Fermentation problem (?)

[TonyCall]

Dear brewers

I have an American IPA in the fermenter at the moment, put it in the fermenter last Thursday with Safale US-05. Within 12 hours I was getting a steady bubble in the airlock and by 24 hours it was off like a train. I brew in a spare room in the house that I can keep dark and reasonably cool, although I can only do ambient. On Saturday lunchtime I noticed that the temperature on the fermenter had jumped from 22°c to 27°c and was bubbling furiously. I managed to get the temperature stable and eventually brought it back down to 23°c, and by Sunday the bubbling had slowed but only to about one bubble every 30 seconds. Today the bubbling has slowed to a bubble every 90 seconds and a gravity reading last night and today show that the gravity is (OG was 1.056) 1.024. At the current bubbling rate i would expect the gravity to be lower. Did the spike in heat affect it? Should I just wait until it has stopped bubbling completely? Should I try and and give the FV a sway from side to side to re-start the yeast?

What do you guys think?

 

[user 18729]

Gas escaping the air lock can be misleading as to how active the fermentation is. During the most active part, CO2 will dissolve into the beer as the pressure inside the FV increases. It can then slowly come out of solution a few days later causing the air lock to keep on bubbling. I would use your hydrometer and take readings a day or two apart. A sanity check by calibrating it in water is also useful.

 

[Hoddy]

The gas bubble rate doesn't really have any direct relationship to FG of your beer.

The heat WILL have affected your beer. It will have increased the rate at which the yeast work and could have created phenols due to them being exposed to the high heat for a few days. You wont know the true affect to your beer until it finishes fermenting. Dont be surprised if it is a bit sulphur like, or smells a bit nail polish like. Keeping a stable temp is almost as important as sterility in not spoiling beer.

You wont need to give the beer a shake, there would be more than enough yeast in suspension and doing their work. You just have to wait another 4-5 days and test the FG and then test the day after until you get a steady gravity for a few days then its finished.

Sadly don't be surprised it its not your finest ever beer. It may be drinkable, it may not, but you wont know until its finished. And you may have to put this one down to experience.

And don't keep opening the lid to have a look either!!!!

 

[Drunkula]

I don't know about with S-05 but with S-04 temperature drops can cause it to floc out prematurely. If after a few more days it's going nowhere then I really would advise rousing it. Big sanitised spoon and all that. I had months of horror with s-04 stalling every time, as have a lot of brewers. I tried loads of things and the only thing that ever worked was giving the wort a right going over.

 

[TonyCall]

Thanks for all your replies. When I took the last gravity reading, I tasted the sample and so far it tastes and smells ok, no off smells or flavours. Fingers crossed it's not going to be too disastrous. I did a spring beer which got stuck and was eventually four weeks in the FV, that had a real burnt rubber smell and taste, undrinkable.

 

[Justin Dean]

I think you will be alright, be patient, day 10 11 you might well see the sg at 1010 or something close will be what you are aiming for. Also suggest you have a think about temp control, try and get it ore stabilise heat pad belt, ferment fridge etc, none of it needs to be expensive. Rule no.1 of fermenting temp control, rule no.2 leave it alone to do it stuff.

 

[Slid]

In my experience US05 is fairly tolerant of high temps and if you leave it alone in the FV for 14 days, without messing it up with lid opening and shoving implements in it, it will be fine.

My house has too many women in it (a lot less fun than it may sound) to be brewing friendly, so US05 is my go-to yeast.

 

[Justin Dean]

Yep all women in my house but I have the garage to myself, no brewing allowed in house

 

[TonyCall]

One day I'll have my own dedicated brew space...one day!

 

[Justin Dean]

Small footprint is possible, step by step mate.

 

[TonyCall]

Hi brewers would you mind if I resurrect this. I've been checking the gravity on my IPA and it has definitely stuck at 1.024

I have agitated it, swirled it vigorously etc but nothing. Now I've decided to pitch some fresh yeast (US-05). Is it best to rehydrate using DME or wort from the fermenter?

Thanks.

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi brewers would you mind if I resurrect this. I've been checking the gravity on my IPA and it has definitely stuck at 1.024

I have agitated it, swirled it vigorously etc but nothing. Now I've decided to pitch some fresh yeast (US-05). Is it best to rehydrate using DME or wort from the fermenter?

Thanks.

Is it AG or a kit?
It maybe as stated previously that the yeast has flocculated prematurely due to higher temperatures.
If it was an AG was it mashed too high in temperature leaving some unfermentable sugars behind.
Did you add lactose?
Has the temperature decreased?

 

[GerritT]

I'm in the same boat...

 

[TonyCall]

I chucked it in the end and started again, as it had an underlying burnt plastic taste. Built a basic swamp cooler to keep the temperature down and now have 20litres of something drinkable to bottle. Thanks for all the help and advice. I will definitely get a fermenting fridge built as it seems like essential kit for summer brewing (and winter).

 

[AlDaviz]

Hi
I’ve not got a brew fridge so make best of weather, with my brews but luckily I live in Scotland and it mainly cold anyway !!
Last couple brews with hotter weather have really exploded after 24 hours for the next 48 then not quite hot there FG but slowly decreased I’ve been using mangrove jacks yeasts and using a Tilt hydrometer, and it’s showing a stable fg after 7-8 days