Short fermentation time?

[redwing_al]

I just brewed my first All-grain (BIAB) stout... a chocolate/cherry stout...

I added the 8 oz of Hersey's Dark coco with 5 min left to the boil, I added one large can of cherry puree to the primary.

On Sunday, the fully oxygenated wort went into the fermenter (5.5 gal.) and I added the Wyeast. The fermentation started what I would say 'on schedule' and was bubbling nicely.

Today, Tuesday the bubbling slowed to 'nary a blip. As if it's done with fermentation. I'm sure those billions of yeast guys are still doing their thing, but is this normal for a Stout with my late additions? Like I said, not only was this my first BIAB, but it was also my first stout.

I guess I thought it might bubble moreso than any of my others due to the sweetness of the wort and the cherry puree in the primary..

I'll be transferring to secondary in 10 days or so, but thought I'd ask the crowd here.

thanks! Wish me luck!

By the way, anyone brewed this Chocolate/Cherry Stout recipie in Brewsmith??

 

[jro238]

You would have to give an original gravity for anyone to take a guess as to how long it may take. Even then though, it would be a complete guess.

As long as you pitched enough healthy yeast and are fermenting at or around a reasonable temperature then RDWHAHB--the beer will be just fine .

 

[redwing_al]

The OG was 1.052 - a little off what the recipe said (1.054)

You would have to give an original gravity for anyone to take a guess as to how long it may take. Even then though, it would be a complete guess.

As long as you pitched enough healthy yeast and are fermenting at or around a reasonable temperature then RDWHAHB--the beer will be just fine .

 

[Homercidal]

What are you fermenting in?

 

[Howhownow]

I take a bright (LED) flashlight and press is up against the wall of the carboy (doesn't work with bubbles). If there is any activity, you will see churning, bubbles, etc.
The airlock, as well as this other visual method are merely circumstantial, though. To know if your fermentation is done, you must check gravity. I have had entire brews ferment out barely moving the airlock at all. I have also had brews substantially finish fermenting in 2-3 days. If you aren't in a rush, and don't want to open the fermenter and risk the beer, let it ride!

 

[Howhownow]

Also if I am feeling anxious about my yeasties I give the fermenter a bit of agitation to get them back into suspension.

 

[jro238]

At 1.052 you're just fine

I might be a bit worried had you said 1.080 or something but I'm sure you're fine.

I'm actually fermenting an amber at the moment (1.056) at 66F that slowed down considerably after 3 days.

 

[Roughster]

Also if I am feeling anxious about my yeasties I give the fermenter a bit of agitation to get them back into suspension.

This. Never fails to get the little buggers pooping out alcohol en masse!

 

[podz]

Last beer I made, airlock activity completely stopped at 1.026. It still took another 3-4 days for it to get down to 1.015. So, as people have said here many times - lack of airlock activity is not an indication that there isn't any fermentation happening.

 

[kyt]

What was the mash schedule like?

 

[hunter_le five]

lack of airlock activity is not an indication that there isn't any fermentation happening.

This.

Use a hydrometer to judge fermentation activity, not the airlock bubbles.

 

[redwing_al]

What was the mash schedule like?

Strike temp 160, 75 min. mash

 

[kyt]

Strike temp 160, 75 min. mash

Wow what was the target temp? That's almost my mash out/sparge water temperature. If that didn't drop way down after you doughed in, you wouldn't end up with a very fermentable wort which could be why fermentation was so short.

 

[kh54s10]

If you are worried that the fermentation happened too quickly, what temperature did it ferment at? If it was high temperature that would make the fermentation quicker but not necessarily better. Too high a temperature will lead to off flavors.

 

[redwing_al]

Wow what was the target temp? That's almost my mash out/sparge water temperature. If that didn't drop way down after you doughed in, you wouldn't end up with a very fermentable wort which could be why fermentation was so short.

I followed the instructions and the recommended strike temperatures from three different BIAB sites. I was able to maintain 152-150 throughout the mash and sugars converted fine according to an iodine test. I'm not sure why a 160 strike temp is wrong after doughing in 14lbs of grains. It was my first ever all grain (BIAB) batch, so what the hell do I know...?

I hit the OG range, so I guess that in the end it will beer. Perhaps the wort was a little warm (68)...

 

[Howhownow]

152* with 1.052 OG sounds fine to me. My suggestion: don't stress. Maybe grab a taste and see if it's sugar water or tastes like beer. I am guessing it will be the latter. (Then take that taste and test its gravity, to actually make sure)

 

[kyt]

OK, if that temp got you to your target, then it isn't wrong. It's calculated off a bunch of factors like, water/grain ratio, grain temp, tun temp, tun material, etc.
Just as an example, when I made my kölsch a couple weeks ago, the dough-in target was 40°C with strike at 42°C. I'm using a 38 liter stainless Spike kettle to mash in.
If you're using a cooler to mash in, you'd need to account for plastics absorbing a lot of the heat you're going to add.
If you are using a cooler, one trick is to add a volume of boiling, or as hot as you can get from the tap, water to it to warm it up, then dump that when you're ready to put in your grain and strike water. Throw in a gallon or so of steamy water, and close the lid. If the tun is already warm, you won't need to heat the larger mass of strike water as much.

But anyway, the mash temperature and time greatly affect wort fermentability. I didn't see it mentioned, thought I'd ask.

 

[FourSeasonAngler]

When I make a yeast starter at 1.040 it ferments out to 1.010ish in around 36 to 48 hours. Your 1.052 stout would probably take about the same amount of time with very healthy yeast in optimal temperatures... BUT, it will benefit from a week or so at those optimal temps and maybe a few days at 70F to clean up after itself, settle, and allow the yeast to really be done "doin' they thang".