"2nd stage" fermentation? Odd 2nd burst of fermentation

[iamwhatiseem]

Never had this happen before.
I made the beer last Saturday.
Belgian Tripel, 1082 OG...Wyeast 3787 Belgian High Gravity from yeast starter.
The fermentation was a bit slow for the gravity I thought, but had a good thick Krausen with consistent bubbling out of the blow out tube. This lasted till about Wednesday.
I have not touched it, but today I looked at it and it was rather furiously fermenting again, actually what I expected to begin with. Very active.
The smell is perfect what it should be, the krausen looks exactly what you would expect...it was as if I pitched it again.
SHould I be concerned? First time I have used this yeast, maybe this is not unusual for it?
Thank you for all responses.
Cheers

 

[itchygomey]

I personally have not had this happen, but have heard others comment that it has happened to them. I wouldn't worry about it unless it looks or smells way off or if the gravity is about where it should be for final and is still rockin away. I have no explanation but to say that every fermentation seems to have its own personality. Some are boring to watch and don't do anything exciting, while some go crazy. Some take a while to get started, while some blow beer all over your ceiling. Good luck!

 

[JordanKnudson]

I've not heard of that being a "normal" issue with this yeast, but there are most definitely strains that do it. (White Labs description of their wlp565, for example, specifically notes that you should expect a stall and then a restart). I think everyone's first reaction will be, what temperature are you fermenting at? And have there been any significant fluctuations in the ambient temperature?

My guess is you don't have anything to worry about. Yeast are weird.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I've not heard of that being a "normal" issue with this yeast, but there are most definitely strains that do it. (White Labs description of their wlp565, for example, specifically notes that you should expect a stall and then a restart). I think everyone's first reaction will be, what temperature are you fermenting at? And have there been any significant fluctuations in the ambient temperature?

My guess is you don't have anything to worry about. Yeast are weird.

temperature could be a factor come to think of it...the ambient temp where I stored it was about 60-62, the beer temp during 1st ferm. was about 65.
It was 70 when looked at it today, I moved the fermentor to a cooler place and it is now back to 66 right now.
So it did warm up. it has been in the single digits at night and 20's during the day. Today it reached almost 40 and sunny, so the room warmed up.

 

[duboman]

You might consider allowing to warm to keep active and finish, yeast don't like to have temps that go up down all the time


Sent from the Commune

 

[JordanKnudson]

Agreed. If a slightly warmer ambient temperature has got your yeast going again, then they are clearly responding to the fluctuations. See if you can keep it a couple degrees warmer than what it was when it stalled out. However, belgian strains, 3787 included, can give off some strong weird flavors when fermented too warm. Scratch that -- pretty much ALL yeast will do that. So, try to strike a balance between "warm enough to keep the yeast going" and "not so warm that your beer will taste like a Dubble Bubble smoothie."

 

[iamwhatiseem]

It is sticking right at 67-68, it has quieted down again but active.
The smell is what you would expect, bananas and bread dough.
Perhaps this yeast just likes it to be more towards 70 degrees than 60.

 

[duboman]

It is sticking right at 67-68, it has quieted down again but active.
The smell is what you would expect, bananas and bread dough.
Perhaps this yeast just likes it to be more towards 70 degrees than 60.

IMO/IME, Belgian beers are really all about the yeast profile and most of that is derived from the mid to higher temperatures of the range for each strain. This is what makes Belgians so much fun and relatively easy to brew as you can really just let the yeast self rise and not require strict control like other yeasts.

 

[masonsjax]

Belgian yeasts tend to be crazy. They can make a big krausen that lasts longer than any other yeast IME, especially if temps are not stable.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Belgian yeasts tend to be crazy. They can make a big krausen that lasts longer than any other yeast IME, especially if temps are not stable.

Yep, it is thick enough that it is all the way up to the neck.