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Too hot for first stage?

RorieRorie Member Posts: 8
in Welcome To The Forum
Hi again folks,

My 1st stage fermentation is in a room which is currently 24/25 degrees. Can the room be too hot? Should i move it to a cooler room?

Thanks!
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    HBO_StaffHBO_Staff Administrator Posts: 2,115
    It varies from ingredient to ingredient, as a very general guide around 20 to 25 degrees C is OK for most brews. Some kits suggest a lower temperature, if it is the Norfolk Nog then you will be fine in the early 20 degrees C's. One thing to bear in mind, if it is at the upper end of the temperature the instructions recommend then it may ferment faster, and if below then the fermentation can take longer, a guide with more info on fermentation is here on this link if of any interest:

    http://homebrewonline.vanillaforums.com/discussion/519/fermentation-what-to-expect#latest
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    RorieRorie Member Posts: 8
    Hi!
    I made the beer up on Monday night and it's s.g was 1.035. Tue night it was bubbling like crazy!

    Tonight (Thursday) there were no bubbles, so,I checked the SG and it is now 1.014 - the exact figure the instructions say it should be at the end, but it's only been 3 full days!

    The temp is sitting between 24- 26 degrees (hotter than I expected it to be) so as you explained, that would speed it up, but perhaps this it too fast!

    Should I now move it to the barrel?
    Are there any downfalls with a very fast first stage?

    Thanks!
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    HBO_StaffHBO_Staff Administrator Posts: 2,115
    If the reading stays the same in 24 hours time and is as the manufacturers suggest as a guide then it will be ready to barrel, the extra warmth can speed the fermentation up and will also show strong signs of bubbling and froth in many cases. Fast fermentations with very high temperatures do run the risk of slight off flavours, but this is not that likely and you wont notice it in your brew, it is more for really high temperatures. Brewing at the lower end of the scale can help better flavours to develop, but many home brewers will struggle to keep a brew at an exact temperature during very cold or hot weather, you just have to do your best!
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    RorieRorie Member Posts: 8
    Ok, so SG today is down to 1.012. So I guess I should wait until tomorrow and check again, even though it's lower than the manufacturers guide?

    However, there is loads of 'bits' floating around. Is this normal? I thought they were all supposed to sink? It's almost like a sticky substance!
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    leysdaveleysdave Member Posts: 3
    From one extreme to the other for me. My Gone with the Wheat Czech Lager was mixed and put into the fermenting bin on the 7/02 . Took a few days to start but then bubbled away merrily for the next ten days, only stopping at the beginning of this week. It was sat on a heating tray at a temp of between 22-24C. I bottled it on Wednesday 25/02 and got 40 bottles in total only leaving a small amount of sediment. I did simmer the two tubs of mix with 2 litres of water for 20 minutes prior to pouring them into the fermenter. The instructions do give you this option and I also re-hydrated the yeast supplied as well. Put one little spoon of brewing sugar in each bottle and filled up to the neck. Had a little taste and was very optimistic that I may have something very drinkable as the brew certainly looked and smelled ok and am sure the next few weeks will bring it on. Am planning on leaving the bottles at around 20C for a week and then move them upstairs to somewhere a bit cooler...and may even try a bottle next weekend. My brother, who is an avid home brewer and lives in South Africa, recommends mixing the brewing sugar with 250ml of warm water and adding this mix straight into the fermenting vessel, taking care not to disturb the sediment. As this is my first attempt at brewing, I figured on following the instructions to the letter and watching the results before getting adventurous. I found the GWTW kits very easy to use and will certainly try another. Will post again when the first bottle is opened.
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    HBO_StaffHBO_Staff Administrator Posts: 2,115
    Hi Rorie, leaving the brew unit the hydro reading is constant is always best, it ensures your finished beer in the bottles/barrel don't over-carbonate, so once the reading is constant go ahead and barrel it. Sometimes they are slightly higher or lower than what the manufacturers suggest, but it sounds like yours is just about ready. You often get forth or 'scum' on the surface, this is perfectly normal and will be left behind when you syphon over.
    The GWTW sounds like it is coming along nicely too Leysdave, we have heard from a few people that the GWTW can sometimes take a while to carbonate, and the flavours fully develop after a while in the bottles/barrel - usually the longer the better. Adding the priming sugar in one go and sometimes with a sugar/water mix can be a good way of doing it, often people use a second fermenting vessel so they have left the sediment behind from the primary fermentation and don't stir it back up again
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