I brewed an ipa (7.5%) is what it is supposed to be. The fermentation temp is usually high 60s but it go so hot last week and I was unable to babysit it like I should have. So probably 3-4 days it was in the High 70s maybe even low 80s one day. It seems to have stopped fermenting, I'm going to just keep testing the gravity but is my beer dead?
Well, high 80s temps wouldn't have harmed the yeast, so maybe it's done attenuating. But what makes you think it has stopped? What's the gravity? If those high temps occurred early enough in the fermentation, you probably have elevated esters and possibly fusels. How does it taste?
I suspect that what you have in your fermenter is indeed beer. What you need to be concerned about is whether there are less than desirable flavors in your beer due to the few days of high temperature. Maybe the ester level will be higher than desired? Maybe you have perceptible fusel oils (higher alcohols)? It is entirely possible that your beer will taste just fine (especially if the higher temperatures occurred later in the primary fermentation). My recommendations is to take a hydrometer sample and taste the beer after taking the reading. Cheers!
Thanks guys. I tested the gravity two days ago and it was at 1.010 and again today and it's exactly the same at the same temp of 74. It tastes decent but it's a bit bitter. Smells great. I put in 3oz of hops on day two and an Oz and half on day 7. I wonder if I should just bottle or it will just become increasingly bitter.
Dry hops won't increase the bitterness of your beer. If anything, the bitterness will fade with time. Since the first 4 days were controlled, I'm guessing this will turn out fine once carbonated.
Beer didn't die. You guys were right. Ended up pretty high abv. About 8.5%, was shooting for 7.5-8%, it's a bit bitter but smells like a bag of hops so that is great. Pretty good beer.
Verily, I say unto you...your beer is not dead...but only a shell of what it could be...repent...and control your ferment temps in the next world : )
Lots of good advice above. You might be OK, it might suck, lesson learned and don't ferment so warm again. I wanted to add that ipas taste pretty damn bitter post fermentation pre carbonation. Don't worry about that, it will come together when it carbs.
Letting it sit in bottles for a while will help it mellow it out a bit. You will lose some of the hopyness, but it sounds like you wouldn't mind that since you think it is a bit bitter.
