Trouble With Fermentation

[Aussie Tiger]

Started to make a Kit real Ale ( coopers ) added the brewing sugar as well as 500g of the dry malt as per recipe on brewing sugar box. Airlock started to bubble straight a way and all looked good. 24 hrs later air lock was bubbling franticaly, I put it down to the hot day we were having and the brew temp was at 27, so i tryed to cool it down a touch, came back 3 hrs later air lock was empty and some of the batch had spewed out the air lock onto the lid, filled up the airlock with water and it bubbeled and foamed and spewed out again. Any ideas whats up and is it stuffed.

Cheers AT,

 

[np1962]

Not stuffed just lively. A bit warm at 27c, try get temp down around 20c.

Nige

 

[brendo]

Hey AT,

the higher temp will have spurred the yeast on - making it very active. Problem is it will also be creating a whole heap of fusel alcohol (great for hangovers).

Try and get the temp down, and try to control the temp better on the next brew - 18-20 is a good range to aim for when doing an ale.

I wouldn't say it is stuffed, but it will probably be a bit rougher than you might like. Good lesson for next time if nothing else.

Cheers,

Brendo

 

[flattop]

Put the fermenter in a crate of cold water covered with a towel touching the water...or cover it with a towel from the top and cover it with ice blocks... this will bring the temp down.
As above the alcohols in this brew will be a bit rugged.

 

[muckey]

as others have said cool it down using the best available method

I'm assuming you are going to bottle it so bulk prime, keep it at a reasonable temp (20 ish degrees) dont let it get too hot and stir up the bottles a bit to rouse the yeast will give it time to clean up a bit of what the high temp has done. ( just make sure ferment has finished before bottling )

All in all, its not lost so dont give up hope

 

[flattop]

If there is a risk that the yeast isn't finished consider bottling this one in PET they expand and won't blowout (although someone here wrote about cracking), at least you can release some gas and re-tighten the lids....

 

[zabond]

Had same problem with ginger beer brew recieved a good sugestion here-run a length of plastic tube from bubbler grommet into a 2ltr milk bottle with 2 grommets fitted to lid run tube to bottom of bottle and fit bubbler to other grommet-bottle holds excess foam and stops bubbler emptying
Zabond

 

[raven19]

I have used a cool water bath in the laundry sink previously when too warm, simply place ice & water in sink, then place fermenter in the ice water bath.

Its all good learning experiences to help perfect your art of brewing! :icon_cheers:

+1 beer will be fine to drink - with some interesting side effects maybe?

 

[QIK86]

Had same problem with ginger beer brew recieved a good sugestion here-run a length of plastic tube from bubbler grommet into a 2ltr milk bottle with 2 grommets fitted to lid run tube to bottom of bottle and fit bubbler to other grommet-bottle holds excess foam and stops bubbler emptying
Zabond

Good idea. Just make sure the bottle and tube are sanitised first, as they will be on the wort side of the airlock.

 

[Aussie Tiger]

Hydrometer reading is 1010 is that mean it is ready to bottle.

 

[muckey]

Hydrometer reading is 1010 is that mean it is ready to bottle.

you need stable hydrometer readings over a couple of days to be sure

if i remember correctly your recipe had extra LDME added so 1010 should be pretty well finished but make sure its stable over a couple of days to ensure no bottle bombs :icon_cheers:

 

[Aussie Tiger]

Thanks mate

 

[matho]

wait 2 days take the reading again if it's the same then it's finnished if not then wait another 2 days

cheer's matho



edit: too slow

 

[muckey]

edit: too slow

nahh, you're just more polite :lol: