When to raise the Primary Temp?

[RLinNH]

My 3rd AG Batch is in it's 5th day of Primary Fermentation, and I just gave the Carboy a very Thorough "Rousing" to get the Yeast Cake off the Bottom. I am using Wyeast 1968 which is Highly Flocculant and tends to collect at the bottom of the Carboy with the Trub. Anywho, I have been at a steady 68 for the duration, and I want to Bring the Carboy upstairs to about 72 degree temps for another 9 days. Think it's to early to raise the temp? My thinking is that now is a good time as I have just roused the Yeast and it is still suspened. Thoughts?



BTW, Wyeast 1968 is A London ESB Yeast Strain.

 

[niquejim]

You should be fine.

 

[Chello]

I'v never heard of mixing up the yeast cake during fermentation. Is that a common practice? Whats the benefit?

 

[TexLaw]

I'v never heard of mixing up the yeast cake during fermentation. Is that a common practice? Whats the benefit?

Yes, it is common. It's called "rousing," and it's a good way to make sure your yeast doesn't doze off in the middle of a good fermentation. It's especially useful for highly flocculant strains, like the one OP is using.

To OP, I see no reason to raise the ambient temperature on this batch. True, you can slowly raise ambient temperature as your fermentation activity slows, but 68F is plenty warm for anything, unless you are looking for strong fruity esters (although, b now, it's probably too late for that). In fact, I don't quite know when I would take something I was fermenting with that yeast up to 72, but that is a matter of personal taste.

Have you taken a SG reading? That's really the only way to know where you are in your fermentation. You could be stuck, or you could just be done.


TL

 

[RLinNH]

Yes, it is common. It's called "rousing," and it's a good way to make sure your yeast doesn't doze off in the middle of a good fermentation. It's especially useful for highly flocculant strains, like the one OP is using.

To OP, I see no reason to raise the ambient temperature on this batch. True, you can slowly raise ambient temperature as your fermentation activity slows, but 68F is plenty warm for anything, unless you are looking for strong fruity esters (although, b now, it's probably too late for that). In fact, I don't quite know when I would take something I was fermenting with that yeast up to 72, but that is a matter of personal taste.

Have you taken a SG reading? That's really the only way to know where you are in your fermentation. You could be stuck, or you could just be done.


TL

I gace the Carboy a good rousing yesterday, and I put the Carboy into our Bedroom. Right now the Carboy temp uis hoovering around 70-72. Also. My Airlock has taken off again and I am getting a burp about every 7 seconds. As far as a Hydrometer reading, not yet. I want to hold off until Weds. for that.

 

[Got Trub?]

What are your brewing? If it is a lower gravity beer it may be done by now. Moving it to a warmer location will also cause CO2 to off-gas as the solubility of gases decreases with increased temperature so the activity you see may not be fermentation. I use this yeast alot and when it flocculates its done...

GT

 

[Bearcat Brewmeister]

I use this yeast alot and when it flocculates its done...

GT

True 99% of the time. The only exception is if you ferment it at the bottom of its temperature range and have some temperature swings where it dips below its recommended fermentation range. Once this yeast flocculates, it is like rubber and is hard to get it back into solution if it went down early due to low temperature.

 

[ajf]

What are your brewing? If it is a lower gravity beer it may be done by now. Moving it to a warmer location will also cause CO2 to off-gas as the solubility of gases decreases with increased temperature so the activity you see may not be fermentation. I use this yeast alot and when it flocculates its done...

GT

I also use it a lot, and before I got a oxygenation system and stir plate, it wasn't uncommon for it to flocculate out and not even start fermenting. A good rousing always solved that problem. Nowadays (fermenting at 66 - 68 degrees), fermentation often apparently stops (no discernible drop in gravity over a period of 3 days), but with a good rousing, the gravity drops another 2 - 3 points. Because of this, I always give a rousing when the fermentation slows, and my FG is normally a few points lower than it used to be before I started this.

-a.