Newbie question incoming!!

[FridgeSpaceBrewing]

Hi all.

I have a wilko IPA in my FV, been there since saturday evening. Up to tuesday morning it was bubbling away nicely. Then no activity (in the airlock) reading through other posts i understand that patience is key and i could haveba small leak. I think i may of made some school boy errors during pitching and general temp control. I think i pitched between 26⁰c - 30⁰c (it was late and the other halfs birthday so was pushing my luck and had to rush slightly). The next morning when i checked the temp it was between 26⁰c -28⁰c (thought it was in the coolest room in the house) i moved the FV and over a couple of hours the temp, according to the stick on thermometer, went donwn between 22⁰c - 24⁰c where it has pretty much stayed (couldnt get it lower)

Do you think, becuase of the high temp its fermented quicker than normal? I just opened the FV quickly (looking through the FV it looked like a thick black film at the top of the liquid) all looks good and smells great. I have a hydrometer if i need to check the gravity.

Am i being paranoid?

Sorry about the diatribe this early in the morning

Thanks in advance

 

[AnimatedGIF]

Personally I'd give it another 7-10 days or so then take a gravity reading. Then take one a couple of days after and if they're the same, crack on and package it up. You could take a reading now to satisfy your curiosity, but it may not be worth the hassel. That said, if any intervention is required then you may wish to take one now.
As you rightly suggest, air lock activity does not reliably indicate the rate of fermentation.
I recently pitched a kit at around 26C with no problems, albeit not ideal.

 

[FridgeSpaceBrewing]

Personally I'd give it another 7-10 days or so then take a gravity reading. Then take one a couple of days after and if they're the same, crack on and package it up. You could take a reading now to satisfy your curiosity, but it may not be worth the hassel. That said, if any intervention is required then you may wish to take one now.
As you rightly suggest, air lock activity does not reliably indicate the rate of fermentation.
I recently pitched a kit at around 26C with no problems, albeit not ideal.

I was leaning towards just leaving it, so i think ill do that. I was planning on dry hopping, 7-10 days into the ferment with some cascade i had delivered yesterday. This slow down in activity shouldn't change anything regarding the DH should it?

Thanks

 

[AnimatedGIF]

I was leaning towards just leaving it, so i think ill do that. I was planning on dry hopping, 7-10 days into the ferment with some cascade i had delivered yesterday. This slow down in activity shouldn't change anything regarding the DH should it?

Thanks

If dry-hopping I tend to stick to 3-5 days before I package, but walways after I know fermentation has pretty much done, but it's not something I have done much, so I am not best placed to advise unfortunately.

 

[terrym]

At fermentation temperatures which could have been in the range 22-28*C your beer is very likely to have finished after 5 days, probably a lot less. Be brave, take a sample or just lower a sanitised hydrometer into the beer (thats what I do) for an SG reading. If the SG is around around 1.010 leave it another 2-3 days and then put it in the coldest place you have for another 2 days and then package. If its much higher leave it another 2-3 days then repeat.

 

[FridgeSpaceBrewing]

At fermentation temperatures which could have been in the range 22-28*C your beer is very likely to have finished after 5 days, probably a lot less. Be brave, take a sample or just lower a sanitised hydrometer into the beer (thats what I do) for an SG reading. If the SG is around around 1.010 leave it another 2-3 days and then put it in the coldest place you have for another 2 days and then package. If its much higher leave it another 2-3 days then repeat.

Nice one. Ill give that a whack. Would you recommend giving a gentle stir with the long handled spoon?

If dry-hopping I tend to stick to 3-5 days before I package, but walways after I know fermentation has pretty much done, but it's not something I have done much, so I am not best placed to advise unfortunately.

Thanks for your advice. Ill see how I get on with the gravity then take it from there.

 

[terrym]

Nice one. Ill give that a whack. Would you recommend giving a gentle stir with the long handled spoon?

Stirring not necessary.

 

[FridgeSpaceBrewing]

Stirring not necessary.

Just took a hydrometer reading. Seems to be around 1.010 from my novice reading. Best pic i could take.

 

[terrym]

Just took a hydrometer reading. Seems to be around 1.010 from my novice reading. Best pic i could take.

Looks done and its clearing too by the looks of things. So I suggest you follow my earlier advice in post 5. But if you are dry hopping go for it now, leave it 4 days in the warm and then 2 days in the coldest place you have before you package.

 

[FridgeSpaceBrewing]

Looks done and its clearing too by the looks of things. So I suggest you follow my earlier advice in post 5. But if you are dry hopping go for it now, leave it 4 days in the warm and then 2 days in the coldest place you have before you package.

Sound. Ill dry hop now