what on earth is going on with my beer?

[RippinLt]

Im going to put this as simple as possible.. Has me confused..

Wort went into fermenter and yeast started fermentation; lots of bubbles from airlock.
Bubbling stopped aprox 8 days later, I let it sit another 8 before I took hydro reading. It read a little high from my recipe so I let it sit for another 3 days and took a reading. It was still a few points high but it hadn't moved a single point from my first reading. I thought it was done fermenting. ( this entire time temp was a steady 70F. One night it dropped to 63 accidentally )
I then let it sit a day in my refrigerator at 35 degrees to settle yeast and sediment.

5 minutes ago I took the fermenter from the fridge and brought it inside to transfer to the bottling bucket. I carefully put it on my kitchen table and realized that the airlock was bubbling away..!.? I though maybe it was from the sloshing but it has been bubbling ever since I brought it inside. The temperature of the beer was at 45 when I noticed the bubbling and it is now at 58, still bubbling every 5 seconds.

My questions are:

How did fermentation stop for over 2 weeks?
How did my ale begin to ferment, AGAIN, especially at less than 50F degrees?
Did the temp change induce the fermentation?
WTF?

- Ed, an extremely new brewer!

 

[Sammy75]

Did the gravity reading change?

 

[Toga]

I'm no expert but have a couple dozen batches under my belt so If I am off base let the experts correct me........................Air lock activity is a good indication of fermentation but not absolute. Airlock activity simply means gasses are being released. Since it was done fermenting at 8 days, and sat for another 8 days at the same gravity, then essentially cold crashed I would have to say it was just co2 being released. Take another gravity reading and if it is the same as it was before cold crashed it will be safe to bottle it :rockin:

 

[Bradmont]

The bubbling may just be the cold air in the fermenter expanding and escaping out the airlock.

 

[RippinLt]

It changed from the start but then it was set at the same reading the last 2 times I checked it. It only starting bubbling 20 minutes ago so I dont want to open it now and take another reading. I guess ill have to wait another week?? I just dont know

 

[RippinLt]

The bubbling may just be the cold air in the fermenter expanding and escaping out the airlock.

hmm..that does make sense scientifically

 

[tlael]

The bubbling may just be the cold air in the fermenter expanding and escaping out the airlock.

+1 on expansion of cold air.
But, another gravity reading never hurt.

 

[JonK331]

The bubbling you are experiencing is CO2 coming out of solution due to the temperature increase. Also expansion of the air.

 

[Wellshooter]

The bubbling you are experiencing is CO2 coming out of solution due to the temperature increase. Also expansion of the air.

Yep ! CO2 comes out of solution when the temperature rises. Confusing the first time you see it.

 

[RippinLt]

So I can bottle!? Im going to take another gravity reading to be sure but as long as the gravity is the same as my last reading I'm good to go right?

 

[KevinW]

Bottle away!!

Of course you should always take a gravity reading before bottling, but make sure the temp is OK. I would not bottle beer that was 35°, it probably would be hard to mix the priming sugar at that temp too but this is my opinion!!

 

[RippinLt]

And that I did. First batch in bottles. I cant believe how fun this whole hobby is. thanks for all of your help and support

 

[262andbrew]

Yep ! CO2 comes out of solution when the temperature rises. Confusing the first time you see it.

+1 and expanding gas, as others noted.

Bottle it. Forget about it.
Have one on Halloween and the other 50 on November 15th. Happy Holidays!!!!

 

[scrambledegg81]

Air lock activity is a good indication of fermentation but not absolute.

Would hate to disagree....but...I have to disagree. Bubbling airlocks are only an indication of CO2 production, while fermentation (in the end stages) produces little to no CO2 at all. I'm sure revvy will be by soon to post his "airlock activity is not an indicator of fermentation" thread which I wasn't able to find for some reason.

 

[RippinLt]

hahah the airlock conversation is so repetitive around here. WATCH YOUR WORDS PEOPLE!!
To me, the airlock is just a rough guideline, very rough if it makes anyone feel better. It just lets me know that I should be thinking about taking a gravity reading and that my beer is actually doing SOMETHING!