temp control malfunction, your opinon

[IrregularPulse]

So I put my 10G of Centennial blonde in my fermenting fridge 2 weeks ago, plugged my lightbuld into the thermostat for heat, set my thermostat to HEAT, and forgot to turn it to 'ON'.
so I discovered this tonight. Basically my beer has been going below 40-50 everynight and warming back to ~ 50-60 for the last two weeks. Now the temps were above 60 the first 3-4 days of fermentation and I'm hoping it had a chance to finish before the temps got too cold. I got the bulb going and should be heating back up. I thought for sure I checked it a dozen time but was pissed to find it set to OFF tonight. I don't have a hydrometer but do have a refractrometer. I'm going to borrow a buddy's hydrometer, and check a sample, just curious as to your opinions until I get that chance.

 

[chemman14]

why not just test it with your refractometer?

 

[david_42]

First, I really doubt the temperature was cycling that much inside the fridge. It's insulated and the fermentation process was producing heat. The temperature probably didn't start dropping until the fermentation was mostly done.

In any case, the yeast are still there and if it isn't at the TG, give it a swirl and warm it up.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I'll give it a look with my refractometer. I didn't get to calibrate it first with a hydrometer but I'll be able to see if it moved at least.

Good point on the fermentation keeping heat up david. I figured it'd be ok, but it's nice to hear others backing the idea. I thought I had checked the damn thing 100 times on brew day, but apparently I hadn't. Ugh.

 

[boo boo]

Realize that if fermentation occured, that your refractometer won't show the correct gravity due to the formation of alcohol skewing the readings.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Right, but there are correction factors that allow you to use a refractometer post fermentation. I just need to get my buddy's Hydrometer to to calculate, then once I know my correction, I'll be able to use just my refractometer from now on.