep in sanitizer solution or booze. Either way, it's a lot more liquid than the 10 mL of fluid in your airlock, and thus a lot more back pressure is exerted on the head space. When you swap out the blow-off for an airlock, the release of pressure is a good thing, and "reactivating" the yeast is a fine thing to do. Congrats, beer is delicious!

 

[brewkinger]

As I am fairly new at this and unfamiliar (but learning) with the abbreviations.
What does FTFOW (have a home brew) mean??

 

[DonLiguori]

It's a mish-mash of two acronyms. Freak The F*** Out, Worry, Have A Home Brew. Either way, worried or not, you're drinkin' a brew

 

[brewkinger]

Well now that I know, I have to say I think that I prefer RDWHAHB.