Cold Conditioned Too Early

[Vazerhino]

Dear All

Long time lurker, first time poster. I put down a Grainkids Kraken Black IPA - two packs of MJ west coast M44 yeast. Took off well. Outside my fermentation fridge and probably temps got down too low (down to 16 degrees at times). Left it for two weeks - stopped bubbling for a couple of days and cold crashed it, forgetting to first check specific gravity. Three days later when i realised, SG 1.020. What should i do? I am kegging, so not worried about exploding bottles. Do i simply put the heat back on for a couple of days? Do i pitch a bit more yeast at this stage? This is my first major issue in all grain brewing. Thanks for your help.

BTW - what does a partially fermented beer taste like?

 

[manticle]

If it hasn't been kegged yet, just warm it up slowly and see if it drops. If it doesn't, make an active starter with new yeast and add in.

 

[Vazerhino]

easy - thanks

 

[pcqypcqy]

Dear All


BTW - what does a partially fermented beer taste like?

It could taste overly sweet, and perhaps out of balance. However, that doesn't necessarily make it undrinkable. If you're happy to try and warm it up and repitch, then do that. Otherwise, if you've tasted some and it tastes OK, you could drink it and put it down to learning.

I've just done this to a festbier, finished at 1025. I use a kegmenter and did a closed transfer to cornies. I was mulling trasnferring it back to the kegmenter back onto the yeast cake to try to rouse it, but I decided it tastes OK and I needed the kegmenter to brew something else.

It's lagering in the fridge for now while I drink some of it, if there's any left when the kegmeneter is free I may pitch it back on and see if it'll go those last 10 points.

This potentially works for a fest bier because it's meant to be malty, and you may get away with it in a black ipa. You probably wouldn't want to in a normal IPA though.

 

[manticle]

Can also have elevated levels of diacetyl or acetaldehyde.

 

[unwrittenlaw]

What temp did you take the SG at?

 

[manticle]

Worth checking - measured with hydrometer or refractometer?

 

[fletcher]

manticle beat me to it. if using a hydrometer then yes, 1.020 is too high. if using a refractometer then check online for refractometer specific gravity conversions because the reading of 1.020 will be incorrect and it might actually be where you want it.

 

[Vazerhino]

It was measured with a hydrometer at just about 20 degrees.

thanks for the advice - i have followed mantle's advice - nothing happening in the airlock as yet. i forgot to mention that i had racked the beer, so not much yeast in the wort / beer left. might have to re-pitch - will re-check tonight for any change in SG.