Run away fermenter cooked my beer

[hinkensj]

I was fiddling with my fermentation chamber while fermenting my Belgian Dark Strong Ale, and I accidentally left the chamber temp probe outside the chamber. The controller dutifully started heating and didn’t stop until I checked it the next day. The beer was at 104F. I immediately noticed the problem and replaced the probe. In about 8 hours, it had brought the beer back to 70F, but currently no activity in the airlock.

I sampled the beer tonight and don’t taste off flavors. It’s nowhere near complete—it had gone from 1.091 down to about 1.035. I anticipate the final gravity should be around 1.009. I am using a Trappist style yeast.

I am thinking of buying another pack of yeast and adding it to the now still beer. Any gottchas I should be looking for?

 

[jrgtr42]

You probably killed the yeast that were in there.
Now that it's back down to temp, you should be OK with repitching, but you may end up with off flavors from it being high. Depends how long it took to get there and how long it remained at that temp.

 

[day_trippr]

What yeast strain? And how long had it been fermenting in the proper range before the probe thing happened?

You're somewhere around 60% attenuation and almost 7.5% abv already. I doubt the yeast really were harmed by the heated pool - they likely enjoyed it - but if you were going to add more yeast I'd make a 1L starter and pitch the whole thing at high krausen, rather than dump a yeast pack in...

Cheers!

 

[hinkensj]

Thanks @jrgtr42 Looks like about 7 hours up and 8 hours down.

 

[hinkensj]

@day_trippr, I am using Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity. I pitched a 3L starter originally. I can do another 1L no problem.

 

[hinkensj]

Nice to see that things are back on line. Thanks to @day_trippr for his advice of adding a 1L starter to kick it off again.

 

[day_trippr]

Yup, that definitely worked
Good for you!

Cheers!