Temp too low fermintaion?

[hcuda]

Taking advice from my LHBS on a California ale yeast I put my latest primary in a cooler place. He said this strain likes lower 60s rather then mid to highs. I put the primary in my pantry which stays quite cool in the winter. I put a thermometer in there that's stayed at or just slightly below 60.

It's been in there 11 days and seems to have stopped. There was bubbling action in the airlock until yesterday all though nothing massive. Thinking about transferring to secondary tonight but I'm concerned with the cool temps fermentation stuck.

 

[Yooper]

Seems fine. What's the current SG?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

No worries about those temps. Only way to know for sure is to take a gravity reading.

 

[hcuda]

Going to check tonight before I move to secondary. I thought if it hadn't moved significantly then the fermentation is stuck and if it had but isn't where I want it I might be s.o.l.

 

[C-Rider]

Don't waste your time moving to secondary unless you are adding something other than hops. It will finish just as well in the primary and there is less chance for an infection. Use the time to play w/your wife or kids, or just spend it here on the forum reading and drinkin a cold one or two.

 

[RM-MN]

I'd leave it in the primary but move it to a warmer location. When the yeast have lots of sugars to eat they like to go wild and party, leaving a mess if they can. By keeping it cool, they don't party as hard and the mess is very small (off flavors is the mess). Once those sugars are mostly gone, as they seem to be in your beer, warming the beer a bit helps the yeast clean up. If you have an area that is in the low 70's that would be ideal.

 

[Revvy]

Besides, why would you consider moving to a secondary if you didn't know what's going on with the beer. An airlock doesn't tell you anything, except whether or not the airlock is bubbling, it's a vent, not a fermentation gauge. You use your hydrometer to tell you what your beer is doing, and then you make decision based on that info. It's your diagnostic tool...it's the most handiest tool...it's a lot more accurate than starting a thread on a forum to ask us what we think is going on. If you had taken a gravity reading you would already know what's going on, that fermentation is probably complete or at least slowing down towards final gravity, and everything was probably ok.

 

[leaskbrewing]

people might disagree but i use california ale yeast all the time,and it likes the mid to upper 60's the best. sounds like it may be a tad cold to me. i would take a gravity reading then bring the temp of the room up to mid 60s or move it to a warmer place.. give it a day or so then take another reading. its possible that u just had an air leak and it has already run its coarse. hydrometer check is the only way to know for sure..

 

[hcuda]

Besides, why would you consider moving to a secondary if you didn't know what's going on with the beer. An airlock doesn't tell you anything, except whether or not the airlock is bubbling, it's a vent, not a fermentation gauge. You use your hydrometer to tell you what your beer is doing, and then you make decision based on that info. It's your diagnostic tool...it's the most handiest tool...it's a lot more accurate than starting a thread on a forum to ask us what we think is going on. If you had taken a gravity reading you would already know what's going on, that fermentation is probably complete or at least slowing down towards final gravity, and everything was probably ok.

I am aware of SG and hydrometer readings and promptly did so when I got home. I have read many places that said not to bother with SG readings until visible signs of fermentation has stopped.

The purpose of posting a thread was while I was at work(away from my beer) and pondering my processes and methods was to query about yeast temps and possible stuck fermentation. Possibly get suggestions and ideas for future brews. As well as ideas for fermintation.

I'd thought beginning area would be a good place to ask dumb questions without reprise...I thought.

The SG was enough of a change and close enough to what final should be that I moved it to the secondary. Plenty of trub in the bottom I think the yeast had a good time.

 

[hcuda]

people might disagree but i use california ale yeast all the time,and it likes the mid to upper 60's the best. sounds like it may be a tad cold to me. i would take a gravity reading then bring the temp of the room up to mid 60s or move it to a warmer place.. give it a day or so then take another reading. its possible that u just had an air leak and it has already run its coarse. hydrometer check is the only way to know for sure..

I used California ale on one of my first kits, many moons ago but I didn't do as good a job paying attention to fermintation temps. Beer came out flavorful but looking back on the FG in my notes I think it fizzled out due to warmer then desired temps since it was summer and not kept in the coolest place in the house.

The package for the cal ale (wayest) showed 65-72 ish working temps. LHBS guy had better luck with lower but I'm wondering if where I put the ferm bucket this time(which is a good place in spring and autumn for ferm) is too cold.

I'm trying to pay more attention to temps and keep the temps appropriate for the recipe and yeast. Trouble is I don't have a spot that works well all year.