I just used the starter brewing kit for the first time. I brewed a batch of nut brown ale on Saturday. On Sunday evening I noticed the bubble air lock was starting to bubble. It was bubbling good on Monday, but Monday evening i had to relocate the fermenter to a different location in the house. I did it very carefully and slowly and now there is not any bubble activity in the air lock. The air lock does still have a good seal in the fermenter. Is this anything to worry about?
Nothing to worry about. Can you tell me if the yeast was liquid or dry? What was the temp originally and what was the temp where you moved the primary? If you moved it to a very cool spot, fermentation may have slowed down. If the yeast was dry (Windsor, Nottingham, etc.) it’s possible that primary fermentation is done or close to done. Let the beer go for a good 10-14 days total and check your FG with the hydrometer. Moving the primary around is perfectly acceptable unless there is a big temp change. Good luck.
The yeast was liquid. I moved it from first floor of house (around 73 degrees) to second floor about same temperature. I was assuming I would see the bubbling for the 10-14 day period. Sounds like that’s not the case.
73 ambient temp is too high for that yeast/beer. I bet the beer could be at/close to 80F.
You need to look into a swamp cooler.
http://billybrew.com/swamp-cooler-homebrewMy basement is probably 60 degrees right now. Should I move it there, or is it too late at this point?
If it was liquid yeast that was fresh and the beer was at that temp (which I agree is too warm… at least for my tastes), the most active part of primary fermentation could be over. That doesn’t mean it’s done, it’s just winding down which can take several more days. When I make ales in the summer (or anytime it’s warm), I do place the primary in a plastic tub filled with cool water and I will occasionally knock down the temps by placing frozen water bottles in the tub as well. For lagers I use a fridge but I like to keep my ale fermentation temps in check as well. Still… no worries for you. The beer is moving along and after the standard 10-14 period, carefully take a gravity sample to see where it is. At that point you can taste the gravity sample (warm and flat but will give you an idea of overall character) and decide if the beer needs more time. Cheers.
On the next ale you make, leave it on the basement floor. The cooler temps will create a cleaner-tasting beer.
On the next ale you make, leave it on the basement floor. The cooler temps will create a cleaner-tasting beer.[/quote]
That would be a great temp. It will probably ferment at 65-68 which will be much better for the ale fermentation.
