nearing the end of my first brew fermentation

[sonofgreengenes]

I used a Brewcraft recipe/kit for American Amber ale or something like that. It's Fermentis S-23 yeast/dry malt extract, etc. The box says "lager/ale" and said you could ferment at a cooler or warmer range of temps. I chose the lower range because the Fermentis website says the S-23 thrives at closer to lager temps than ale, or somewhere in between. I've heard a variety of speculation on that, with some saying that even lower is better.

I have a mini fridge plugged into a Willhi controller so it's keeping the fermenter at about 55-57f or so, and has been that temp since immediately after pitching the yeast basically.

Does anyone have any advice on how to finish this up? I'm going out of town for a wedding on Thursday, I was hoping it would be ok to leave this in there until we get back on Monday (at which time it will be 3 full weeks in the fermenter). I am not going to do a secondary.

Should I notch the temp lower or higher? Leave it alone and bottle when I get home, condition at room temp a week and then throw it in the fridge to drink whenever? I just want the best first batch I can manage.

 

[NewWestBrewer]

You are fine. Take a FG reading to make sure you are done and take another one 2-3 days later to confirm.If they read the same then you are done. Then bottle and store bottles at about 70. Wait three weeks and throw some in fridge for a couple of days and then enjoy.

 

[k_mcarthur]

You will be greatly rewarded by choosing to ferment at lower temps. All yeast will give off flavors at higher temps and I think all, myself included, ferment their first batch at room temp like the instructions say, and pay for it. When you get back check the gravity, then wait two days and check again. If its the same, congratulations your beer is ready to bottle. Welcome to our cult called homebrewing.

 

[sonofgreengenes]

Thank you all for the responses. I'm excited and happy that I got that temp controller before diving into this project. It seems to be doing a great job keeping the temp pretty stable.

I will do what you guys say and take a gravity reading when we get home, and then take another one in a few days.

Am I mistaken about the idea of cold crashing to clear up the beer, or is that only for stuff like wheat beers or specific yeast strains?

Also, would it be pointless to try and salvage any of the yeast from the trub in the bottom of my bucket for another brew?

 

[twistr25]

How long since you pitched the yeast? If it's been 5-7 days, I'd say bump up your temp to mid to upper 60s for a diacetyl rest and that will also help the yeast finish their duties. After the initial phase, those low temps are not as important and staying in the 60s won't hurt anything anyway.

You don't have to cold crash, but it can help.

You can try, there are a couple of good threads on here about yeast washing. I'd do a search and check those out.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

I'd take a gravity reading, and if it seems high (>1.015-1.020) than you may want to raise the temperature up to say 65 while your gone. This will hopefully rouse the yeast to finish off their job.

If they didnt get stuck and its fermented out nicely just leave it, or even lower it down to the mid 40's to cold crash it although after 3 weeks in the primary at 56 its probably pretty good already.

 

[k_mcarthur]

Cold crashing works great to clear all types of beer. Once your at final gravity drop the temp to as close to freezing as possible without freezing the beer. Let it sit there for a few days before bottling. You could also use gelatin to clear even more, there's a thread here outlining that. I reused yeast all the time before I started plating and culturing yeast. Look up yeast washing, keep in mind that you'll need to be able to do starters before you can use any of your harvested yeast.