New to home brewing - have I ruined it already?

[EllisD]

Hello Everybody!

I bought all the bits and pieces for my first ever home brew. But I'm worried that within 24 hours I've ruined it already.

I bought a "heat mat" to keep the 25 litre fermentation tank at the right temperature, I also (stupidly) wrapped a towel around the tank too.

I added the yeast to the wort yesterday evening. I came home today at around 12pm and found a nice load of froth on the top of the brew and was very happy with myself. I decided to give it a stir and check the temp, I was scared to find at at 31 degrees C

I've taken the towel off of the tank but thought i'd leave the heat mat in place as it's a cold house.

2 questions:

1) Have I ruined it already??!!
2) Shouldn't the heat mat, with a supposed built-in thermostat, cut off to stop if getting so warm?

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Ellis

 

[craigite]

Never give up. It's hard to brew something that does not taste better than a cheep supermarket tin.
Next brew watch the temp and compare the results. We all learn more when things do not quite go acording to plan.

Keep going.

 

[broadfordbrewer]

I'm too new to this to give you a definite answer on this and someone with more experience won't be long in replying to you.

But as Craigite says, nothing to lose in keeping on going and seeing what you get in the end... its only your time that you're investing now?

I guess though that there is a chance that you may have killed the yeast? but again, there will be someone along to advice on best way to recover this if its the cause...

 

[brobin]

Hi EllisD

Do you have a hydrometer?

If so check the gravity now and in 24 hours and then 24 hours after that.

If it is going down then the yeast is still alive and converting the sugar to alchol.

If it remains constant then the yeast has been cooked and has stoped working - Unlikley at 31c

If this is the case then all is not lost as you can add another sachet of yeast to the cooler wort

 

[EllisD]

Thanks all for your replies.

I'll do the hydrometer check tomorrow and see if it's still going down.

Fingers crossed :)

Cheers,

E