Did I let it get too cold?

[woodsy]

I brewed my first two batches last week: Autumn Amber Ale on Monday, and Imperial Stout on Tuesday. They are each in 5gal carboys with blowoff tubes, and they each foamed up nicely, especially the stout.

I have them in a back room which has a nice and stable temperature, and regularly check the thermometers on the carbo's, getting anywhere from 65-69, with the higher ends during the crazy foam-fest of wednesday night.

Problem: went away for the weekend, left the heat on in the apartment as if we were here, so the beer wouldn't get too chilly. Just arrived back home, and now both carbo's read 61.

Both beers had stopped foaming and bubbling significantly prior to leaving town, and the krausen had already begun falling on the amber ale.

I've read many articles and posts that debate fermenting temps and such, but this just seemed so low, so I have to post and ask here.

Did it die? Should I move them into another room to warm up a few degrees? What should I be aiming for at this stage in fermentation?

Just to note; the two beers had gone through a very obvious active period, which was awesome to watch (and hear!) but had started to relax as they approached friday (days 4 and 5 respectively) with the krausen falling and no real big particles swimming around anymore. My intent was to begin testing gravity at some point this week, to see where it's at.

Any and all thoughts are welcome!

Woodsy

 

[BigFloyd]

You're fine. Let it slowly come up into the mid-60s on its own. 61 isn't cold enough to make most ale yeast go dormant.

What yeast did you use? Some, like Nottingham are good even cooler than you went. I've run Notty on purpose at 55*F and it did great.

Don't bother testing SG until it's had two weeks or better.

 

[woodsy]

The Amber Ale was Munton's and the Imperial Stout was Notty.

I remember reading the notty packet and thinking the temperature range was wild.

Thanks BigFloyd!

 

[BigFloyd]

The Amber Ale was Munton's and the Imperial Stout was Notty.

I remember reading the notty packet and thinking the temperature range was wild.

Thanks BigFloyd!

You're welcome.

The actual temp range for Notty is two degrees colder (on both ends) than what it says on the pack. You do not want to let it get above 68*.

 

[Pratzie]

I think ur good, it sounds like it was starting to go down anyway which is common. Let them come back up a little more and keep them there for a few days and check the gravity and see if it stabilized.