So it’s my first brew. 24 hours later, I’ve got a beautiful krausen, and my yeast is bubbling. Now at 72 hours out, krausen has fallen, and sporadic bubbling. Do I wait and see what happens, or is it done?
It’s probably Ok, just a fast fermentation(usually because your temperature was kind of high). The only way to be sure is to take a SG, then another in 2-3 days and see if they are the same.
But… just because she’s not bubbling and the krausen has fallen doesn’t mean the complete fermentation is done. The yeast are still working, allbeit more quietly. After going to town on the easy sugars, they go back and work on the harder stuff, cleaning up after themselves.
So, the general recommendation is to leave her alone for another week or 2, then take that SG, before deciding whether you want to cold crash, and how you’re going to package this nectar.
thanks for the help
Like Jim said, this is likely a cause of too warm of fermentation. Try to keep ale yeast in the low to mid 60°s to help prevent byproducts of fermenting too warm. What are you doing for temp control? Check out some easy techniques such as a swamp cooler.
Was going through the same thing. Started the caribou slobber yesterday, yeast activation was through the roof, had to attach blow off hose, still goung decently this morning. However has slowed considerably now, was worried, checked temps last night , approaching 70, now about 66. Too warm?
If your ambient temp was 70, then yes, a little too warm. Fermentation produces heat, so if your ambient temp was 70, beer temp could have been up to about 8 degrees warmer. You need a thermal mass (water in a swamp cooler) or a controlled ambient temp(fermentation chamber) to help keep temps down. The swamp cooler is an easy method–place fermentor in a tub of water that has frozen water bottles in it. Monitor the temp of the water–your beer temp will stay pretty close to that of the water if the level of the water is near the level of the beer.
Temp control will calm your fermentation and give you better tasting beer.
:cheers:
Ron
