Did My Fermentation Get Stuck?

[tonyth1965]

This is my absolute first batch of home brew. I used a True Brew All Malt Brown Ale kit. I thought the fermentation had gone well. The airlock hadn't been moving/bubbling for several days. This is Day 10, and I was ready to bottle. My fermenter was stored in a basement closet, temperature was steady around 62 - 63F. I brought the fermenter upstairs to the kitchen, where the temperature is 70F. Now the airlock is bubbling again. Did I stir up the batch and cause additional fermentation, or maybe more CO2 is coming out of solution as the whole thing heats up? I haven't taken hydrometer readings because the hydrometer that came with my brewing equipment kit did not have a suitable cylinder to put a sample in, and I don't have a graduated cylinder or anything that I can use without using too much of the batch.

 

[justhops]

10 days is pretty quick. I would give it another 10 days or so at 70 degrees to let the yeast clean up after themselves. Those kit instructions are not always the best.

 

[brewkinger]

The increased temperature is a possible culprit for increased activity as is the moving of the fermenter.
What kind of yeast? What is the range of acceptable temperatures for the yeast?
You want to keep that in mind with the yeast as too high of a temp can cause off flavors and too low can cause yeast to move slowly or even drop out of suspension.

Previous post is spot on. Leave it for another week and check gravity. then recheck after couple of days. If constant then ok to proceed with secondary (if that is what you do) or bottle.
In the meantime, get yourself a cylinder to test the gravity in.
Depending on the type of hydro that you got, sometimes the plastic tube it came in can be used as vessel, as long as it is longer than the length of your hydrometer.

 

[sweetcell]

heating the beer (moving from 63 to 70*F) = causes beer to expand = releases CO2.
shaking the beer will also release CO2.
heating the beer can also cause the yeast to wake up and start eating sugar again.

recommendation: leave the fermenter at 70*F for at least another week. having done your main fermentation at a slightly cooler temp was most likely a good thing (depending on the yeast, but few yeasts won't be happy and ferment cleanly at 62-63). warming the beer up a few degrees as fermentation is ending is a good idea, it gives a little boost to the yeasties and encourages them to give a last push.

 

[tonyth1965]

Thanks for all the advice so quickly.
The yeast was labeled as Munton's Active Brewing Yeast (6g pkg, dry).
I bought another hydrometer today that came in said plastic tube (I guess having a backup isn't a bad thing). The specific gravity now is 1.020. The kit instructions say final gravity should be 1.010-1.012. I was actually using Papazian's instructions on bottling within 8-14 days, but I'm taking your advice and waiting. I was just anxious, and trying to fit bottling in to my busy schedule. Probably won't have another opportunity until Easter weekend. On a good note, I tasted the sample, and the taste is great! I'm going to love home brewing!

 

[sweetcell]

Probably won't have another opportunity until Easter weekend. On a good note, I tasted the sample, and the taste is great! I'm going to love home brewing!

easter is a week and a half away - perfect amount of time to wait.

and yes, brewing is a great thing

 

[Cyclman]

Good story on why you need to use a hydro, not calendar.

You'll eventually break your hydro, everyone does, so a spare isn't all bad.

Warming up ferm at the end is actually a good practice, it'll help achieve FG, and since off flavors are produced early in fermentaiton, it is highly unlikely to affect flavor.