I am fermenting my first batch of homebrew and I don’t know if I am having some issues or if I am being overly concerned about my brew. Anyways I just put the wort in the fermentor yesterday and after a few hours the wort was bubbling quite nicely; however, this morning (and throughout the day) I checked it and it is hardly bubbling. Not to mention the foam layer on top has seemed to of disappeared. So, can someone tell me if I am having issues and how to fix it or if I am being overly worried for no reason.
You’re probably fine, don’t sweat it.
Any clue what the temperature of the room was where your fermenter was residing? Higher temperatures tend to result in faster fermentations.
I keep the temperature in my house around 70-73 Farenheit; however I keep my fermentor downstairs and it always feels a little cooler than the rest of the house.
What yeast did you use ?
Even if the temp downstairs is a few degrees cooler, I would venture that you fermented a little high and the beer finished rather quickly.
Look into a swamp cooler. I use one for every batch while my freezer is busy lagering. My basement is upper 60s but the swamp cooler keeps the beer at a solid 64 without ever having to add ice. :cheers:
You’ll be fine. Let your beer sit for two more weeks, then bottle and enjoy!
Or you could take gravity readings and let that tell you when it’s done…
[quote=“stompwampa”]Even if the temp downstairs is a few degrees cooler, I would venture that you fermented a little high and the beer finished rather quickly.
Look into a swamp cooler. I use one for every batch while my freezer is busy lagering. My basement is upper 60s but the swamp cooler keeps the beer at a solid 64 without ever having to add ice. :cheers:
You’ll be fine. Let your beer sit for two more weeks, then bottle and enjoy![/quote]
You may be right, the day after I put my fermentor away my wife turned off the a/c and opened all the windows in the house. When I checked the temp in the house later that day it said it was 78 degrees in the house. Perhaps this did cause an issue with my beer. You will have to excuse me for not knowing much, but I am pretty green at homebrewing. When the yeast is finished fermenting and you leave your beer in the fermentor, does it add more flavor to the beer? Or does the yeast strictly provide the alcohol content for the beer? Thanks again for everyones input! This forum is an awesome tool for me.
Grab a cheap digital thermometer. Any hardware store or Walmart carries them.
I am sure you’re fine, give it time.
RDWHAHB. :cheers:
Yes to both. The yeast strain plays a large role in flavor profile, specially for Belgians and Saisons.
Once fermentation is done, there is no harm in letting the beer sit with the yeast. You can go for a few months without much worry. After that, most recommend a secondary vessel for aging purposes.
