I figured I'd post here for some advice on my current brew. I just got a mini fridge, and the temperature controller is on its way. Meanwhile, temperature control has been left up to me, I have been cycling out frozen water bottles and occasionally turning the fridge on (on its warmest setting) for short amounts of time. I had been keeping it pretty steady between 61-64. This morning I cut the fridge on, intending to turn it off in 20 minutes, and left for work. The beer is now down to about 50, and I am debating on what to do.
It is a very simple wheat extract beer with WLP029 Kolsch yeast. I am/was trying to make a light, crisp, summertime beer adding some lemon zest into the last few minutes of the boil. I wound up forgetting to add the lemon and figured I would try it out in the secondary. OG was supposed to be 1.044 and wound up being 1.051. It is currently at 1.016, and the gravity readings taste like stale bud or natty (not great, but wasn't expecting much).
I figure I have a couple options now. Let the temp come back up, and continue letting it complete fermentation, and then with secondary and additions. I don't know if the swing in temperature will have adverse affects. I figure I could also just cut the fridge on, and cold crash the beer, then go on to bottling. I don't think the fermentation is completely finished, but the alcohol levels are fine for me, and the taste is not bad.
Sorry for the long first post. What are you all's thoughts.
It is a very simple wheat extract beer with WLP029 Kolsch yeast. I am/was trying to make a light, crisp, summertime beer adding some lemon zest into the last few minutes of the boil. I wound up forgetting to add the lemon and figured I would try it out in the secondary. OG was supposed to be 1.044 and wound up being 1.051. It is currently at 1.016, and the gravity readings taste like stale bud or natty (not great, but wasn't expecting much).
I figure I have a couple options now. Let the temp come back up, and continue letting it complete fermentation, and then with secondary and additions. I don't know if the swing in temperature will have adverse affects. I figure I could also just cut the fridge on, and cold crash the beer, then go on to bottling. I don't think the fermentation is completely finished, but the alcohol levels are fine for me, and the taste is not bad.
Sorry for the long first post. What are you all's thoughts.
