Fermentation Temperature

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by FeloniousDrunk, Feb 2, 2015.

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  1. FeloniousDrunk

    FeloniousDrunk Initiate (0) Feb 10, 2008 New York

    Hey folks,

    Brand-new to the homebrewing world and I just racked my second beer (a black IPA) into the secondary fermentation carboy. When I took the final gravity, however, it was much higher still than it should have been and I worry that this is because the primary fermentation was done in a 55 degree basement which is below the recommended temperature by about 10 degrees. I have nowhere else to ferment the beer and was wondering if there was anything I could do during the secondary fermentation to correct my previous mistake?

    Thanks!
     
  2. bluehende

    bluehende Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2010 Delaware

    A few questions...

    What yeast?
    How long in primary?
    Why secondary?

    Without knowing these here are a couple suggestions.

    There is still plenty of yeast in the secondary if it has just not gone long enough. You may warm it up now to get the yeast going if it has gone to sleep.
     
  3. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Apply heat. Probably sounds like a smartass reply, but seriously, if your fermentation has stalled due to low temperature, that's the way to get it going again, even if you already racked to secondary. (Though ideally, it shouldn't have been racked yet, and most styles don't need a secondary anyway.) So... you have a basement, but no other place you could put your fermenter? Even a dark upstairs closet would be fine, assuming it's not too warm. Or you could apply heat from a heat wrap, or even a heating pad (preferably thermostatically controlled). Temperature control is one of the keys to making good beer. There's really no way around that.
     
  4. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

    Build a DIY temp controller, get a stopper thermowell, get a heating pad. Worked for me. I just made a Blue Moon clone in my chilly garage using this method. Worked like a champ. I placed the heating pad on the bottom, wrapped my Better Bottle in a fleece pullover for insulation.

    Actually, I think I got my thermowell here. Better quality. I got a bung from MoreBeer or someone else. Make sure you get the right size or get the orange cap things, but I"ve never used those myself.
     
  5. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    At the very least you need to get the beer off of the basement floor and closer to the furnace or water heater. The ambient temp around either of them is going to be warmer than 55 degrees. If that doesn't do it, then crank up the thermostat. If you can't do that (or any of the other recommendations above), then this likely should be the last beer that you brew in the wintertime. You can get away with some mistakes when brewing beer, but making your yeast freeze their little asses is not something that is pardonable unless you are using a lager yeast.
     
  6. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    Contrary to popular belief, many ale yeasts will do just fine down in the upper 50s. 55 F is pushing the limits though. It would be better in the 60s if you could manage it. Or, purposely select a hybrid yeast such as 2565 or 1007 or whatever so that you can brew at lower temps without issues. Most important thing to keep in mind is that in about the second half to last one-third of the fermentation cycle, warming the fermenter to 60s or 70 F is almost always beneficial. So in this case, it might be time to do that if you can.
     
  7. ronobvious2

    ronobvious2 Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2010 Tennessee

    What I suggested isn't hard to do. In fact, given a reliably cold environment, heating a beer is easier than trying to cool it off. Just get a temp controller and a thermowell and get that probe in the middle of your beer where the temp is likely to be just that little bit warmer. The temp controllers are cheap enough to buy and build, and a heating pad from any drug store or WalMart costs next to nothing too.
     
    PapaGoose03 likes this.
  8. FeloniousDrunk

    FeloniousDrunk Initiate (0) Feb 10, 2008 New York

    Folks,

    Thanks for the helpful suggestions! Currently snowed-in so for now I took the suggestion of @Mothergoose03 and moved the carboy behind the furnace and wrapped it in a down jacket. Seemingly instantly the valve began bubbling away and has continued to do so since. The temp in its current location is around 65 so I may be out of the woods with it hopefully not being too late.

    For those curious I'm doing a secondary in order to dry hop the beer and because I had the carboy so why not? I know many think it's a wasted step, but since this is my second batch ever I figured I'd give it a try for the hell of it. At the least I'm getting a lot of knowledge out of this experience, and I think I'm going to lager my next pilsner now that I know the conditions appear to be right. As for the yeast strain, to add to my rookie mistakes I didn't write it down but it's whatever comes with the Brewers Best Black IPA kit.

    Thanks again for the help!
     
  9. MCBanjoMike

    MCBanjoMike Initiate (0) Aug 7, 2014 Canada (QC)

    Glad to hear that things are looking up. For the record, most folks here don't use a secondary even when dry-hopping, since you risk oxidizing or contaminating the beer and the transfer really isn't necessary. And if you still want to transfer to a secondary, don't do so until you have reached your final gravity, or pretty close to it. How long was the beer in the primary before you moved it?
     
  10. FeloniousDrunk

    FeloniousDrunk Initiate (0) Feb 10, 2008 New York

    2 weeks in primary. Duly noted on the secondary and will probably follow best practices next time. Do you just throw the hops in the primary after FG is within range then let it sit for a week?
     
  11. bluehende

    bluehende Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2010 Delaware

    I boil a small grain bag and put the hops in that. Weight it and just throw it in.
     
  12. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Since you are using a carboy it might be difficult to shove a bag in thru the neck, but a lot of people do it that way along with some sanitized marbles to weigh the bag down so it will sink. I just throw my pellets in and then when it's time to bottle I take care to keep the siphon intake away from any that sank or are floating. A bucket is much easier to use if you are brewing a beer that will be dry hopped. Usually a week to 10 days is all that you need to keep them in there.
     
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