I am relatively new to brewing (currently on my fifth batch). I have read many of the topics posted on this forum and I thank you all for the advice and tips you offer.
My current batch is a cream ale and it’s been in the primary for 3 weeks. I was going to bottle it today and noticed that the airlock started bubbling again! I think this is a result of the temperature in our apartment getting cranked up to ~74 degrees due to the cold front we experienced here in Northern MN. I didn’t think it would be a problem this late in the fermentation, but apparently I was wrong.
What would you suggest I do? Did the yeast reactivate and start fermenting again, in which case I should cool the primary down and give it another week? Or should I just take a final gravity measure and if it’s correct, just go ahead and bottle? I’m open to suggestions!
What is the current gravity and what was the original? Any normal gravity ale should be done in less than a week. It’s probably just CO2 coming out of suspension.
If you’ve checked the gravity in the last couple of days, check it again. If it’s the same, go ahead and bottle. It sounds like your airlock activity is just C02 liberating as a result of the warmer temperature.
The air lock activity may be from CO2 off gassing due to the increased temperature. The activity could also be a stuck fermentation restarting because of the temp change, less likely though, but it can happen.
Two SG readings that are the same, over a period of three to five days, is the only way to know for sure that FG has been reached.
Take a SG reading. If it is definitely low enough,bottling may be safe. If you would leave it for another week, don’t cool it down. After the initial high fermentation activity is completed, letting the beer warm a few degrees can help the yeast finish the fermentation and clean up off flavors.
Alright thanks guys! I was hoping it was something simple like expanding gases due to a bump in temp. I will check the gravity to make sure it’s at FG, but now I’m not worried. Just thought I would double check to make sure nothing weird happened!
