I am doing a La Chouffe clone that I started on 5/26. Last time I tried one I fermented it warm in the high 70s and got bad fusel alcohols. Below is the recipe and the gravity readings I have taken.
Fermentables:
12 lbs 6 oz Belgian Pilsner
8 oz Cara 8
1 lb clear candi sugar
Infusion mashed at 145 for 30 minutes then 156 for another 60 minutes
16.1 Brix, 1.067 OG
Yeast:
3522 Belgian Ardennes with 3 liter starter. Starter was shaken periodically and got hit with oxygen for 10 seconds after cooling.
I cooled it with my plate chiller and it got too cold, ended up at 60F pitch temp. Oxygenated for 60 seconds with oxygen and diffusion stone.
I set fermenter in fridge and let it free rise. All temp measurements are taken with sensor taped to exterior of plastic fermenter with foam packing material insulation on the exterior side.
5/29/18: 10.6 Brix, 1.029. 64F
5/30/18: 10.0 brix, 1.025. 64F. Set temp with heat to 68F in fridge
6/1/18: 9.4 brix, 1.021, 68F
6/4/18: 9.0 brix, 1.019, 68F
6/5/18: 9.0 brix, 1.019, 68F. Set temp to 69F.
6/6/18 (today): 9.0 brix, 1.019, 69F
I want this to get down to 1.01 and am concerned it is slowing down. I can see small amounts of swirling in the fermenter (clear betterbottle) so something is still working but haven't seen gravity drop at all in a few days.
Should I leave it alone at 69F? Increase temps? Swirl it up?
I'm thinking at the very least increase the temps to 72F but not sure if I should do more.
I want to get access to the fermentation chamber for a lager on Saturday. I left a jug of water out in my basement and am measuring 64.5F. If I take the La Chouffe out of the chamber Saturday and let it sit in my basement am I asking for trouble with the low temperatures?
Fermentables:
12 lbs 6 oz Belgian Pilsner
8 oz Cara 8
1 lb clear candi sugar
Infusion mashed at 145 for 30 minutes then 156 for another 60 minutes
16.1 Brix, 1.067 OG
Yeast:
3522 Belgian Ardennes with 3 liter starter. Starter was shaken periodically and got hit with oxygen for 10 seconds after cooling.
I cooled it with my plate chiller and it got too cold, ended up at 60F pitch temp. Oxygenated for 60 seconds with oxygen and diffusion stone.
I set fermenter in fridge and let it free rise. All temp measurements are taken with sensor taped to exterior of plastic fermenter with foam packing material insulation on the exterior side.
5/29/18: 10.6 Brix, 1.029. 64F
5/30/18: 10.0 brix, 1.025. 64F. Set temp with heat to 68F in fridge
6/1/18: 9.4 brix, 1.021, 68F
6/4/18: 9.0 brix, 1.019, 68F
6/5/18: 9.0 brix, 1.019, 68F. Set temp to 69F.
6/6/18 (today): 9.0 brix, 1.019, 69F
I want this to get down to 1.01 and am concerned it is slowing down. I can see small amounts of swirling in the fermenter (clear betterbottle) so something is still working but haven't seen gravity drop at all in a few days.
Should I leave it alone at 69F? Increase temps? Swirl it up?
I'm thinking at the very least increase the temps to 72F but not sure if I should do more.
I want to get access to the fermentation chamber for a lager on Saturday. I left a jug of water out in my basement and am measuring 64.5F. If I take the La Chouffe out of the chamber Saturday and let it sit in my basement am I asking for trouble with the low temperatures?