Fermenting slowed down after only 2 days

[RWithers]

Hi guys,

Just getting back into brewing after a few years break from it. I started a brew on saturday consisting of thomas coopers IPA, 1kg light malt, 15g nelson sauvon hops, 15g citra hops, and 15g galaxy hops. I just used the yeast that came with the IPA.
The brew started around 27C and has slowly dropped to about 25C by today, not ideal temperatures I know but was just keen to get a brew on again. The airlock had sprung into life by Sunday morning and was going crazy. Got home from work and the airlock is now sitting dead even without a hint of bubbling. Took a Hydrometre reading and it's showing around 1013, close to what i'd expect at the end of fermentation. It started at 1042.
Any ideas on why this is. I'm assuming temperature, and how will this affect my beer?

Cheers

 

[indica86]

Airlock activity does not indicate fermentation is going well or slowing.
Fermentation may very well be nearly done but it would serve the brew well to leave for a few more days at least.

 

[RWithers]

Cheers I was thinking the same. If it has finished how long is too long to leave it in the fermenter do you think?

 

[carniebrew]

It's most likely finished so quickly because of the elevated temps...yeast love warm temps...unfortunately they don't usually produce great tasting beer at those temps (unless you're brewing a Saison perhaps)....

Leave it in there at least a week...and don't bottle it until your gravity is stable over a few days.

 

[verysupple]

It's most likely finished so quickly because of the elevated temps...yeast love warm temps...unfortunately they don't usually produce great tasting beer at those temps (unless you're brewing a Saison perhaps)....

Leave it in there at least a week...and don't bottle it until your gravity is stable over a few days.

Yeah, I'm inclined to think it's finishing/finished. Although, I've never liked the "leave it at least x amount of time" approach. Once it's finished fermenting, give it time to clean up things like acetaldehyde, diacetyl etc. and then package it. This might be a total of 4 days or it might be 14 days. It's done when it's done, which is when you can't taste any of the off flavours I mentioned.

 

[RWithers]

Yeah, I'm inclined to think it's finishing/finished. Although, I've never liked the "leave it at least x amount of time" approach. Once it's finished fermenting, give it time to clean up things like acetaldehyde, diacetyl etc. and then package it. This might be a total of 4 days or it might be 14 days. It's done when it's done, which is when you can't taste any of the off flavours I mentioned.

Thanks. What do these things taste like? Its not going to harm it leaving it in the fermenter for a while after its finished fermenting is it?

 

[carniebrew]

There's a good description of beer faults here: http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-2.html

You won't do the beer any harm leaving it in the fermenter for up to a month, it's quite common, especially for some reason with our US counterparts. But for most standard ales you would normally bottle them within 2-3 weeks of starting your ferment.

 

[RWithers]

There's a good description of beer faults here: http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-2.html

You won't do the beer any harm leaving it in the fermenter for up to a month, it's quite common, especially for some reason with our US counterparts. But for most standard ales you would normally bottle them within 2-3 weeks of starting your ferment.

cheers!

 

[verysupple]

Thanks. What do these things taste like? Its not going to harm it leaving it in the fermenter for a while after its finished fermenting is it?

As carnie said, it'll be fine in the FV for a few weeks if you don't have the time (or the motivation ) to package it. Weeks and weeks aren't necessary, but it also won't do any harm.