Advice sought on interrupting a brew, or not.

[Hughtheboatman]

Hi all, I have a kit brew underway and have found that I will be away for several days around the time when it is ready to bottle.
Is it better to switch off the heater and switch it back on when I return (I'm in the Scottish Highlands, room temperature around 10C ) or just leave it and hope for the best?

I have found that my kits - usually Simply - seem to develop a white surface scum within a day or so after fermentation is complete. Without informed advice I'm tempted to pull the plug before going away. TIA

 

[An Ankoù]

Normally, is be inclined to leave it on. What temperature do you set it at? How long will it have been fermenting before you go away? What is this white surface scum of which you speak? Is it a yeast raft or a pellickle? Does it have any particular odour? Can you adjust the heater so that it's not quite as warm as you would normally have it, but better than your room temperature?

 

[Hughtheboatman]

Thank you An Ankou. The temperature is 22C, it will have been fermenting for about five days. The white scum has appeared in the past and was identified as a pellicle. I don't recall any odour. I can adjust the temperature on the aquarium heater that I have been using for several decades, but it has a minimum setting of 20C.
The kit instructions recommend a temperature in the range 20C to 25C, pointing out that fermentation will take longer below 20C and will cease below 15C

 

[Justin Dean]

16c, what is the worse that can happen? How many days away is several mate?

 

[Larse]

If it'll be ready to bottle around the time you're going away, then letting it cool will do no harm. Not quite a cold crash if it gets to 10°, but somewhat of one.

 

[Hughtheboatman]

16c, what is the worse that can happen? How many days away is several mate?

16c, what is the worse that can happen? How many days away is several mate?

16c, what is the worse that can happen? How many days away is several mate?

Revised travel plans suggest bottling could be two days after the "due date".

 

[Hughtheboatman]

If it'll be ready to bottle around the time you're going away, then letting it cool will do no harm. Not quite a cold crash if it gets to 10°, but somewhat of one.

It will be only four days into the ferment when I leave, and two days after the predicted end when I return. Perhaps the best plan might be to reduce the temperature to 20C now and hope for the best?

 

[Larse]

It will be only four days into the ferment when I leave, and two days after the predicted end when I return. Perhaps the best plan might be to reduce the temperature to 20C now and hope for the best?

Well ferment times aren't rigid. So just leave it with the heater set to 20° and it'll be fine.

 

[Nicks90]

The vast majority of fermentation will have finished by day 3 (usually), and after that - even at lower temps - there's so much yeast in there that it'll finish off anything that's left, right the way down to the yeasts dormant state temp.
I've left brews for weeks and had no ill effects, just remember that it WANTS TO BE BEER.

As for the layer on top, I always get some yeast rafts after fermentation has completed. If it's a definite proper layer of white, it's probably a pellicle. Just Syphon carefully from under it and the beer will be fine.

 

[starseeker]

A lot of us leave our beers for two weeks to ferment ,and i would have no problem leaving it another two if i had to ,so your beer will be fine :)

 

[Hughtheboatman]

Well ferment times aren't rigid. So just leave it with the heater set to 20° and it'll be fine.

Thank you, Larse

 

[Hughtheboatman]

The vast majority of fermentation will have finished by day 3 (usually), and after that - even at lower temps - there's so much yeast in there that it'll finish off anything that's left, right the way down to the yeasts dormant state temp.
I've left brews for weeks and had no ill effects, just remember that it WANTS TO BE BEER.

As for the layer on top, I always get some yeast rafts after fermentation has completed. If it's a definite proper layer of white, it's probably a pellicle. Just Syphon carefully from under it and the beer will be fine.

Thank you, Nicks90.

 

[Hughtheboatman]

A lot of us leave our beers for two weeks to ferment ,and i would have no problem leaving it another two if i had to ,so your beer will be fine :)

Thank you, starseeker