Brewing Temps

[turbo]

I have a Brewcraft 'Little Creatures Rogers' brew on atm and I started the brew a week ago. It bubbled for a couple of days but then stopped. The temp has been around 19deg but has fluctuated as I don't have a heating pad yet. I have been moving the brew from a warm room during the day to a room with a heater at night. The FG should read 1016 but it reads 1020 so I am not bottling yet.
My question is, does the fermentation take longer in cooler weather and if it stays at 1020 should I bottle or re-pitch yeast?

Fairly new to this so be kind!

 

[WSC]

It will take longer in cool weather.

Give it a shake and move to a warmer room esp. overnight. I think the temp drop and therefore it being slow to rise again is what would be making things slow down a bit, when you have no temp control you only really probably getting the brew to 19 degrees for say 6 hours, well that is what I find in my shed anyway.

 

[cspencer]

Only new myself but I believe that the fermentation will take longer at a lower temp, But I think that if it's been around 19ish it will be a better taste than temps like 25ish.

what was the OG, was it higher that you thought also, have you used the hydrometer before, is it correct?

Don't even think about bottling until you get a few days with the same gravity readings, don't want to be making bottle bombs.

remember i'm also only new too

 

[Pennywise]

Hi turbo, yes, the cooler the ferment the slower it will be, which (in most circumstances) is a good thing. Cooler ferments reduce esters that are not wanted in a lot of styles. 19 is a pretty good temp to ferment at for an ale. When you say the temp has fluctuated, by how much? A degree or two either way shouldn't pose any problems regarding a stalled ferment. How long has the brew been down for?

 

[keifer33]

The lower the temp the longer the fermentation will take. Also the temp of the liquid can alter the reading on the hydro but if its at 20deg then that's the standard for most hydro's.

Has the reading stayed constant over a few days?. This will be the easiest way to test if its still fermenting or has stalled/finished.

 

[turbo]

Thanks Guys.

The OG reading was 1038 which is what is recommended. With regards to the fluctuating temps, it has probably got as high as 21 and as low as 17.

I think I will take a reading every day and hope for it to get down to around 1016.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[rendo]

Hi Turbo,

Relax, it will be fine. No need to take readings everyday as you are wasting good beer. (you can if u really want to and wont sleep at night if you dont take a reading...but save that precious gold liquid). I reckon this is going to be one of the best beers u have brewed. Beers brew better at colder temps. They take longer and they can stall. Stalling sounds like what MAY have happen. Do not bottle at 1020 for a beer like this or you really could have a batch of bottle bombs.

There is no harm in waiting 2-3 weeks for the brew to finish (unless it was in the middle of a super hot summer).
In fact, this is generally a very good thing to leave a brew for 2 or so weeks. Gives the beer time to mellow out, mop up yucky flavours, have things settle out of suspension(clearer beer, cleaner taste).....have a read up on using Glelatine...{not for this brew...but try it on another brew as it will help clear your beer....fun for another day, another brew}

Temps between 17 should be fine, but just try not to let it get colder. Maybe you could wrap a blanket around it to keep a bit of warmth in, u can buy heat pads/mats etc....buttttt bahhhh I am not a fan (unless temps are too cold to brew....eg 10-12degs....which just means u should use lager yeast as they LOVE that temp)

My advice:
Try not letting the temps go below around 18....
Wait....wait and more waiting
Take a reading every 3 days....it should get down a bit further...hard to say exactly what
Aim to bottle it next weekend (no earlier...dont rush a good thing)...maybe even the weekend after...this will not be a problem at all. You can find lots to read here about leaving the beer in the fermenter for a few weeks etc.

Thanks Guys.

The OG reading was 1038 which is what is recommended. With regards to the fluctuating temps, it has probably got as high as 21 and as low as 17.

I think I will take a reading every day and hope for it to get down to around 1016.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[jakub76]

+1 rendo

Excellent advice. Keep it above 18 and chillax.

Get temp control when you can, it'll make a world of difference to your beer and your blood pressure ^_^

 

[turbo]

Hi Turbo,

Relax, it will be fine. No need to take readings everyday as you are wasting good beer. (you can if u really want to and wont sleep at night if you dont take a reading...but save that precious gold liquid). I reckon this is going to be one of the best beers u have brewed. Beers brew better at colder temps. They take longer and they can stall. Stalling sounds like what MAY have happen. Do not bottle at 1020 for a beer like this or you really could have a batch of bottle bombs.

There is no harm in waiting 2-3 weeks for the brew to finish (unless it was in the middle of a super hot summer).
In fact, this is generally a very good thing to leave a brew for 2 or so weeks. Gives the beer time to mellow out, mop up yucky flavours, have things settle out of suspension(clearer beer, cleaner taste).....have a read up on using Glelatine...{not for this brew...but try it on another brew as it will help clear your beer....fun for another day, another brew}

Temps between 17 should be fine, but just try not to let it get colder. Maybe you could wrap a blanket around it to keep a bit of warmth in, u can buy heat pads/mats etc....buttttt bahhhh I am not a fan (unless temps are too cold to brew....eg 10-12degs....which just means u should use lager yeast as they LOVE that temp)

My advice:
Try not letting the temps go below around 18....
Wait....wait and more waiting
Take a reading every 3 days....it should get down a bit further...hard to say exactly what
Aim to bottle it next weekend (no earlier...dont rush a good thing)...maybe even the weekend after...this will not be a problem at all. You can find lots to read here about leaving the beer in the fermenter for a few weeks etc.

Thanks Rendo. Excellent advice and I will be following it.
Cheers

 

[bullsneck]

Can I ask what's in the Brewcraft Rogers kit?

 

[rendo]

a few additions & extra thoughts....

1) I spelt Gelatine wrong....it should be Gelatine (you will find a myriad of different ways.....pm me if confused)
2) DONT stir your beer!!! It will get oxidised (i think that is the right word....either way, stirring beer at this stage = bad)
3) I would expect that it would get down to somewhere like 1016, no higher...more like 1010-1014. Just dont rush it, u dont want bottle bombs. They are menacing! (ask acasta)
4) have a beer!

Ps...why do you say it should be FG 1016...is that what the instructions say??

rendo

Thanks Rendo. Excellent advice and I will be following it.
Cheers

 

[turbo]

Hi guys,

The kit has the following ingredients;

Can of Black Rock East India Pale Ale
500g dried dark malt
250g corn syrup (powdered form)
15g cascade finishing infusion bag
S-04 Safale yeast

Instructions say the FG should be 1012-1014 but says with the use of malt and corn syrup instead of dextrose will make the beer finish with a higher gravity reading. (doesn't mention how much higher).

Cheers

 

[matr]

I gave up stressing about FGs along time ago... So much so I don't use my hydro any more.

I only brew ales so i just leave them for 2 weeks at 18 - 20 C then keg.

However if I was bottling in glass i wouldn't be so care free about it all.

 

[ianh]

Thanks Guys.

The OG reading was 1038 which is what is recommended. With regards to the fluctuating temps, it has probably got as high as 21 and as low as 17.

I think I will take a reading every day and hope for it to get down to around 1016.

Thanks for the advice.

Even 1016 I would think is high even though you have quite a bit of corn syrup. According to my calcs 1038 to 1016 is 58% attenuation (3.4%alc bottled) and 1038 to 1020 is 47% attenuation (2.8%alc bottled).

With no corn syrup S04 yeast should give 75% attenuation.

As others have said ferment till steady SG over couple of days. If still worried about bottle bombs could use PET bottles.