Very fast fermentation..

[John8251]

So this is my second brew that I've done. I did the brewers best English brown ale. The only thing I did to modify it was add one pound of dextrose to it to raise the abv just a little. I brewed it on Friday night and got an OG of 1.052. The kit had Nottingham ale yeast. When I woke up on Saturday morning the air lock was already bubbling like crazy. Then on Sunday it had already slowed down and now, on Monday afternoon, the bubbling is almost non existent. I tested the SG and its at 1.014. The instructions for the kit say 5-7 in the primary and then, when fermentation has slowed but before its complete, to transfer to secondary if you choose to do so. My understanding from the reading I've done and browsing this forum was that the secondary isn't really for fermentation, just to clear the beer and result in a better taste. So, my questions are: why would it have fermented so fast? And would it hurt to just leave in the primary for the week I was planning on before racking to the secondary, even if the fermentation has already stopped by then?? Or just go ahead and rack it now?? Thanks in advance for the feedback.

 

[F250]

How warm was the wort when you pitched your yeast?

Rick

 

[John8251]

72 f

 

[mikemet]

wait 3-4 weeks- dont rack to secondary- call us back in 7 weeks after you pop the first one and say... ah - it taste LIKE BEER

 

[ncbrewer]

Racking to secondary is becoming less popular. This link would be worthwhile reading: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/vs-pro-con-analysis-109318/

 

[F250]

72 f

That's a bit warm, I pitch most yeasts at 62 degrees. Remember the act of fermentation will add 5 to 10 degrees. Also what has occurred so far has been the vigorous portion of the fermentation, the yeast still has work to do. Give it 3 weeks then take a reading, you'll find the end product will be better.

Rick

 

[John8251]

Thanks for all the fast help. I really do appreciate it.

 

[dannylerch]

That's a bit warm, I pitch most yeasts at 62 degrees. Remember the act of fermentation will add 5 to 10 degrees. Also what has occurred so far has been the vigorous portion of the fermentation, the yeast still has work to do. Give it 3 weeks then take a reading, you'll find the end product will be better.

Rick

I am no pro, but I haven't found the 5 to 10 degree temp boost to be true. Perhaps if you have it fermenting in a place with crap circulation. Though I live in a small condo with great central air, so I have my fermentation chamber near a vent that keeps it at the proper degree. I also measure my temps every time I take a hydrometer reading.

But you're right, just cuz it says 70 degrees on your thermostat, doesn't mean the wort is that temp.

 

[kh54s10]

Nottingham is a pretty quick fermenter. At 72 degrees ambient you may expect that the wort got into the upper 70's for a while which will make fermentation even faster. IMO what you experienced was fairly normal for the temperature. My experience is that the fermentation does create heat. I now have a fermentation chamber and notice that the temperature controller has the refrigerator cooling a lot more often in the first few days.

I suggest you look into controlling the fermentation temperature. You can use a swamp cooler. That is a container that will hold some water the fermentation vessel and ice. You add ice or rotate frozen water bottles at time intervals that keep the temperature relatively stable. Look on the websites of your yeast manufacturers and shoot for the low end that they recommend as optimal. I do most of my ales in the low to mid sixties.