One gallon batch started to ferment again?

[Snowblind258]

So a little over two weeks ago I Brewed up a Brooklyn Brew Shop-Everyday IPA All grain kit. Fermentation went great, hooked up a blow off tube into some star-san. 3-4 days later I swapped the blow off for a normal 3pc air lock. Everything looked to be settling fine. Today I was thinking of bottling the beer so I pulled off my t-shirt cover since it sits close to a window. To my surprise the beer looks cloudy again with little bubbles running up the side. The air lock is full of bubbles as well. Sniffling the airlock I get a nice hop/beer smell not unlike any other batch. Normally I brew 5 gallon batches with 4 or so under my belt. I have never seen this happen before.

Two side notes about this fermentation:

1: We got a cat a few months ago (7 months old currently), she is a typical kitten who jumps where ever she can reach. Could the cat have "bumped" into the carboy and roused up some yeast?

2: One Week into the fermentation our heater was having issues. Its a new unit that was installed in the summer. Turns out the Aux heater jumpers were set so the heat strips would not come on, Resulting in the heat pump trying to heat the house when the temp dropped to sub 10º outside. It only managed to get the house to about 51º resulting in the pressure of the carboy sucking most of the star-san out of the airlock. I filled the airlock ASAP and heard pressure being released when I poked at the "bobber" piece in the airlock.

I have not seen any visual signs of an infection. Just wanted to put out all the variables. I work on a help desk and know every detail can matter.

Here are some pictures:

Any help is appreciated!

 

[MockY]

I doubt the cat has anything to do with it unless he/she either wrestled with the carboy or dropped something suspect into it (which could happen in cartoons).

Did this clearing of the beer happen in conjunction with it becoming cold when the temp dropped suddenly. If so, the yeast could simply have dropped out of suspension and became dormant. Once the temp went up again, the fermentation resumed.

Another theory would be an infection that is now taking over. So either ride it out and hope for a hopped sour beauty or keg it to stop the fermentation. However, it looks like a smaller carboy so you're probably bottling. If so, to my understanding, an infection probably can't be stopped.

I would bottle it nonetheless and store the bottles away from pets and children

Take a hydrometer sample and see what the gravity is if you really want to know.

 

[Snowblind258]

The "one week ago" shot was the night before the temp dropped. I brewed up a 5 gallon batch the day that picture was taken. That one did have a slow start due to the temp drop but fermented fine. It has been 70ish in the room for the last week. The Full Photo is below from tonight.

Both reasons sound plausible. Either way I will bottle when it calms down.

 

[Westermans]

Same thing happened to me with a Brooklyn brew shop kit twice. Wonder if it's the yeast? Here is a pic at day 15 when it started back up again. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1421555200.605929.jpg

I thought I was crazy. Must be some relation to this. I post a thread on it and got little response.

 

[Westermans]

Same thing happened to me with a Brooklyn brew shop kit twice. Wonder if it's the yeast? Here is a pic at day 15 when it started back up again. View attachment 249587

I thought I was crazy. Must be some relation to this. I post a thread on it and got little response.

It's bottled now. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Snowblind258]

It's bottled now. I'll let you know how it goes.

Could be on to something with that, Cant wait to hear the results. I will post as well in a few weeks.

 

[jnacey]

Did you check the gravity between these two fermentations? There is the possibility that maybe some Brett got in there somehow, but that second fermentation looks to be pretty vigorous for a true, infection style second fermentation.

I think the more likely explanation was that the yeast dropped out because of the cold temperature and then came back alive when the temp came back up?

What was the final gravity at bottling? What yeast? How does it taste?

 

[Snowblind258]

Could be the yeast dropped out, a week seems like a long time for it start fermentation again. Although I know yeast are on their own time. I didn't take an OG since I misplaced my hydrometer. I will check it at bottling as it should be around the 1.010 range. I am going to ride this out until it slows down again before I do anything with it.

Edit: I don't know the Yeast, It was in a Brooklyn Brew Shop packet that basically just said "Yeast"

 

[RandallFlag]

Wow. I have brewed about a dozen of their batches and had just noticed yesterday that my "Summer Wheat" was starting to ferment (again). Today would be 3 weeks since going in the 1 gal fermenter and it had looked very clear and still for the past week.

I don't have activity in the airlock like the OP, but I have a mini krausen and activity in the beer itself. I thought it was just me. I have seen this with their beers before but I have always attributed it to my basement temp fluctuating over the weeks with the weather changes.

The last batch I did where I saw this activity tasted amazing and no off flavors. I believe it was the Grapefuit Honey Ale.

Edit: I was going to bottle this batch today but I will wait it out, then cold crash it when it's done. I usually don't take gravity readings on these small batches as I am not real concerned with ABV and haven't had trouble, per se.

 

[Snowblind258]

The beer settled down so I bottled this yesterday, FG was about 1.011-12. Never took an OG, hydrometer was MIA for a few days. Cant wait to try this brew.

 

[Westermans]

Could be on to something with that, Cant wait to hear the results. I will post as well in a few weeks.

Just tasted a bottle. It's really good. I was thinking about the batch and was wondering since it's only one gallon it changes temp much easier than a 5 gal batch. Maybe that explains the stop and start of fermentation if you don't use temp control?