Temp Question

[Hoosier]

Hello everyone,
I brewed my first batch this weekend and all seemed to go fairly well. After about 12 hours the yeast took off running and the airlock was going like mad. After about 36 hours this slowed down to nothing. The OG was 1.052 and at the 36 hour mark it was 1.022. The temp is about 72. Is this temp to high? I know that no bubbles in the airlock doesn’t mean that it is not fermenting but it seemed odd that it had slowed so rapidly. Then again this is my first batch so all I have to go on is what I have read. Any advice would be appreciated.
-C

 

[HairyDogBrewing]

Relax, Don't Worry, Have A Home Brew.
The yeast know what they're doing.

Let it be for a week and check for FG again.
Even if fermentation is complete, the yeast will continue to absorb undesirable flavors for a while.
A lot of brewers (including me) advocate 2 weeks in the primary.

The actual FG will depend on the recipe and the yeast strain.
Also, each yeast strain will have an optimum temperature range.
72*F is perfectly acceptable for most ale yeast strains.

Patience is truly a virtue.
It may be beer in two weeks, but it will be really good beer in about 2 months.
(I'm still working on the patience myself - the last bottle or draft of a batch is always the best one of them all.)

 

[WBC]

Next batch try to ferment at 65F. Fermentation is exothermic (produces heat) and so the actual temperature of the liquid may be higher than 70F in the first 2 to 3 days of primary fermentation. I ferment in the primary only for 2 weeks. I do not take the gravity until that time. It is pointless to do so.

 

[Hoosier]

I am using a stick on thermometer on the side of the bucket to gage my temp. I could see 70 clearly. Are these accurate? Is there a better way to gage temp?

 

[knownikko]

FWIW, I fermented my first batch at ~76F and it turned out great (simple red ale with Safale S-04 yeast). I've made an effort on my current batch to keep temps down lower than that (have been hovering at about 70), in hopes that things will be even better.

I don't think you'll have any problems at 72. Definitely let things sit for another week or so before you take another gravity reading.

 

[secinarot]

I just dealt with this same issue with my current batch. I did some searching through these threads and found a trick to use to lower the temperature. I placed the fermenter in a large plastic tub, placed a t-shirt over the fermenter, and then filled the tub with enough water to cover the bottom of the shirt (so that the water will wick up the shirt). Then I pointed a fan at it. Even with the ambient temperature at 75 I am getting about 70 deg. in the fermenter using this method.

 

[HairyDogBrewing]

I am using a stick on thermometer on the side of the bucket to gage my temp. I could see 70 clearly. Are these accurate? Is there a better way to gage temp?

Stick-ons work fine.
But they don't like to get wet and I use a water bath to control the temp.
Other brewers have reported that the temps displayed on their stick-ons were within a degree of the liquid at the center of the pail. YMMV.

You can drill a hole in the side of the pail for a thermometer.
But then you have a risk of leaks or a sanitation issue.

I drilled a hole in the lid, but then I had to find a 8" probe thermometer.

At peak activity the yeast will generate enough heat to raise the temp
of the beer 4 to 8 degrees above the air temp of the room.
A water bath removes heat by conduction and the beer will be about the same temp as the water.
Also, you can add ice to ferment at temps below room temp.