Need some reassurance...

[HomerT]

So last night I had a friend over, as he wanted me to teach him to brew. So the beer on deck was a Munich Helles (specifically the Hofbrau clone from AHBS). I made a starter last week (1/2 gallon).

ANyway, the brew went smoothly, but as we were chatting near the end i mis-read my thermometer and yanked my wort chiller early. I racked it to the fermenter and checked my gravity and temp. That's when I noticed it was 90F, not 80F. In retrospect, i shuld have re-sanitized my chiller, dropped it in the bucket and chilled it more. But alas, i am stupid. It was getting pretty late, so I waited until it hit 88F and pitched my starter and put it in the lager fridge set at 52F.

Laying in bed I remembered the only batch I ever had to dump was an Irish Ale that I pitched a starter into at 80F...it took off hard and fermented at like 80~82F and produced a ton of fusel notes. It was undrinkable. So panic set in about 3am as I thought I made the same mistake.

This morning I head out to the garage and check the lager fridge. The fridge is holding at 55F and the Fermomete ron the side of my bucket read 65F. It looks like it is dropping down as it should.

So, did I ruin another by starting it so warm, or will it be ok due to being lowered down to fermentation temps by the fridge? God I hope I didn't ruin this beer!

 

[david_42]

I pitch on the warm side, even lagers. Don't forget, the first phase is yeast growth and that does better at higher temperatures, but doesn't produce the heat that fermentation does. Since your temperature is dropping, fermentation probably hasn't started and the batch will be okay.

 

[jacksonbrown]

If it's fermenting at 65 now, you'll prob be fine. If that's the rest temp before fermentation begins, I'd keep an eye on it and drop the fridge temp as the inner temp rises with activity. My only concern would be that the 88 deg wort might have been a bit of a shock to the yeast, but I wouldn't worry about it now. You know what they say, RDWHAHB.

 

[theguy]

Normally when I think I screwed up a batch everything turns out ok. Unfortunately only time will tell.

 

[HomerT]

That was my hope. My concern was that pitching the starter, it would take off hard. Or that the initial 88F would hurt the yeast. But if I remember, it takes more temp to really hurt the yeast.

-Todd

 

[menschmaschine]

Well, it is unlikely that it's ruined. Starting lager yeast warm can allow them to produce fusel alcohols, esters, diacetyl, and sulfur compounds. The most crucial phase for yeast in this regard is when they're respiring... during the lag phase, and also up through high krausen.

The only thing you can do is wait it out. Definitely do a diacetyl rest... you might even catch it a little early to be safe, i.e. soon after the krausen starts to fall. Then I'd lager it a week or two more than what you planned on... maybe 8 weeks or so. That will help clean up some of the fusels, which will turn to esters, but esters are better than fusels.

As an additional measure, you could krausen this beer at racking time... add some actively fermenting (high krausen) beer after racking to secondary. That will clean it up better.

 

[HomerT]

Well, my best hope is that it dropped from 88F to 65F in about 7hrs and is still dropping. As of 7am it was 65F with no airlock bubling. Here's to waiting!

-Todd

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

"Relax, have a homebrew"

Don't forget to do a D-rest, with the warm pitching. The brew will be fine.

 

[beerkrump]

+1 on a good diacetyl rest.

Warm temps will get you a vigorous reproductive phase, but also more diacetyl created.

 

[HomerT]

Thanks for the reasurance. Tonight, it was 59F and bubbling, with the tmep still dropping. Hopefully, with a good D-rest it should be fine.

Do you think a week at 66~68 will be sufficient rest?

 

[passedpawn]

You've probably ruined the batch. Bring it to my house after fermentation is complete and I'll dispose of it properly.

 

[Shinglejohn]

Even if the beer doesnt tase right, just let it age and try it now and again. You may find it will get better. If not, then just drink it once you lubed yourself up with a coupla good brews.

 

[brian_g]

So last night I had a friend over, as he wanted me to teach him to brew. So the beer on deck was a Munich Helles (specifically the Hofbrau clone from AHBS). I made a starter last week (1/2 gallon).

ANyway, the brew went smoothly, but as we were chatting near the end i mis-read my thermometer and yanked my wort chiller early. I racked it to the fermenter and checked my gravity and temp. That's when I noticed it was 90F, not 80F. In retrospect, i shuld have re-sanitized my chiller, dropped it in the bucket and chilled it more. But alas, i am stupid. It was getting pretty late, so I waited until it hit 88F and pitched my starter and put it in the lager fridge set at 52F.

Laying in bed I remembered the only batch I ever had to dump was an Irish Ale that I pitched a starter into at 80F...it took off hard and fermented at like 80~82F and produced a ton of fusel notes. It was undrinkable. So panic set in about 3am as I thought I made the same mistake.

This morning I head out to the garage and check the lager fridge. The fridge is holding at 55F and the Fermomete ron the side of my bucket read 65F. It looks like it is dropping down as it should.

So, did I ruin another by starting it so warm, or will it be ok due to being lowered down to fermentation temps by the fridge? God I hope I didn't ruin this beer!

First, temperature is highly related to yeast strain. This comes up a lot. I've fermented at that temp range and got good beer. I've fermented in that range and got bad beer. The difference was the yeast strain. I don't think there are any yeast strains that recommend that range, but there are some that can produce a perfectly drinkable beer. I'm sure someone with a highly trained palate could have informed me of all the imperfections. But I thought it was pretty good.


Second, time can heal a lot of things, especially with high fermentation temps. Read this post:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ne...virtue-time-heals-all-things-even-beer-73254/

Trust me. Read it. His beer went from crap to good with age.


Third, you did bring down your temp. quickly, so that should help. However, the beginning of fermentation is the most critical. Learn your lesson and try to do better.

 

[Pangea]

Remember. RDWHAHB