Batch #1 - going too fast?

Hi,

I’m onto fermenting my very first batch and I have a couple of noob questions that someone more experienced should be able to answer in sleep. I’m trying to make the slobber.

a) The boiling of the wort went fine, I was super worried about pitching when the wort is too hot, but since the water I’m using was so cold, the wort had something like 55F when I pitched the yeast - is this too cold? Can the wort be too cold to picth the yeast?

b) I’ve put the thing in the closet, I though the temperature is going to be perfect, but the temperature rose to something like 76-78 the next day. I tried to keep it cool by putting bucked of ice next to it, but I think it is just not enough. Fermentation was lively, but not crazy (2 inches of foam, but not even close to boiling off, bubbling like once per second). The problem is that on day 2, the fermentation is hardly going on, foam is nearly gone and it bubbles more like once every 20 seconds. Is this a problem?

c) The recipe calls for 1-2 weeks, but what do I do if my fermentation dies completelly in 3 days? Do I transfer to secondarty on day 4 or still wait a week?

d) Is it ok to move the fermentor to a cooler place, while the fermenation is going on? I’m afraid of all the juggling and splashing and what it would do.

e) Everybody goes on about sanitize^3, but nobody explains how long does sanitization last. Can I sanitize my carboy while the wort is brewing, or do I need to do it like 1 minute before pouring wort?

Thanks a ton to anyone replying.

a) Not a problem. It might be just a tad cool, so might take a little longer for the yeast to take off, but as fermentation occurs it will warm up, allowing more yeast to join the party.

b) Not a problem, but that’s a bit warm. It sounds like fermentation went quickly because of the higher temp. Even though bubbling finished early, fermentation is still occurring so leave it alone.

c) Fermentation is still happening on some level, and the yeast are cleaning up after themselves, so leave it alone.

d) It’s okay to move it, everything will settle. Try not to shake it or anything though.

e) Sanitation lasts basically as long as you keep it closed off to any nasties. If you sanitize your fermentor during the boil and cover it with a sanitized lid, it will still be sanitized when you remove the lid to fill. I ferment in buckets and during the boil fill them with one gallon of sanitizer. During the boil I shake the covered bucket a few times to coat the walls and lid, and empty at flameout.

:cheers:

Thanks a lot!