Hello Everyone,
Last Sunday, I brewed the Northy 12 Quadrupel Belgian Ale with an Extract Kit from Northern Brewer: https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/northy-12-belgian-quad
I am fermenting in a plastic bucket (bottling bucket with spigot actually). Using Safbrew Be-256 dry yeast. 2 packs, hydrated. Using a Thermograph stick-on thermometer for temp readings.
Now, I am a little worried about the state of my fermentation, 48 hours in. The progress has been as follows: (room temperature has been 65-67F at all times)
- Pitched the wort at 68F. Hydrated the dry yeast. Liquid yeast temp was 75F.
- After 6 hours, temperature in the fermenter was 66F ). Decent bubbling in the airlock (1 bubble every 2-3 seconds)
- After 18 hrs, temp was at 65F. Good airlock activity, about 2 bubbles per second.
- After 24 hours, fermentation went crazy. Wort got into the airlock. Airlock stayed in place. Temperature unknown. (I was at work, the wife told me about the "incident")
- After 30 hours, airlock was full of wort, temperature was now at 74F. Bubbling was slow again, at about 1 bubble per 3 seconds. I cleaned out the airlock, re-sanitzed and put it back in. Sloshed the bucket around a bit with cleaning. After putting the airlock back, no more bubbling activity.
- After 44 hours, temp at 74F, no airlock activity.
Now I am a little worried that the fermentation was so violent and sudden after 24 hrs, but after 30 hours, everything seemed to slow down / stop significantly. I have heard airlock activity is not a good indicator of fermentation activity, but still... From violent to nothing over the course of 6 hours is a bit strange?
Did I do anything wrong? Did moving the bucket around while cleaning harm the fermentation?
I have now put the fermenter in a water bath (evaporation cooling) at 67F in order to get the temperature down a bit. Ideal temperature for this yeast is 59-68 F.
I pitched at the warmer end of the yeast temperature range, but temperatures seemed good at first. Is it a good idea to try and cool the fermenter down now to under 70F?
Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!
Maarten
Last Sunday, I brewed the Northy 12 Quadrupel Belgian Ale with an Extract Kit from Northern Brewer: https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/northy-12-belgian-quad
I am fermenting in a plastic bucket (bottling bucket with spigot actually). Using Safbrew Be-256 dry yeast. 2 packs, hydrated. Using a Thermograph stick-on thermometer for temp readings.
Now, I am a little worried about the state of my fermentation, 48 hours in. The progress has been as follows: (room temperature has been 65-67F at all times)
- Pitched the wort at 68F. Hydrated the dry yeast. Liquid yeast temp was 75F.
- After 6 hours, temperature in the fermenter was 66F ). Decent bubbling in the airlock (1 bubble every 2-3 seconds)
- After 18 hrs, temp was at 65F. Good airlock activity, about 2 bubbles per second.
- After 24 hours, fermentation went crazy. Wort got into the airlock. Airlock stayed in place. Temperature unknown. (I was at work, the wife told me about the "incident")
- After 30 hours, airlock was full of wort, temperature was now at 74F. Bubbling was slow again, at about 1 bubble per 3 seconds. I cleaned out the airlock, re-sanitzed and put it back in. Sloshed the bucket around a bit with cleaning. After putting the airlock back, no more bubbling activity.
- After 44 hours, temp at 74F, no airlock activity.
Now I am a little worried that the fermentation was so violent and sudden after 24 hrs, but after 30 hours, everything seemed to slow down / stop significantly. I have heard airlock activity is not a good indicator of fermentation activity, but still... From violent to nothing over the course of 6 hours is a bit strange?
Did I do anything wrong? Did moving the bucket around while cleaning harm the fermentation?
I have now put the fermenter in a water bath (evaporation cooling) at 67F in order to get the temperature down a bit. Ideal temperature for this yeast is 59-68 F.
I pitched at the warmer end of the yeast temperature range, but temperatures seemed good at first. Is it a good idea to try and cool the fermenter down now to under 70F?
Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!
Maarten